I'd entered this as my first middle distance as I'd enjoyed the South Coast event done by UK tri last year. Early registration was opened up a few days before, so I was able to pick up my number the day before, it was still available on the day though. Parking is available nearby in town, though the car park we used was filling up early. The bike/transition area was quite big, at least for the early mid distance wave. It's really good to have toilets in the transition area. The swim was good, a very wide start area, so not too much of a washing machine start (though the later olympic start looked busier). The two lap route was clearly marked. Transition was a short walk on a mat to the bikes, and out through a gate, past some houses and onto a main road. On the whole, the road wasn't too busy, the route was very well signposted and there were marshals at the junctions (I did see a motorbike marshal come past as well). On the second lap there is a feed station with drinks, energy bars, gels, and fresh water bottles. The course was undulating, with only a couple of short steepish climbs. There were some quite good straights in parts, but the last 10k or so on both laps was into a headwind and hard. Back in transition, you leave through a different gate and out onto the run course. The profile said that this was flat, but there is a rise across an old railway bridge which hurt every time. You initally go out along a road to a turn point, come back and then turn alongside the lake through the woods before going through the transition point. There is a feed station at the turn point with drinks and energy bars, and wonderful encouraging marshals. There weren't too many people around by the time we finished, but those who were there were wonderfully encouraging, and there was quite a bit of camaraderie between those at the back, encouraging each other. It was a tough day out, and on the whole I enjoyed the event. I'm not sure if I could hack another middle distance, but will do more olympic distances. On the whole, I thought it was well organised by UK triathlon. They had run out of my size of T shirt by the end , but made a note of my number to send it onto me (I need to chase them up about this).