sevendaughters -You won't have a problem with navigation if you are mid pack.

I was near the back of the pack for last year's race, and managed to hang on to the procession across the main unflagged, flat section of bog, which isn't long after the start, and thus the field hasn't strung out much - and even on the second unflagged section soon after, I still had other runners coming along behind me, even as started to lose touch with the main field - and that section is fairly straightforward anyway.

I usually study the map beforehand,to give me an idea of where I'm going, and take a copy of the map with me in the race, though don't usually have to refer to it.

This is a good, enjoyable race for a first, or only, long fell race - very well organised and marshalled - and well flagged on the flagged bits , which is most of it.