When: June 21st 2026
Where: Park Farm, Tusmore Estate, Bicester, OX27 7SH
Organiser: Racing Line Running
Distance: 10 km
Elevation: +/- 44m
Course: Fairly flat loop of the Tusmore estate on farm tracks and paths. 1k spur at the start and finish to Park Farm.
Other routes touched (walk): Tusmore Estate footpaths
Finish time: 58 minutes, 25 seconds
View over Glasgow from the OS Trig Pillar
Significance: Present-day County Top for Glasgow City
Historic County: Lanarkshire, of which Culter Fell is the Historic County Top
Member of: N/A
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Corse Hill
Elevation: 200m
Date climbed: June 5th 2026
Coordinates: 55° 47' 56'' N, 4° 12' 41'' W
Route Start & Finish: Cathkin Brae Bike Park Top Car Park, B759, Glasgow, G76 9EY
Route Distance: 2.3 km (1.42 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 31m
Subsidiary tops on route: xx
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
OS Trig Pillar: None
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Map: Glasgow Map | Paisley, Rutherglen & Kirkintilloch | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 342
Links: Wikipedia: (Glasgow / Cathkin Braes), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Cathkin Braes is the Present-Day County Top for Glasgow City. I bagged it in 2026 on our annual County Top weekend trip, along with the present-day County Tops of East and West Dunbartonshire and the Historic County Tops of Argyll and Ross and Cromarty.
It had already been a successful hiking day, having conquered both Earl's Seat and Duncolm to successfully claim the high points of East and West Dunbartonshire. This was part of our broader weekend plan and a parallel adventure: while I was out ticking off these local summits, Mark, Matt, and Joel were over on the Isle of Arran to tackle Goat Fell.
With a couple of hours to spare before I needed to drop my hire car back at Glasgow Airport and reunite with the boys, I realised I had the perfect window for a quick detour. I have been saving Cathkin Braes for a few years, waiting for an opportunity to comfortably squeeze it into an itinerary. As the county top for Glasgow City, it is highly accessible and makes for a very straightforward, short walk.
The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.
The drive over from Kilpatrick Braes was quick and easy. I pulled into the main Cathkin Braes car park located just off the B759 road. It is a good size, and being late on a Friday afternoon, it was full of people out enjoying a walk with their dogs.
From the car park, you pick up a path that runs close to and parallel with the B759 in a north-easterly direction. The route takes you through some vegetation, pointing you towards a very clear visual target: the large wind turbine. You simply keep heading towards it, eventually passing right through the turbine's car park and out the other side.
From the turbine, you follow a path heading in a slightly northerly direction to hunt down the exact coordinates of the high point. Unlike some of the more dramatic peaks, the true highest elevation here is beautifully unassuming. It is located on a path deep in the woods, with nothing marking the spot other than a distinct fork in the trail. I snapped a quick picture of the fork to officially document the achievement and pressed on.
Taking the north-easterly path from the fork, I headed out towards a clearing. This is where the walk really rewards you: it opens up onto the ridge line, offering a fantastic view stretching right over the city of Glasgow. Sitting just in front of a very large telegraph pole, you will find the trig pillar. It is sporting a little bit of graffiti these days, but it is otherwise in good condition and well looked after.
After taking in the city views, the return leg is incredibly simple. You just follow the path along the ridge in a south-westerly direction, re-enter the woods shortly afterwards, and follow the trail all the way back to where you started at the B759 car park. It was an excellent, short walk to cap off the day before heading to the airport.
Cathkin Braes Country Park: Sitting among the highest points in Glasgow at around 200 metres, Cathkin Braes offers sweeping views across the city towards the Campsie Fells and, on clear days, the distant Southern Highlands. The Braes are also tied to the story of Mary, Queen of Scots: tradition holds that she watched the 1568 Battle of Langside from a vantage point here, witnessing the defeat of her supporters and the effective end of her reign in Scotland.
Geological Significance: The Braes form part of Glasgow’s Carboniferous volcanic landscape, shaped over millions of years as lava flows and volcanic rocks were gradually eroded into the distinctive ridge line seen today. This varied terrain supports a rich mosaic of habitats, from acid grassland and heath to woodland edges and wetlands. It is an important refuge for wildlife, including kestrels, owls, and seasonal migratory birds, making it one of the city’s most ecologically valuable upland areas.
Trig Pillar at the summit of Duncolm
Also Known As: Dùn Choluim (Scottish Gaelic)
Significance: Present-day County Top for West Dunbartonshire, highest point of the Kilpatrick Hills
Historic County: Dunbartonshire, of which Ben Vorlich is the Historic County Top
Member of: N/A
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Dumgoyne (427m)
Elevation: 401 m
Date climbed: June 5th 2026
Coordinates: 55° 57' 58'' N, 4° 27' 5'' W
Route Start & Finish: Kilpatrick Braes Car Park, 25 Mount Pleasant Drive, Old Kilpatrick, Glasgow, G60 5LT
Route Distance: 14.2 km (8.8 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 479m
Subsidiary tops on route: Little Duncolm, Middle Duncolm, The Slacks
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Clyde Coastal Path
OS Trig Pillar: TP2908 - Duncolm Hill and TP6428 - The Slacks
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Maps:
- Glasgow Map | Paisley, Rutherglen & Kirkintilloch | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 342
- Loch Lomond South Map | Dumbarton, Helensburgh, Drymen & Cove | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL38
Links: Wikipedia (West Dunbartonshire / Kilpatrick Hills / Duncolm), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Duncolm is the Present-day County Top for West Dunbartonshire. I bagged it in 2026 on our annual County Top weekend trip, along with the present-day County Tops of East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow City and the Historic County Tops of Argyll and Ross and Cromarty.
After successfully tackling Earl's Seat to claim the high point of East Dunbartonshire, the next natural step was to complete the regional set by summiting Duncolm. This serves as the present-day county top of West Dunbartonshire and sits nicely in the nearby Kilpatrick Hills.
The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.
Getting there involved a 30-minute drive back towards Glasgow. I parked in the Kilpatrick Braes car park, located just off the Great Western Road (the A82).
From the car park, the route begins by walking down onto Mount Pleasant Drive. You then take the underpass to safely cross under the A82 and follow a small road leading towards a local farm. At the farm entrance, take a right to join a path that steadily winds its way uphill in a north-westerly direction.
As you ascend, the scenery really starts to deliver. On your right-hand side, you are flanked by impressive cliff edges. Meanwhile, over on your left, the elevation offers a fantastic, sweeping view over the River Clyde and back towards the Erskine Bridge.
The path eventually curves around the side of the hills, shifting you into a north-easterly direction. After walking roughly 4.2 kilometres, you reach the pleasant shores of Loch Humphrey. It is a fantastic spot to take in the views: there is plenty of local wildlife, including a fair few ducks, and you can clearly spot Duncolm rising in the distance.
From the loch, the path continues along its south-eastern edge before curving steadily towards the north. Around the 5.7-kilometre mark, it is time to leave the established track and tackle a fairly steep grassy bank.
This ascent brings you to Little Duncolm, the first of three distinctly named peaks in the cluster. While there isn't a marker at the summit, the views are excellent. From there, it requires a careful descent down the northern side, crossing over a small stream before immediately beginning the climb up to Middle Duncolm.
After navigating Middle Duncolm, you descend its north-eastern side before continuing in a north-easterly direction to tackle the steep bank up to the main summit of Duncolm. You will know you have made it when you reach the Trig Pillar, which offers stunning 360-degree views of the surrounding area.
After enjoying the views from the Trig Pillar, it is time to retrace your steps back down. Thankfully, there is no need to re-ascend Middle and Little Duncolm: you can simply stay on the bypass path that skirts their north-westerly side, eventually rejoining the main track just south of Little Duncolm.
Continue back along the main path. At around the 10-kilometre mark of the trip, take a path on the left. This cuts across the hill towards a fence line enclosing a small wooded area. Follow the fence line as it heads east, then turn south for a slight descent before heading up to The Slacks, where you can successfully bag another trig pillar.
From The Slacks, pick up the path heading in a southerly direction. This provides a steady descent back down to the original route. Take a left to rejoin it, and from there, it is just a case of retracing your steps for the final 1.3 kilometres all the way back to the Kilpatrick Braes car park. It makes for a rewarding route and a very satisfying way to finish off the Dunbartonshire high points.
Kilpatrick Hills: These hills are of volcanic origin, formed during the Carboniferous period as part of the Clyde Plateau Volcanic Formation. Their mix of basaltic crags and broad plateau surfaces creates a distinctive upland landscape that contrasts sharply with the surrounding urban areas of West Dunbartonshire.
Erskine Bridge: Looking back over the River Clyde, the Erskine Bridge stands out as a major cable‑stayed box‑girder bridge, opened in 1971. It forms a key crossing linking the A898 to the A82 and sits just north of the M8 corridor. Its elegant profile provides a striking engineering landmark against the natural backdrop of the river.
OS Trig Pillar at the top of Earl’s Seat at the border of East Dunbartonshire and Stirling
Significance: Present-day County Top for East Dunbartonshire
Historic County: Stirlingshire, of which Ben Lomond is the Historic County Top
Member of: Marilyns
Parent Range: Campsie Fells
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Binnean nan Gobhar
Elevation: 578m
Date climbed: June 5th 2026
Coordinates: 56°01′33″N 4°17′47″W
Route Start & Finish: Glengoyne Distillery, Dumgoyne, Killearn, Glasgow, G63 9LB
Route Distance: 10.3 km (6.4 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 628m
Subsidiary tops on route: Dumgoyne Hill (427m), Garloch Hill (524m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
OS Trig Pillar: TP2957 - Earls Seat
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Map: Campsie Fells Map | Kilsyth, Strathblane & Fintry | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 348
Links: Wikipedia: (East Dunbartonshire / Campsie Fells / Earl’s Seat), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Earl’s Seat is Present-day County Top for East Dunbartonshire. I bagged it in 2026 on our annual County Top weekend trip, along with the present-day County Tops of West Dunbartonshire, Glasgow City and the Historic County Tops of Argyll and Ross and Cromarty.
This year marked a significant milestone: the tenth anniversary of our annual boys' County Top trip. The adventure kicked off on a Friday, but this time around, we opted for parallel adventures. While Mark, Matt, and Joel headed over to the Isle of Arran to tackle Goat Fell to claim the highest point of that county, I decided on a different path. Having already summited Goat Fell a few years prior, I set my sights on bagging the high points of present-day East and West Dunbartonshire. Because they are fairly close together, they make for two great summits to link up in a single day. First up on the agenda: Earl's Seat.
The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.
The starting point was an easy forty-minute drive from Glasgow Airport. I headed for the Glengoyne Distillery, which offers great parking. A quick note for anyone planning this route: the distillery car park is officially for customers only. Given it was a quiet day, I chanced it, but there is alternative parking nearby if you prefer to play it safe. From the distillery, the route begins by heading south down the main road for about 100m. After crossing over, you will find a gate leading into a field, and the path begins its slow, steady climb up the hill.
It isn't long before you are greeted by the imposing, steep figure of Dumgoyne Hill. At this stage, the path presents two choices: fork right to take the path straight over the top of Dumgoyne Hill, or keep left to skirt around the side and avoid the climb entirely.
Determined to bag Dumgoyne Hill as well, I took the right-hand path. It is a steep ascent up the southern side, but the effort is richly rewarded. While there isn't a traditional trig pillar at the summit, there is a large, pillar-sized stone and, more importantly, fantastic views stretching right across the valley.
Leaving Dumgoyne Hill, the path heads in a north-north-easterly direction down the opposite side of the hill. I will admit this section was a little daunting: the ground was damp, and the gradient was extremely steep. I don't typically tackle tricky hills on my own, but it wasn't particularly dangerous. With a bit of care, and an undignified slide down one short section, I made it to the bottom safely.
Continuing northeast, the route seamlessly joins back up with the main bypass path you would have taken had you skipped Dumgoyne Hill. From here, it becomes a steady, albeit slightly boggy, ascent towards a subsidiary top called Garloch Hill, marked by a few cairns. Pushing on towards Earl's Seat, the landscape opens up, and you can spot the Trig Pillar from quite a distance: a perfect visual target to aim for.
After taking in the summit of Earl's Seat, I decided against simply retracing my steps. Instead, I opted to turn the walk into a circular route. Heading north-west, the path leads towards Ballagan Tops before taking a westerly turn to rejoin the original ascent path just east of Garloch Hill.
From there, it was a straightforward walk retracing my steps back to the distillery. This time, however, I took the northerly path to comfortably bypass Dumgoyne Hill.
All in all, the route took about three hours: a highly enjoyable morning on the hills and a fantastic start to the weekend's county top bagging.
Glengoyne Distillery: Established in 1833, this distillery is unique for being located on the Highland Line, the geographical divide between the Highlands and Lowlands. Uniquely, the distillery sits in the Lowlands, while its maturation warehouses sit across the road in the Highlands.
The Campsie Fells: These are a range of volcanic hills formed during the Carboniferous period. They are composed largely of basalt, creating the dramatic crags and scree slopes visible from the surrounding valleys, including the steep face of Dumgoyne.
The Highland Boundary Fault: The route passes over a significant geological divide. This fault line runs across Scotland from Arran in the west to Stonehaven in the east, separating the flatter, sedimentary Lowlands from the rugged, metamorphic Highlands.
Dumgoyne: A striking volcanic plug that rises sharply from the edge of the Campsie Fells. It formed when magma solidified within an ancient volcanic vent, leaving behind the resistant core that now stands as a prominent landmark. Its steep, symmetrical profile has been further shaped by glacial erosion, but it is not a crag‑and‑tail formation; instead, it is simply the exposed remnant of a Carboniferous volcano.
Brian on the promenade between Sandown and Shanklin
The idea for this trip actually sparked on a train ride between Oxford and Banbury. Brian and I were en route to tackle a stretch of National Cycle Route 5, chatting about our ongoing mission to cycle the length of the South Coast. Over the past couple of years, we’ve worked our way clockwise from the Thames Barrier, passing through Margate, Dover, Hastings, and Brighton, before finally reaching Southampton.
Naturally, we assumed the next leg would take us west toward Weymouth. That was until we struck up a conversation with a fellow cyclist in the bike carriage. He recounted a recent coastal route he’d completed around the Isle of Wight, and his enthusiasm was infectious. We quickly realised that before pressing further west along the mainland, we had to conquer the island.
While there is a signposted cycle route around the Isle of Wight, we decided to craft a bespoke itinerary: a mix of disused railways, established cycle routes, and quiet residential lanes hugging the coast as closely as possible.
Start: East Cowes Ferry Terminal, East Cowes PO32 6RF
Finish: Premier Inn Isle Of Wight (Newport) hotel, Seaclose, Fairlee Road, Newport, PO30 2DN
Distance: 8.3 km (5.2 miles)
Elevation change: + 59m / -55m (Net +4m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Isle of Wight Coastal Path
Other routes touched (cycle): Isle of Wight Round-The-Island Cycle Route (Route 67), Newport to Cowes Cycleway, NCN 22, 23
Map: Isle of Wight Map | Cowes, Newport, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Yarmouth & Ventnor | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL29
Links: East Cowes, Cowes Chain Bridge, River Medina, Newport
As soon as work finished on Friday, I picked Brian up and we drove south to Southampton. We parked the car right next to the ferry terminal: a great logistical move, as rolling our bikes onto the Red Funnel ferry as foot passengers was incredibly easy.
We arrived at East Cowes around 8:00 PM, hopped on the chain ferry across the River Medina, and picked up the Red Squirrel Trail. This mostly flat, slightly downhill route follows a disused railway line and made for a very pleasant 8 km evening cruise into Newport. We checked into the Premier Inn, which is brilliantly cycle-friendly, allowing us to store our bikes safely in the room.
Then came the unexpected challenge of the evening: finding dinner. Newport on a Friday night was surprisingly quiet. The receptionist’s glowing recommendation for a local Thai restaurant proved fruitless as it had already shut by 8:30 PM. An Indian restaurant down the road was also closed. In the end, we only managed to find one open restaurant to fuel up for the weekend.
Start: Premier Inn Isle Of Wight (Newport) hotel, Seaclose, Fairlee Road, Newport, PO30 2DN
Finish: Wight Mouse Inn, Church Place, Chale, Ventnor, PO38 2HA
Distance: 52.5 km (33 miles)
Elevation change: + 762m / -683m (Net +79m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Isle of Wight Coastal Path, The Bembridge Trail, The Culver Trail, Worsley Trail, Tip of the Wight, Yar River Trail,
Other routes touched (cycle): Isle of Wight Round-The-Island Cycle Route (Route 67), NCN 22, 23
Pubs / Cafes on route: Loads but we stopped at Chocolate Apothecary Ryde (13km in), The Harbour View Cafe Bembridge (23km in), Tradewinds Beach Cafe Shanklin (33km in), Crave Ice-cream Ventnor (41km in), The Wight Mouse Inn Chale at the end.
Map: Isle of Wight Map | Cowes, Newport, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Yarmouth & Ventnor | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL29
Links: Newport, Ryde, Bembridge, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor, Chale
My Saturday started with a slight hiccup. The logistics for this trip had been carefully planned around my goal of ticking off the island's only parkrun. The Medina I.O.W parkrun is usually held just north of Newport, right next to our hotel. I arrived at the venue bright and early at 8:15 AM, only to find an oddly quiet field and a few other equally confused runners in their parkrun gear.
We eventually found a sign near the leisure centre explaining that the event had been relocated to Appley Park in Ryde for the rest of the summer due to the Isle of Wight Festival setup. The frustration was real: the new location in Ryde was directly on our planned cycle route! Had I known the night before, we could have set off at 7:30 AM, cycled to Ryde, and I could have still run it.
Top Tip for Medina, IoW parkrun: The official event page doesn't always reflect sudden venue changes. Always check their Facebook page before you travel to avoid missing out.
With the parkrun plan foiled, I headed back, met up with Brian, and we hit the road.
We picked up National Cycle Route 22, taking a few diversions until we reached Ryde. Our first proper stop was the Chocolate Apothecary, located just opposite the railway station at the bottom of Ryde Pier. They make a fantastic coffee, but the real star is their carrot cake: easily one of the best I’ve ever had.
Fuelled by cake, we carried on past Appley Park (cue another pang of parkrun regret) and cycled straight through the site of Puckpool Battery. This impressive site is a 19th-century Palmerston Fort, completed in 1865. It was built in response to the perceived threat of a French naval invasion and originally housed heavy 13-inch mortars designed to fire vertically onto the vulnerable, unarmoured decks of enemy warships. Today, it's a peaceful public park, but the massive concrete and earth gun emplacements are still incredibly striking to cycle past.
We navigated a sharp turn south at Nettlestone Point, stopping for another coffee at the Bembridge Cafe with lovely views over the harbour. Continuing south through Sandown, we pulled into Shanklin for lunch at Tradewinds Beach Cafe, a nice spot overlooking the promenade and the sea.
After lunch, instead of immediately tackling the ascent from the promenade, we decided to take the old Shanklin Cliff Lift to the top of the hill. The original lift was built in 1892 to help tourists bypass the steep climb between the beach and the town above, eventually becoming a famous and much-loved local landmark. We had a brief conversation about whether it was "cheating" to not cycle up the hill, but we quickly decided that it was perfectly fine. Given the history and quirkiness of the lift, taking it felt like a vital part of the Isle of Wight experience!
From the top, the real work began with the first of two major climbs. We ground our way up a steep hill behind Luccombe, rewarded with stunning views to the east, before tackling a sharp descent into Bonchurch. Rolling into Ventnor shortly after, we decided a sweet treat was in order. We stopped for ice creams at Crave and took a well-earned rest in the park just opposite. Suitably refreshed, we stayed off the main cycle routes, opting instead for small, quiet residential lanes right beside the sea. We soon hit Steep Hill: an aptly named, lung-busting ascent that eventually led us up to the highest point of our weekend near Blackgang.
We coasted down into the small village of Chale and checked into The Wight Mouse Inn, a fantastic pub with great rooms that sits roughly halfway around the coastal route.
After dinner, I highly recommend the 4.5 km circular walk from The Wight Mouse up to St. Catherine's Oratory. Also known as the "Pepperpot," it is the only surviving medieval lighthouse in Britain, built as a penance for plundered shipwrecked wine! I’ve written a separate post detailing this walk and the history of the Oratory, which you can read here.
Start: Wight Mouse Inn, Church Place, Chale, Ventnor, PO38 2HA
Finish: East Cowes Ferry Terminal, East Cowes, PO32 6RF
Distance: 53 km (33 miles)
Elevation change: +492m / -574m (Net -82m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Isle of Wight Coastal Path, Shepherds Trail, Family Trail Mottistone, Hamstead Trail, Perimeter Route Mottistone, Compton Trail, Freshwater Way, Tennyson Trail, Tennyson Down Trail, Estuary Newtown Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): Isle of Wight Round-The-Island Cycle Route (Route 67), NCN 23
Pubs / Cafes on route: Loads but we stopped at The Rock Restaurant Freshwater Bay (17 km in), The Sportsman’s Rest Porchfield (42 km in)
Map: Isle of Wight Map | Cowes, Newport, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Yarmouth & Ventnor | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL29
Links: Chale, Military Road, Freshwater Bay, Totland, Yarmouth, Newbridge, Newtown, Porchfield, Cowes
Eager to make the most of the day, we skipped the hotel breakfast and hit the road at 7:30 AM. Heading northwest along the old Nottage Road, we soon joined the famous Military Road (A3055). This iconic, sweeping coastal stretch was originally built in the 1860s as part of the island's Palmerston defences, allowing troops to deploy quickly along the coast to repel potential French invasions. It remained a private, gated military route until it was purchased and upgraded for public use in the 1930s.
Cycling along this historic road today, we enjoyed a gentle downhill stretch beside the dramatic, eroding cliffs before tackling a sharp climb right before Freshwater Bay. A short descent dropped us into the bay, where we pulled up to The Rock Restaurant inside the Albion Hotel. With 17 km already under our belts, their incredible breakfast overlooking the ocean was exactly what we needed.
Properly fuelled, we pushed on toward the south-westerly corner of the island, taking a sharp turn onto the B3322 near Alum Bay. We opted not to go all the way to the Needles on this trip as we had both seen them before, but it is an absolute must-do detour for anyone riding this route for the first time.
Our route then took us northeast through Totland, Norton Green, and Yarmouth. A major highlight of the afternoon was passing through Newtown. It is hard to believe today, but this quiet, picturesque hamlet was actually the bustling capital and primary commercial centre of the Isle of Wight in the 14th century, until a French raid in 1377 led to its decline. We paused to admire the Old Town Hall, a beautiful 17th-century brick building now managed by the National Trust, which stands as the only real evidence of the town's former political importance.
We made our final pitstop for the weekend at the Sportsman's Rest pub in Porchfield before tackling the final stretch through Rue Street and Gurnard. We rolled back into Cowes, crossed the chain ferry, and arrived at the Red Funnel terminal by 1:00 PM. Thanks to our early start, we easily hopped on an earlier ferry back to Southampton.
It was a brilliantly successful weekend of bespoke route finding, challenging climbs, and deep local history. The parkrun disappointment just gives me a solid excuse to return and explore even more of the island. For now, the Isle of Wight is officially ticked off the list.
Next up for the South Coast Cycle Adventure: Southampton to Weymouth.
Day 1 in blue, day 2 in red, day 3 in green
Previous South Coast Cycle trip: Brighton to Southampton
Next South Coast Cycle trip: Southampton to Weymouth (coming soon)
St Catherine’s Hill IoW Trig Pillar
Start & Finish: Wight Mouse Inn, Church Place, Chale, Ventnor, PO38 2HA
Distance: 4.4 km (2.7 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 144m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Isle of Wight Coastal Path
Other routes touched (cycle): Isle of Wight Round-The-Island Cycle Route (Route 67)
Pubs / Cafes on route: Wight Mouse Inn at the start and end
OS Trig Pillar: TP6127 - St Catherines Hill Isle Of Wight
Map: Isle of Wight Map | Cowes, Newport, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Yarmouth & Ventnor | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL29
Links: Chale, St. Catherine's Down, St Catherine's Oratory, Blackgang
Our Isle of Wight coastal cycle weekend late in May brought a brilliant unexpected bonus walk. Brian and I were on a two-day trip, and our first day involved cycling from Newport down to Chale on the south coast. We stayed overnight at a lovely pub called the Wight Mouse.
We arrived and checked in around 5:00 in the afternoon. We were both pretty tired, and Brian was particularly exhausted. We decided to grab an early dinner, after which I planned to head out for a short walk up nearby St. Catherine's Hill to bag the trig pillar. Brian had absolutely no interest in joining me: partly because of the fatigue, but mostly because he only had his clip-in cycle shoes with him, which are completely useless for walking. I do not use clip-ins, so I had my trusty trainers for the weekend, which were perfectly fine for a hike. Plus, we could actually see the top of the hill from our bedroom window at the pub: it was just too tempting to pass up!
The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.
Just after dinner, I set out. I took a left out of the pub onto Church Place, and then the first right onto Upper House Lane. Taking a right onto a footpath, I headed out into the fields. From there, you can navigate through the fields and up a steep bank to the ridge line, which leads straight to St. Catherine's Hill.
There are some genuinely fascinating things to see at the top. Naturally, my first stop was the trig pillar itself, which I successfully bagged. Moving on, the landscape reveals St. Catherine's Oratory, affectionately known locally as the "Pepperpot". This 35-foot structure is the only surviving medieval lighthouse in England. It was completed in 1328 by Walter de Godeton, the Lord of Chale. He was ordered by the Church to build the lighthouse and an adjoining oratory as an act of penance after he illegally plundered casks of white wine from a shipwrecked vessel called the St Marie of Bayonne in Chale Bay. Interestingly, historical sources conflict slightly on the exact date of the wreck: English Heritage and some historical texts note it as occurring in 1314, whilst other local historical records state it happened on 20 April 1313. A bit further south from the trig pillar, there is another striking piece of history: a modern telecommunications tower built right next to an old World War II pillbox.
After spending a good amount of time at the top investigating the sights, I continued south along the footpath until I reached Blackgang Road: the exact road we had cycled down just a couple of hours prior.
I crossed over the road at a safe point into the Blackgang Viewpoint car park. From there, I picked up the Isle of Wight Coastal Path. This walking route takes a much safer path running parallel to Blackgang Road. I followed it all the way back to Chale, returning to Church Place and finally arriving back at the Wight Mouse. I found Brian relaxing in the pub garden, and we enjoyed a final drink together before getting a big sleep ahead of our second day of cycling.
St Catherine's Hill (Trig Pillar & Tumuli) At 239 metres above sea level, St Catherine's Hill is one of the highest points on the Isle of Wight. The summit area, including St. Catherine's Down, not only houses the trig pillar but also features ancient burial mounds (tumuli) dating back to the Bronze Age. The elevation provides commanding, uninterrupted views across the English Channel and the rolling downland of the island.
St Catherine's Oratory (The Pepperpot) Standing 35 feet tall, this striking octagonal stone tower is Britain's only surviving medieval lighthouse. It was built in 1328 by Walter de Godeton as penance for plundering a shipwrecked vessel laden with wine destined for a monastery. Originally, a priest would have tended the light to warn sailors of the treacherous Chale Bay below while offering prayers for the souls of those lost at sea.
Wight Mouse Inn (Chale) Located in the village of Chale, this historic 17th-century pub serves as a welcome starting and finishing point for the route. The building has deep roots in the local community, serving weary travellers for generations. Chale is positioned near the rugged southwestern coast, an area historically notorious for shipwrecks, giving the pub a rich maritime and smuggling heritage.
Blackgang Viewpoint Overlooking the dramatic southern coastline, this viewpoint offers spectacular vistas along the Undercliff and out over the sea. The area around Blackgang is constantly shaped by coastal erosion and landslides, which gives the cliffs their rugged, sheer appearance. In the past, this stretch of coastline was heavily patrolled by coastguards due to frequent shipwrecks and active smuggling operations.
Before reliable plumbing, keeping Brighton's rapidly growing 19th-century population supplied with clean water was a massive logistical headache. The Brighton Corporation Waterworks built large pumping stations like the one at Goldstone. They also bought up thousands of acres of downland to prevent groundwater pollution. To clearly mark the edges of these protected catchment areas, they installed heavy boundary posts.
This particular obsession started when Mark found a few of these original markers. He shared the details with our group chat: a circle of friends who spend their weekends hunting down OS Trig Pillars, completing parkrun challenges or geeking out over various other obsessions. I was in Brighton recently to tick off another Sussex parkrun and track down some Trig Pillars. While doing so, I stumbled across several more of the Waterworks posts.
Mark and I are now on a mission to find and document every remaining post and identify the exact locations of the ones that have disappeared over the years. We are relying on the community to help fill in the gaps. If you know where one is, comment below or use the contact form linked here to send me the location. I will credit your find at the bottom of this page and donate £1 to to one of the outdoor causes that I support for any contribution published.
The map below shows Brighton Corporation Waterworks locations that Mark and I have visited or identified. Green and purple pins show ones that Mark and I have visited. Brown pins are potential locations to be verified.
When: May 25th 2026
Where: Marlow Rugby Club, Riverwoods Drive, Marlow, SL7 1QU
Organiser: Racing Line Running
Distance: 10 km
Elevation: +/- 91m
Course: Start and finish at the Marlow Rugby Club. Out onto the Thames Path for an anti-clockwise loop between Marlow Bridge and the Bourne End railway bridge. One steep climb up and down Winter Hill, otherwise flat.
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Shakespeare’s Way, The Chiltern Way Berkshire Loop
Finish time: 64 minutes, 34 seconds
Approaching Caversham Bridge from the west
Start & Finish: Tilehurst Station, Reading, RG31 6TH
Distance: 10.9 km (6.8 miles)
Elevation change: +41 / -54m. Net -13m
Terrain: Flat, well-paved or hard-packed riverside paths with some grassy sections.
Thames Path section covered: Tilehurst to Sonning: 10.9 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, St Frideswide’s Way, Wokingham Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4, 5
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several options in Reading but we stopped at the Thames Lido restaurant at 6.1 km in. Also The Great House Sonning at the end.
Map: Reading, Wokingham & Pangbourne Map | Thames Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 159
Links: Tilehurst, Reading, River Thames, Caversham, Sonning
This is part of a series of short walks following the length of the Thames Path National Trail. The Thames Path is a 185-mile (298 km) National Trail that journeys alongside England's best-known river, linking its source in the rural Cotswolds in the west to the Thames Barrier and Woolwich in the east. Opened in 1996, this route traverses several counties, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, and Greater London, following a scenic tapestry of peaceful water meadows, bustling towns, and historic towpaths.
This section of the Thames Path offers a fascinating mix of environments, taking you seamlessly from suburban fringes right through the heart of a major town and out into peaceful countryside. Starting at Tilehurst railway station, the path joins the river and stays remarkably close to the water for the entire route. It is a fantastic walk for those who enjoy flat, easy terrain with plenty of opportunities to stop for refreshments along the way.
As you progress towards Reading, the landscape transitions from tree-lined riverbanks to the bustling centre of the town, passing rowing clubs and historic bridges. Once you navigate past the mouth of the River Kennet, the urban environment quickly fades away. The final stretch alongside Thames Valley Park is tranquil and green, guiding you gently into the picturesque, historic village of Sonning.
The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.
Start at Tilehurst railway station and head north to join the Thames Path on the south bank of the river.
Follow the paved riverside path eastwards, keeping the River Thames on your left.
Continue straight along the path as it passes the Rivermead Leisure Complex and Reading Rowing Club.
Walk directly under Caversham Bridge and continue along the promenade towards Reading Bridge.
Pass under Reading Bridge and enter King's Meadow, following the designated path along the river edge.
Cross the pedestrian walkway at Horseshoe Bridge, which takes you over the point where the River Kennet meets the Thames.
Follow the path as it curves around the edge of Thames Valley Park, continuing to keep the river on your left.
Stay on the main riverside trail through the wooded and grassy sections leading towards Sonning.
Arrive at Sonning Lock and continue the final short distance to finish the walk at Sonning Bridge.
Note that we did this as a point-to-point walk, leaving our car near Sonning Bridge and taking an Uber to Tilehurst. An alternative option is to add an extra 5 km to the walk to reach Twyford Station and take a train from there back to the start at Tilehurst. The 129 bus route also connects Twyford Station and Sonning High Street.
Caversham Bridge: Spanning the River Thames between Reading and Caversham, this long‑established crossing point has served travellers since at least the 12th century, when the first recorded bridge stood here. The current structure — an elegant combination of concrete and granite — was opened in 1926 by Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII). Today it marks one of the busiest urban stretches of the Thames Path, offering walkers broad views of the river’s lively boat traffic and the activity of Reading’s rowing clubs.
King's Meadow and Thames Lido: Just east of Reading’s centre lies King’s Meadow, a historic riverside park once owned by Reading Abbey and purchased for public use in 1869. Set within its 12 acres is the Thames Lido, housed in the beautifully restored King’s Meadow swimming pool. First opened in 1902 as the Ladies’ Swimming Bath and originally fed directly from the Thames, it now operates as a heated outdoor pool, spa and restaurant following an extensive restoration completed in 2017. It makes an excellent mid‑walk stop for a swim, coffee or meal.
Horseshoe Bridge: At the point where the River Kennet meets the Thames, walkers cross the distinctive Horseshoe Bridge. Added in 1892 as an accommodation and footbridge alongside Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s 1839 Great Western Railway bridge, it provides a convenient pedestrian route across the Kennet’s mouth. This junction is historically significant: just upstream lies Blake’s Lock, the eastern terminus of the Kennet & Avon Canal, marking the end of the waterway’s long route from Bath.
Sonning Lock and Village: A fitting finale to the walk, Sonning Lock — first built in 1773 and rebuilt in 1905 — is widely regarded as one of the most picturesque locks on the Thames, celebrated for its colourful, carefully tended gardens. Beyond the lock lies the historic village of Sonning, described by Jerome K. Jerome as “the most fairy‑like little nook on the whole river.” Its 18th‑century brick bridge, riverside pubs and handsome period buildings create a quintessential Berkshire village scene.
Thames Path previous section (west): Goring to Tilehurst (blog post coming soon)
Thames Path next section (east): Shiplake, Binfield Heath and Sonning Eye
St Mary's Church, Whaddon
Start & Finish: The Swan Inn, 1 Winslow Road, Great Horwood, Milton Keynes, MK17 0QN
Distance: 11.4 km (7.1 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 85m
Terrain: A mixture of grassy footpaths, bridleways, agricultural field margins, and village pavements.
Midshires Way section covered: Great Horwood to Whaddon: 6.1 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Midshires Way, The Swan Way, North Bucks Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Swan Inn, Great Horwood (at the start and end), The Lowndes Arms, Whaddon (just off route at 6 km in)
Map: Buckingham & Milton Keynes Map | Leighton Buzzard & Woburn | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 192
Links: Great Horwood, Whaddon, The Intelligence Zone
This is part of a series of short circular walks following the length of the Midshires Way in Buckinghamshire. The Midshires Way is a 225-mile (362 km) trail that journeys through the rural heart of Middle England, linking the Ridgeway National Trail at Bledlow in the south to the Trans Pennine Trail at Stockport in the north. Opened in 1994, this route traverses several counties, including Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Greater Manchester, following a scenic tapestry of ancient bridleways, quiet country lanes, and historic canals. In Buckinghamshire, the Midshires Way has a significant connection with the Swan's Way (often referred to as the Swan Way), a 65-mile long-distance bridleway. Essentially, the Swan's Way forms the backbone of the Buckinghamshire section of the Midshires Way, with the two routes being broadly coincident for approximately 50 miles between Salcey Forest and Bledlow. While the Swan's Way strictly adheres to bridleways to accommodate horse riders and cyclists, the Midshires Way sometimes offers alternative waymarked footpaths for walkers to avoid on-road sections.
This delightful circular route through the Buckinghamshire countryside offers a fantastic blend of historic village charm and open agricultural landscapes. Starting in the picturesque village of Great Horwood, the trail guides you north-east across gentle fields and along established bridleways towards the neighbouring village of Whaddon. It is a wonderfully peaceful stretch that feels miles away from the bustle of nearby Milton Keynes, making it an excellent weekend escape for walkers of all abilities.
After taking in the elevated views and historic architecture of Whaddon, the route loops back southwards through the rural remnants of Whaddon Chase. The return leg provides a slightly different perspective of the undulating fields before guiding you safely back into Great Horwood. Whether you are out for a leisurely afternoon stroll with a pub lunch in mind or getting some extra steps in ahead of your local parkrun, this route is highly rewarding.
The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.
Start at the Swan Inn in Great Horwood, or park in the free car park on the north side of High Street.
Take High Street north-easterly, then turn left onto Nash Road and follow it north for about 400 metres.
Leave the road on the left and follow the footpath north through fields to cross the A421.
Follow the path north-easterly through fields to Nash. Watch out for the geese in the farm as you arrive at Nash.
Cross Winslow Road, and take Wood End Lane to head east to Whaddon.
From Whaddon, take the footpath south from the church to cross the A421.
Take Warren Road in a south-southwesterly direction. There’s no pavement here and it’s a fairly quiet road but look out for cars.
When Warren Road takes a sharp turn to the south take the footpath on the right of the bend.
Follow the footpath in a south-westerly direction to Little Horwood Road.
Finally, turn right onto Little Horwood Road to return to the centre of Great Horwood.
The Swan Inn and Great Horwood Great Horwood is a quintessential Buckinghamshire village with a layout dating back to the mediaeval period. Its conservation area is home to numerous timber-framed buildings that provide a picturesque start to the walk. The Swan Inn, acting as your start and finish point, is a Grade II listed 18th-century pub with a rich history of serving thirsty travellers on the historic trade routes winding through the county.
Ridge and Furrow: As you make your way along the Midshires Way between Adstock and Whaddon, keep an eye out for the fascinating historical landscape known as ridge and furrow. These distinct, wave-like contours across the fields are the fossilised remains of medieval farming, offering a remarkable glimpse into centuries of agricultural history preserved beneath the turf.
St Mary's Church, Whaddon Dominating the skyline as you approach Whaddon, the Church of St Mary is a striking Grade I listed building with origins rooted in the 12th century. The church features a prominent 14th-century tower and contains historic monuments, including a memorial to Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton, making it a culturally significant and highly visible landmark on your walk.
Whaddon: Perched on a slight hill, this village offers excellent panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. It is well known for the historic Lowndes Arms and its proximity to ancient royal hunting grounds. On the day that we were in Whaddon we were fortunate enough to observe an archaeological dig where enthusiastic volunteers were uncovering the remnants of buried World War Two telecommunications sites. These sites are remnants of the top-secret communications networks that were vital to the war effort. We also had the pleasure of meeting local author Alan Biggins, who joined us for part of the walk back to Great Horwood. He shared fascinating insights from his book, "The Intelligence Zone," which delves into the region's secret intelligence history. It truly brings the landscape to life to hear these stories first-hand and see the physical traces of history scattered across the area.
Whaddon Chase and Royal History Originally a Royal forest and mediaeval hunting ground, Whaddon Chase is an area steeped in local legend. Established before the Norman Conquest, it was historically reserved for hunting deer by the nobility. Although heavily deforested over the centuries and enclosed for agriculture, the undulating topography and remaining pockets of ancient woodland still offer walkers a tangible glimpse into Buckinghamshire's mediaeval past.
Nash Village As you pass through the small agricultural village of Nash, you are stepping through a settlement first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. Historically a quiet farming community, its peaceful lanes and historic farmhouses showcase classic North Buckinghamshire vernacular architecture, providing a charming and historic mid-point between Great Horwood and Whaddon.
Midshires Way previous section (south): Addington and Great Horwood
Midshires Way next section (north): Whaddon and Oakhill Wood (blog post coming soon)
There are currently 83 parkrun events in Scotland of which I have completed 7. The first was Pollok parkrun which started on December 6th 2008 and the newest is Drumlarig Castle which started on May 9th 2026. The name for having completed all parkrun events in Scotland is ALLba
Only one 5k parkrun event has been permanently cancelled in Scotland. Inverness parkrun was held from September 2011 to March 14th 2020 and was replaced by Torvean parkrun
Numbers exclude 2k Junior parkruns and any events that are not open to the general public such as prisons or armed forces facilities.
If you are looking through the list of Scottish parkruns below, you’ll notice that I have included both the Historic County and the present-day Council Area for each event. The Historic Counties are the traditional geographical divisions of Scotland. These boundaries were established centuries ago, some tracing their origins back to the Middle Ages, and they were formally used for local administration from the late 19th century right up until 1975. Today, these boundaries remain static, offering a fascinating glimpse into the map history and traditional cartography of the landscape we are running through.
The present-day Council Areas are Scotland’s modern administrative units. The current system of 32 single‑tier councils came into effect on 1 April 1996, replacing the two‑tier structure of regions and districts that had existed since 1975. These councils handle local services such as waste collection, education, and planning.
Lanarkshire is the Historic County with the most 5k parkrun events with 9.
Highland is the Council Area with the most 5k parkrun events with 9.
Below are each of the Scottish 5k parkrun events in alphabetical order. A few things to note:
The interactive maps below take you to the approximate location for the course, typically the centre of the park. See the course instructions in the parkrun page for each event for specific directions to the start.
Course maps and elevation profiles show the route at the time that I ran it and may have changed since then. See the Course page in the event’s page on parkrun.org.uk for the current course outline. Note that course outlines are from Garmin data during a specific run and may vary from the officially measured distance.
Please contact me if you spot an event that doesn’t have a course map and elevation profile and you would like to donate one from your own run. I’m also interested in maps and elevation profiles for courses that have changed or where there’s a regular alternative route (e.g. Horsham). I’ll need a GPX file from your run plus the date. I’ll include a credit for you and will donate £1 to parkrun.
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Aberdeenshire
Council Area: Aberdeen City
Inaugural: October 8th 2011
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Wigtownshire
Council Area: Dumfries and Galloway
Inaugural: December 14th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Ross-shire / Ross and Cromarty
Council Area: Highland
Inaugural: August 26th 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Morayshire
Council Area: Highland
Inaugural: August 23rd 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: West Lothian
Council Area: West Lothian
Inaugural: January 7th 2023
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: June 14th 2025 with a finish time of: 25:43
Other routes touched (walk): Speyside Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 7
Historic County: Inverness-shire
Council Area: Highland
Inaugural: May 6th 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Ayrshire
Council Area: South Ayrshire
Inaugural: September 20th 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: West Lothian
Council Area: West Lothian
Inaugural: December 27th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Inverness-shire
Council Area: Highland
Inaugural: January 24th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: West Lothian
Council Area: Falkirk
Inaugural: October 4th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Shetland
Council Area: Shetland Islands
Inaugural: January 20th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: September 28th 2024 with a finish time of: 27:05
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Angus
Council Area: Dundee City
Inaugural: May 19th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Kirkcudbrightshire
Council Area: Dumfries and Galloway
Inaugural: October 21st 2023
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Aberdeenshire
Council Area: Aberdeenshire
Inaugural: May 17th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Aberdeenshire
Council Area: Aberdeenshire
Inaugural: February 9th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Dumfriesshire
Council Area: Dumfries and Galloway
Inaugural: January 6th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Argyllshire
Council Area: Argyll and Bute
Inaugural: August 31st 2024
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: South Lanarkshire
Inaugural: March 8th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Ayrshire
Council Area: East Ayrshire
Inaugural: August 31st 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Dunbartonshire
Council Area: Glasgow City
Inaugural: June 4th 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Dumfriesshire
Council Area: Dumfries and Galloway
Inaugural: May 9th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: North Lanarkshire
Inaugural: July 27th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Fife
Council Area: Fife
Inaugural: July 4th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Midlothian
Council Area: City of Edinburgh
Inaugural: October 17th 2009
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Ayrshire
Council Area: North Ayrshire
Inaugural: March 16th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: Glasgow City
Inaugural: June 11th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Morayshire
Council Area: Moray
Inaugural: March 5th 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Aberdeenshire
Council Area: Aberdeenshire
Inaugural: October 17th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Renfrewshire
Council Area: Renfrewshire
Inaugural: November 19th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: August 10th 2024 with a finish time of: 28:08
Other routes touched (walk): John Muir Way
Other routes touched (cycle): HArRTT
Historic County: Stirlingshire
Council Area: Falkirk
Inaugural: July 16th 2011
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Perthshire
Council Area: Perth and Kinross
Inaugural: March 7th 2020
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Perthshire
Council Area: Perth and Kinross
Inaugural: April 12th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Angus
Council Area: Angus
Inaugural: February 12th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: August 17th 2024 with a finish time of: 28:02
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Inverness-shire
Council Area: Highland
Inaugural: April 7th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Argyllshire
Council Area: Argyll and Bute
Inaugural: August 20th 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Ayrshire
Council Area: South Ayrshire
Inaugural: July 28th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Renfrewshire
Council Area: Inverclyde
Inaugural: May 17th 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Peeblesshire
Council Area: Scottish Borders
Inaugural: November 3rd 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Aberdeenshire
Council Area: Aberdeen City
Inaugural: August 16th 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Midlothian
Council Area: City of Edinburgh
Inaugural: July 16th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
***Inverness parkrun is now permanently cancelled ***
I did not complete this event before it was closed
County: Inverness-shire / Highland
Inaugural: September 3rd 2011. Final event: #432 on March 14th 2020
Reason for cancellation: Original venue became unavailable
Replaced by: Torvean
Links: Event Home Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Fife
Council Area: Fife
Inaugural: February 14th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Orkney
Council Area: Orkney Islands
Inaugural: April 21st 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Perthshire
Council Area: Perth and Kinross
Inaugural: April 18th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: September 25th 2025 with a finish time of: 27:27
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: South Lanarkshire
Inaugural: August 11th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Ayrshire
Council Area: North Ayrshire
Inaugural: May 28th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: September 9th 2023 with a finish time of: 26:09
Other routes touched (walk): The Shore Circular Path
Historic County: Dunbartonshire
Council Area: West Dunbartonshire
Inaugural: December 7th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Ross-shire
Council Area: Outer Hebrides
Inaugural: January 11th 2020
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Renfrewshire
Council Area: Renfrewshire
Inaugural: July 9th 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: West Lothian
Council Area: West Lothian
Inaugural: January 9th 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Kinross-shire
Council Area: Perth and Kinross
Inaugural: August 11th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: East Lothian
Council Area: East Lothian
Inaugural: March 23rd 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Fife
Council Area: Fife
Inaugural: May 19th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: East Lothian
Council Area: East Lothian
Inaugural: February 9th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Angus
Council Area: Angus
Inaugural: July 8th 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Buteshire
Council Area: Argyll and Bute
Inaugural: September 7th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Nairnshire
Council Area: Highland
Inaugural: March 29th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Midlothian
Council Area: City of Edinburgh
Inaugural: November 2nd 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Dunbartonshire
Council Area: North Lanarkshire
Inaugural: August 27th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Perthshire
Council Area: Perth and Kinross
Inaugural: November 30th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Stirlingshire
Council Area: Stirling
Inaugural: November 18th 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: West Lothian
Council Area: West Lothian
Inaugural: May 25th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: Glasgow City
Inaugural: December 6th 2008
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Midlothian
Council Area: City of Edinburgh
Inaugural: April 18th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: Glasgow City
Inaugural: February 25th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Fife
Council Area: Fife
Inaugural: June 14th 2024
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: Glasgow City
Inaugural: April 15th 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Inverness-shire
Council Area: Highland
Inaugural: August 10th 2024
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: Glasgow City
Inaugural: May 10th 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Fife
Council Area: Fife
Inaugural: April 21st 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Kincardineshire
Council Area: Aberdeenshire
Inaugural: September 10th 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: North Lanarkshire
Inaugural: April 10th 2010
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Caithness
Council Area: Highland
Inaugural: April 14th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: Glasgow City
Inaugural: May 18th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Inverness-shire
Council Area: Highland
Inaugural: September 4th 2021
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Ayrshire
Council Area: South Ayrshire
Inaugural: December 2nd 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: September 24th 2022 with a finish time of: 24:20
Other routes touched (walk): Henry Milne Walk
Historic County: Stirlingshire
Council Area: Stirling
Inaugural: October 12th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Aberdeenshire
Council Area: Aberdeenshire
Inaugural: November 2nd 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: June 6th 2026 with a finish time of: 28:40
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Lanarkshire
Council Area: Glasgow City
Inaugural: October 12th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Midlothian
Council Area: Midlothian
Inaugural: March 11th 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Roxburghshire
Council Area: Scottish Borders
Inaugural: January 18th 2020
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Angus
Council Area: Angus
Inaugural: January 15th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: East Lothian
Council Area: East Lothian
Inaugural: September 16th 2023
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Roxburghshire
Council Area: Scottish Borders
Inaugural: April 11th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
parkruns are free, weekly, community 5k events all around the world. I started in December 2012 and have been obsessive about it ever since. See my parkrun Collection page for details.
Featured and popular parkrun posts:
V-shaped junction on the Cross Bucks Way near Addington
Start & Finish: Church End, Adstock, Buckingham, MK18 2HY
Distance: 10.3 km (6.4 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 79m
Terrain: A pleasant mix of open arable fields, ancient bridleways, and quiet village lanes.
Midshires Way section covered: Addington to Great Horwood: 4.3 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Midshires Way, The Swan Way, Cross Bucks Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Old Thatched Inn, Adstock (at the start and end), The Swan Inn, Great Horwood (6.1 km in)
Map: Buckingham & Milton Keynes Map | Leighton Buzzard & Woburn | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 192
Links: Addington, Great Horwood, Midshires Way
This is part of a series of short circular walks following the length of the Midshires Way in Buckinghamshire. The Midshires Way is a 225-mile (362 km) trail that journeys through the rural heart of Middle England, linking the Ridgeway National Trail at Bledlow in the south to the Trans Pennine Trail at Stockport in the north. Opened in 1994, this route traverses several counties, including Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Greater Manchester, following a scenic tapestry of ancient bridleways, quiet country lanes, and historic canals. In Buckinghamshire, the Midshires Way has a significant connection with the Swan's Way (often referred to as the Swan Way), a 65-mile long-distance bridleway. Essentially, the Swan's Way forms the backbone of the Buckinghamshire section of the Midshires Way, with the two routes being broadly coincident for approximately 50 miles between Salcey Forest and Bledlow. While the Swan's Way strictly adheres to bridleways to accommodate horse riders and cyclists, the Midshires Way sometimes offers alternative waymarked footpaths for walkers to avoid on-road sections.
This delightful circular walk takes you through the serene Buckinghamshire countryside, starting in the quiet village of Adstock. The path initially guides you south across open farmland to Addington, picking up the Cross Bucks Way. From Addington Church, you join the official Midshires Way trail heading east and then north-eastwards. The wide views of the agricultural landscape serve as a fantastic backdrop as you make your way towards the picturesque village of Great Horwood.
Once you reach Great Horwood, you will find a charming village centre that makes for a perfect mid-walk rest stop. Leaving the Midshires Way behind, the route loops back towards the west via quiet lanes, taking you through more peaceful meadows before returning to Adstock. The gentle undulation of the landscape makes this an excellent afternoon stroll or a highly scenic alternative to your weekend parkrun.
The guidance below will help you navigate, but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.
Start your walk where there are free parking spaces in the village of Adstock, near the junction of Church End, Main Street and East Street.
Walk south down Main Street, then take a left onto Scots Lane.
Continue heading in a south-easterly direction to carefully cross over the Buckingham Road (A413).
Keep heading south through the fields to pick up the Cross Bucks Way, eventually reaching the road that runs east to west through the village of Addington.
Take a left onto this road, continuing to follow the Cross Bucks Way, then take a left to join the Midshires Way near Addington Church (the Church of St Mary the Virgin).
Continue east along the Midshires Way until you reach the equestrian centre, then take a left to follow the road to the east of the centre heading north.
Upon reaching the Buckingham Road (A413) again, carefully cross over to the north side of the road and follow the pavement in an easterly direction.
Take the footpath on the left to leave the A413, following this path (which is the Midshires Way and North Bucks Way) in a north-easterly direction.
Keep following the path until you reach Winslow Road, then take a left and follow it into the village centre of Great Horwood.
At the village centre, you will see The Swan Inn: a good halfway spot for a rest and a drink.
Leave the Midshires Way here by taking a left off Winslow Road onto Singleborough Road, following it in a westerly direction.
Continue as this leads onto Pilch Lane, heading in a west or north-westerly direction.
Just after a bend and crossing a bridge over a stream, leave Pilch Lane by taking a left onto a footpath through the fields.
Follow this footpath as it curves down to the south-west, taking you all the way to The Gardens, a small lane in Adstock.
Keep following this down to West Street, then onto East Street, before finally returning to your starting point in the Adstock village centre.
Church of St Cecilia, Adstock: Dating back to the late 11th or early 12th century, this historic parish church boasts a remarkable Norman doorway featuring intricate zigzag and dog-tooth carvings. Its peaceful churchyard is a fantastic starting point, grounding the walk in a millennium of Buckinghamshire history.
Addington Estate & Equestrian Centre: The Addington estate is not only steeped in Civil War history but is also renowned today for its prestigious Equestrian Centre. The surrounding parkland, with its ancient trees and well-kept bridleways, offers lovely glimpses of the 19th-century landscaping originally designed by William Andrews Nesfield.
Great Horwood & The Swan Inn: Great Horwood is a designated conservation area characterised by a charming village green and 17th-century timber-framed cottages. The village was granted a royal charter in 1447 to hold a weekly market. Today, it hosts the historic Swan Inn, a perfect resting point that has been serving weary travellers for centuries.
Pilch Lane & Rural Meadows: The return leg via Pilch Lane crosses vital local waterways and natural meadowlands. These fields are prime habitats for local wildlife, including grazing deer, red kites soaring overhead, and a variety of hedgerow songbirds that thrive in the undisturbed Bucks countryside.
Midshires Way previous section (south): Verney Junction and Winslow
Midshires Way next section (north): Great Horwood and Whaddon
Timea and I visited Ibiza in May 2026 for a warm break and to finish off our Balearic Islands collection. While over there I remembered that my parents took my sister Lisa there in 1972 when she was 2. This kicked off our occasional quest to recreate old family photos in the same locations.
Dalt Villa - Ibiza Old Town 1972 - View from the Harbour
Dalt Villa - Ibiza Old Town 2026 - View from the Harbour
Portal de ses Taules, Dalt Villa, Ibiza Old Town - 1972
Portal de ses Taules, Dalt Villa, Ibiza Old Town - 2026
Plaça de la Constitució, Ibiza Old Town, 1972
Plaça de la Constitució, Ibiza Old Town, 2026
Portal Nou, Dalt Villa, Ibiza Old Town - Dad and Lisa - 1972
Portal Nou, Dalt Villa, Ibiza Old Town - Me and my rucksack - 2026
Finding this one gave us the most amusement. Finding the Dalt Vila locations was fairly easy as we just had to wander around Ibiza Old Town until we found the exact places. Google Lens and some AI-enabled searching helped too.
The beach photo below was a bit trickier as the resort wasn’t obvious. My first attempt at solving it with Google AI told me: “This is the Bay of San Antonio (Bahía de San Antonio) on the west coast of Ibiza. The man in the photograph is Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees. The Gibb family had strong ties to Ibiza at the time: his parents relocated to the island in late 1971, and the brothers frequently visited.”. This was immediately suspicious as San Antonio isn’t on the west of the island and, as far as I was aware, my dad wasn’t in the Bee Gees. I was intrigued though and some further research confirmed the Maurice did visit Ibiza at the time and he did look a little like my dad at the time. Maurice was married to the singer Lulu back then who did look a little like my mum.
After a couple more attempts I managed to work out that the Beach was Cala Longa, conveniently just 15 minutes from the hotel where we were staying. We couldn’t match the camera angles and the beach seemed to have been widened since then but it was definitely the place. You can see the old hotels still there but extended upwards.
Cala Longa Beach - Dad and Lisa - 1972
Cala Longa Beach - Me - 2026
Cala Longa Beach - Lisa - 1972
Cala Longa Beach - Me - 1972
View to the south-east from Sa Talaiassa, Ibiza
Two years ago, we visited Menorca and ticked off its rather modest high point at just over 350 metres. We decided it was time to return to the Balearics to visit the final two islands, Ibiza and its very close neighbour, Formentera.
Here is how we got on walking the highest points of both islands.
Also known as: Sa Talaia / Sa Talia de Sant Josep
Significance: High point of the island of Ibiza
Elevation: 487m
Date climbed: 5th May 2026
Coordinates: 38° 54' 39'' N, 1° 16' 25'' E
Start & Finish: Aparcament públic de Sant Josep, 07830 Sant Josep de sa Talaia, Ibiza
Distance: 5.1 km (3.2 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 262m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
Links: Ibiza, Sant Josep de sa Talaia, Sa Talaiassa, Peakbagger
The highest area in Ibiza is generally known as Sa Talaia or Sa Talaiassa. It is an enjoyable and relatively easy out-and-back route totalling about 5 kilometres (roughly 2.5 kilometres up and the same back down).
The best place to start your hike is the Aparcament públic de Sant Josep in the town of Sant Josep, which sits right near the mountain. From the car park, turn right onto the main street heading towards the town centre, and then take a left onto Carrer des Pujol d'en Cardona. You just need to continue walking up to the end of this road. There is actually some additional parking just off this road before it ends, which is where we ended up parking as the main car park was full.
Just before the road comes to an end, you will see the signposted entrance to the trail. It goes steeply up the hill through the woods, winding its way up the northeasterly side of the mountain. As you climb, you get several glimpses of the hill ahead marked with a transmitter in the distance.
Keep heading up the hill and ignore any paths that branch off to the left. At around 1.8 kilometres from the car park, you will reach a fork in the path. We took the right-hand fork, climbing steeply in a northerly direction.
This path leads you to Cap de Sa Talaia. There is a transmitter mast here and absolutely fantastic views over the coast, the old town, and Formentera in the distance. It is an obvious viewpoint and you could easily be fooled into thinking this is the summit if you didn't know better! I imagine many people walk up to here, take in the view, and head back down. However, the true high point is a little further on.
We turned around and followed the small road that runs along the ridge. You will pass another transmitter and a bump in the ridge called Talaia de Sant Josep at 463 metres, but keep going. A little further down the track is the actual high point: Roca Grossa at 487 metres, clearly marked by a Spanish trig pillar.
One sombre piece of history about this mountain: in January 1972, Sa Talaia was the site of a tragic aviation accident. Aviaco Flight 118 crashed into the mountain in dense fog while on approach to the airport, resulting in the loss of all 104 people on board. Coincidentally, my parents visited Ibiza that exact same year. In an even stranger twist of fate, my parents also visited Madeira in 1977 during the exact same week as a major plane crash there. That accident involved TAP Air Portugal Flight 425, which tragically overran the runway at Madeira Airport in heavy rain and high winds, claiming 131 lives.
Beyond this sombre history, the area boasts a rich and varied past. The foothills of the Sa Talaia mountain range are home to the Sa Caleta settlement, dating back to the 7th century BC. The Phoenicians used the area for metallurgy, melting down minerals to extract lead and silver. Additionally, the coastline visible from these high ridges was historically heavily plagued by pirate attacks. This led to the construction of coastal defences in the 18th century, such as the nearby Torre des Savinar (often called the Pirate's Tower), which you can spot from the elevated vantage points.
After finding the trig pillar and taking a few photos, we retraced our steps along the ridge for about 200 metres. We then took a fork on the right to head down the hill in a northwesterly direction. This brought us back to the original trail at the fork we had encountered earlier. From there, it was a simple case of retracing our steps down the steep wooded descent, back to the road, and down to the car park.
Also known as: Sa Talaïassa
Significance: High point of the island of Formentera
Elevation: 197m
Date climbed: 6th May 2026
Coordinates: 38° 39' 56'' N, 1° 32' 8'' E
Links: Formentera, La Mola, Peakbagger
Having successfully ticked off Ibiza, we set out the very next day on a day trip to Formentera. We caught the ferry from Ibiza Old Town. Formentera is a lovely, small island, and taking a hire car over on the ferry (which takes about an hour) is incredibly convenient. Alternatively, you can take the foot ferry and rent a bike, scooter, or car once you arrive. As we had our own hire car for the week, we brought it with us.
Once you arrive at the Formentera port, it is about a 20-minute drive to the far end of the island to reach the La Mola peninsula. A real highlight here is visiting the lighthouse right at the far end of the peninsula, which also boasts a really good cafe. This was our first stop to fuel up for the day.
This lighthouse actually has a famous literary history. It is widely said to have inspired Jules Verne’s sci-fi novel Hector Servadac (Off on a Comet), where it is described as the "lighthouse at the end of the world". There is even a small monument plaque dedicated to Verne right next to the lighthouse to commemorate this. The astronomer character in Verne's book was based on a real person, François Arago, who stayed at the La Mola site around 1808 while working on measuring the meridian arc, which helped to officially define the exact length of a "metre".
After the cafe and the lighthouse, we drove to the island's high point, which is only about 10 minutes away, just outside the main town of El Pilar de la Mola. Another quirky sight to look out for near here is the Molí Vell de La Mola. Built in 1778, it is one of the oldest and best-preserved flour windmills in the Balearics.
A quick warning: while it is definitely possible to drive to the summit, the road heading up is a very rough, single-lane track. You need a car with good ground clearance, and you have to be very careful as it is difficult to pass if you meet another car coming the other way. If you have a bit more time, walking or cycling up is a great alternative.
Because we had the car, we carefully drove up. You can park very close to the actual high point, which is located right at the back of a bed and breakfast called Casa Rural Formentera. It is very easy to spot because there is a large telecommunications pole right next to it. We found the exact coordinates of the high point right at the back of the B&B, next to what looks like an abandoned building.
And with that, we have completed our visits to all of the Balearic islands! However, our high-point mission isn't quite finished yet: we need to revisit Mallorca one day to officially bag the high point there.
Warriner Windmill near Bloxham Grove
National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 5 spans roughly 370 miles from Holyhead on Anglesey down to Reading. It takes in a long, varied stretch of the country, picking up the North Wales coast, weaving through Chester, Birmingham, and Oxford, and uses a mix of canal towpaths and river valleys.
The Banbury to Reading segment is highly practical for a point-to-point ride. Heading south from Banbury, it uses the Salt Way and the Oxford Canal towpath. South of Oxford, it crosses the River Thames and climbs over the Chiltern ridge before dropping into Reading.
I cycled this section of NCN 5 on my own years ago, but it was before the installation of the Millennium Mileposts. Since I’ve recently become obsessive about 'bagging' all the Mileposts in the South East, I had to go back and ride it properly.
Start: Banbury Station, Station Road, Banbury OX16 5AB, United Kingdom
Finish: Oxford Station, Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1HS
Distance: 54 km (33.5 miles)
Elevation change: +396 / -428m (-32m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Jurassic Way, Oxford Canal Walk, Cross Cotswold Pathway, Salt Way, Oxfordshire Way, The Roman Way, Shakespeare’s Way,
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 5, National Byway
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several. We stopped in Woodstock (39 km in) for lunch at The King's Arms
Millennium Mileposts: 684, 686, 706, 818, 819
Maps:
- Banbury, Bicester & Chipping Norton Map | Brackley | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 191
- Oxford Map | Witney & Woodstock | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 180
Links: Banbury, Bodicote, Bloxham, Barford St Michael, Woodstock, Yarnton, Oxford
Back in January, my friend Brian and I tackled the Oxford to Reading leg. Although it slightly disturbed me that we were doing the 2 part route out of order, we did Part 2 first as it was closer to home and we had to work around the shorter daylight. We waited for the weather to improve before attempting the northern Banbury to Oxford. By April it was finally warm and dry enough to finish the job.
The logistics of the Banbury to Reading corridor are straightforward thanks to a direct rail link. We parked near Oxford station and caught the train up to Banbury: a 17-minute journey. Factoring in a 45-minute wait at Oxford, we’d already consumed enough coffee and cake, allowing us to bypass the Banbury town centre cafes entirely.
Banbury isn’t directly on the National Cycle Route so the first few kilometres were through the town centre and quiet roads and paths to the western part of town.
At 4 km, we hit the NCN5. We spotted the first Millennium Milepost of the day right away. Getting to it, however, meant hauling the bikes up a steep, unexpected set of wooden steps from the cycle path onto the main road.
Across the road, we joined the Salt Way. This is a straight, off-road track. The Salt Way Activity Group notes this was an ancient route used for transporting salt.
By the 11 km mark, we found our second Millennium Milepost in the small town of Bloxham. Just outside of town, we passed a yellow rapeseed field with a small windmill in the middle: the banner photo for this post. The route continued south through the "Barfords" (Barford St. John and Barford St. Michael), leading us to Nether Worton at 18 km, where we bagged milepost number three.
Reaching Middle Barton at 23 km, the "second breakfast" cravings had set in. However, we ran into a recurring logistical failure for Brian and me: we start so early that we consistently beat the opening hours of rural pubs and cafes.
The fourth milepost appeared just outside Glympton around the 35 km mark. Shortly after, there is a great section running through a forest parallel to a river. It is easily one of the best parts of the route.
We rolled into Woodstock at 40 km at exactly 1:00 pm. We paused the ride here, finding a pub in the town centre for fish and chips. Pointing the bikes south-east toward Oxford post-lunch, we located the final Millennium Milepost (number five) at 48 km where the route joins the Oxford Canal at the north end of the city. Following the canal path through the residential streets of North Oxford, we arrived back at the train station and the car by 3:30 pm.
It was an efficient and hugely enjoyable day out and much warmer than the January attempt.
Start: Oxford Station, Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1HS
Finish: Reading Station, Bagnall Way, Reading, RG1 8BT
Distance: 68 km (42 miles)
Elevation change: + 455 / -476m. Net +21 m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Oxford Green Belt Way, The Vale Way, The Roman Way, The Ridgeway, Chiltern Way Southern Extension, St Frideswide's Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4, 5, 544, Icknield Way Trail
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many on the route. We stopped for a coffee at Abingdon at 15 km in
Millennium Mileposts: 231, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 230, 229, 222, 58, 141, 140
Maps:
- Oxford Map | Witney & Woodstock | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 180
- Vale of White Horse Map | Abingdon-on-Thames, Wantage, Wallingford & Faringdon | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 170
- Chiltern Hills West Map | Henley-on-Thames & Wallingford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 171
Links: Oxford, Abingdon, Didcot, Wallingford, Stoke Row, Caversham, Reading
On the 2nd of January, Brian and I set off to tackle the southern section. Our original plan was to cycle from Reading to Oxford and return by train. However, during the drive, Brian actually checked the forecast and discovered we would be cycling directly into a headwind the entire way. We aborted the original plan, drove to Oxford, parked near the station, and cycled south instead.
Conditions were terrible. It had rained overnight, and the ground was covered in snow and ice. For the first 10 km, we spent an hour cycling cautiously to avoid slipping. By the time we reached Abingdon, we were moving significantly slower than my standard parkrun pace. We stopped at a coffee shop to warm up, establishing a contingency plan to abandon the ride at Didcot and take the train back if the ice persisted.
Leaving the cafe, the weather broke. The sun melted the ice, and our pace drastically improved. Around the 20 km mark, we passed Didcot, bagging several Millennium Mileposts along the way. Ten kilometres later, we passed Wallingford, crossed the River Thames, and entered the Chilterns. Riding from Wallingford across the Ridgeway and into the Chiltern Hills under clear skies made up for the freezing start.
The final major leg at 55 km required a climb up and over the Chiltern ridge, followed by a fast descent into Caversham from Stoke Row. Finally, at 60 km, we bagged one final Millennium Milepost in Caversham, crossed the river, and finished the ride at Reading station.
Technically, NCN 5 continues east along the Thames for another 1.5 km to the confluence with the River Kennet. Having cycled that section previously and already bagged its two mileposts, we opted to skip it to ensure we got back to Oxford in daylight.
Day 1 in red, day 2 in blue
Dotting the UK's National Cycle Network are over 1,000 unique markers known as the Millennium Mileposts. Unveiled in 2000, these cast-iron sculptures are more than just waymarkers. Designed by four artists, one from each nation of the UK, they celebrate the diversity of the cycling routes. These artistic mileposts come in various shapes and can be found in both bustling towns and scenic landscapes, adding a touch of artistic charm to a cycling adventure.
Early morning crossing on the Portsmouth to Gosport Ferry
It had been a few months since our last cycling trip back in early January, so Brian and I were definitely overdue a catch-up and another stretch of the south coast. The plan this time was to tackle a segment of National Cycle Route 2 (NCN2). We originally aimed to ride from Brighton to Bournemouth, but we ended up tweaking our plans to finish in Southampton instead. Here is how the weekend unfolded.
We set off on Friday afternoon. After finishing work, we met up at Slough station to catch the Elizabeth line into London. We were aiming for the Thameslink from Farringdon down to Brighton, but we hit a familiar snag: you can't take non-folding bikes on the train during the Friday evening rush hour.
Rather than stressing about it, we used the time to grab dinner in Farringdon. We eventually boarded the 19:00 train and arrived in Brighton around 20:00. By the time we pushed the bikes to the Premier Inn, it was already dark. We parked them securely in our room and wandered into the centre of Brighton for a couple of drinks to properly catch up.
Start: Brighton Palace Pier, Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1TW
Finish: Clarence Pier, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 3AA
Distance: 95 km (59 miles)
Elevation change: + 316m / -321m (Net -5m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): King Charles III England Coast Path, Monarch’s Way, New Lipchis Way, The Selsey Tramway, Centurion Way, Sussex Border Path, The Shipwrights Way, Wayfarers Walk, Solent Way, Langstone Habrobour Waterside Route,
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2, 222, 288
Pubs / Cafes on route: Loads but we stopped for lunch at Soul Kitchen & Bar, Littlehampton (35 km in)
Maps:
- Brighton & Hove Map | Lewes & Burgess Hill | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL11
- Arundel & Pulborough Map | Worthing & Bognor Regis | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL10
- Chichester Map | South Harting & Selsey | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL08
- Meon Valley Map | Portsmouth, Gosport & Fareham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL3
Links: Brighton, Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea, Worthing, Ferring, Angmering, Littlehampton, Felpham, Bognor Regis, Aldwick, North Mundham, Chichester, Warblington, Havant, Hayling Island, Eastney, Southsea
I've been cutting down on alcohol this year, so those couple of glasses of wine on Friday night had an unfortunate consequence: I snored loudly all night. Brian barely got a wink of sleep.
Because of that, our Saturday morning started separately. I headed out early for the Hove Promenade parkrun. Usually, Brian would tag along and chill in a cafe, but he desperately needed to catch up on sleep. We met up at 09:30 after my run. I was in serious need of coffee and food by then, so we stopped at a lovely little independent bakery and cafe in Hove called MAKA for a sausage roll and a coffee while looking out to the sea.
We finally hit the road around 10:00, heading west on NCN2. We quickly spotted our first Millennium Milepost just past a bench in Hove. We were looking out for them as they were a major feature of our previous south coast trips, but they were pretty sparse this time: we saw two close together in Hove, and only one more just outside Chichester.
The morning ride stuck closely to the seafront. We actually cycled along the routes of several south coast parkruns, passing through Shoreham-on-Sea, Lancing, Worthing, and Goring-on-Sea. The route dips inland at Ferring to bypass a coastal path you can't cycle on, goes through Angmering, briefly touches the coast at Littlehampton, and then heads inland again before reaching Bognor Regis. We had planned an ice cream stop there, but despite the warm sunshine, the wind coming off the sea was incredibly strong, so we just pressed on.
Just after Bognor Regis, between Aldwick and Nyetimber, the official NCN2 signs simply vanished. We ended up following a path that seemed to be either a future or decommissioned section of the route. Despite this, the section actually turned out to be a real highlight of the day. It took us off the hard pavements and guided us cross-country through some beautiful fields, farmland, and dirt tracks.
The NCN2 signs finally picked up again at South Mundham. From there, we headed north into Chichester and stopped for a well-deserved coffee and cake to make up for the missed ice cream. Our original plan was to stay overnight in Chichester, but when I was booking, the hotels were completely full due to an event in town that weekend.
Suitably refreshed, we pushed west along the road bordering the top of Chichester Harbour, a National Landscape that I previously visited a couple of years back while hunting for its very low High Point.
Approaching Havant, we picked up the pace. We were pretty tired, but I knew we had to catch the 17:40 Hayling Ferry to Eastney Point, or we'd be stuck waiting an hour for the next one. I managed to roll up to the jetty with about 30 seconds to spare.
I got on board and anxiously told the ferry staff my friend was right behind me. Turns out he wasn't. The boat was full, the crew were eager to leave, and I was torn between getting off to wait at the pub for an hour or holding the boat up. Just as I reached the point where I couldn't make them wait any longer and was about to step off, Brian came pedalling down the jetty. He was five minutes late but just in time. The crossing only took five minutes, but catching it gave us an extra hour for dinner and an early night.
From Eastney Point, it was a short 20-minute ride to our hotel, the Southsea Premier Inn. After checking in and showering, we were absolutely starving. We decided to walk northwest along the seafront into Old Portsmouth and found a nearby pub called The Dolphin. We enjoyed fish and chips and a much more modest amount of wine before finally getting some proper sleep.
Start: Clarence Pier, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 3AA
Finish: Central Station Bridge, Blechynden Terrace, Southampton SO15 1AL, United Kingdom
Distance: 36 km (22 miles) … plus an additional 12km for the Warsash Ferry diversion (see text below).
Elevation change: + 190m / -188m (Net -2m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): King Charles III England Coast Path, The Shipwrights Way, Solent Way, Strawberry Trail, Hamble Rail Trail Route
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2, 22, 23, 236
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several options but we had breakfast in Jenny’s Cafe, Hamble-le-Rice (24 km in)
Maps:
- Meon Valley Map | Portsmouth, Gosport & Fareham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL3
- New Forest Map | Southampton, Ringwood, Ferndown, Lymington, Christchurch & Bournemouth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL22
Links: Southsea, Portsmouth, Gosport, Lee-on-the-Solent, Warsash, Hamble-le-Rice, Netley, Southampton
Thankfully, I didn't snore quite as much, and we both woke up well-rested around 06:00. We left the hotel at 07:15 for a 15-minute cycle over to Portsmouth Harbour. The Gosport Ferry runs every 15 minutes, so we barely had to wait at all. The crossing was really nice, with the morning sun coming up and illuminating the Spinnaker Tower and the Historic Dockyard.
The cycle through Gosport was a lovely stretch, passing through quiet little villages with great views of the Isle of Wight to our left. Feeling pretty good, we debated pushing on to our original goal of Bournemouth (which is about 55 km past Southampton). However, our second ferry drama of the weekend ended up making the decision for us.
We arrived at the jetty for the Pink Ferry at Warsash (which crosses the River Hamble to Hamble-le-Rice) at 09:00. I had completely forgotten to check the times, and unfortunately, a sign informed us the Sunday service didn't start until 10:00. We were an hour too early. We had flashbacks of our West Coast Ireland trip a few years back when we made an early start to catch a ferry that turned out to start much later on a Sunday.
Waiting a whole hour would have seriously thrown off our timings for getting home for a rest in the hot tub. The alternative was to avoid the ferry with a 20-minute detour north to Lower Swanwick, crossing the bridge to Bursledon, and cycling down the other side. Brian decided his legs just couldn't take the extra cycling, so we made the call: Southampton would be our final destination.
Rather than taking the direct road to Southampton station, we decided to cycle back down south to Hamble-le-Rice on the opposite side of the ferry crossing. Since we were stopping in Southampton, we weren't pressed for time, and it meant we could still continue our journey along NCN2 as originally planned.
This actually turned out to be a fantastic decision. Hamble-le-Rice is a gorgeous, quaint little village. We were starving by this point, having cycled for nearly three hours, so we stopped at a really nice cafe called Jenny's. We stayed for an hour, taking it easy and chatting over a massive, much-needed breakfast.
The final leg into Southampton was packed with interesting history. Just outside Hamble-le-Rice, the cycle route joins the Hamble Rail Trail. This is a disused railway track originally built during the First World War to serve an aircraft factory, and later used to transport oil from the BP terminal.
We followed the route through some lovely parkland, passing right through the grounds of Netley Abbey and the Royal Victoria Country Park: the site of the historic Royal Victoria Military Hospital, which also had its own dedicated railway line.
We followed the waterfront up to Woolston, crossed over the big Itchen Bridge, and navigated the city streets until we reached Southampton Central station at midday. From there, we bought our tickets and caught the train home via Reading, ready for a well-earned soak in the hot tub before the week ahead.
Day 1 in red, day 2 in blue
Dotting the UK's National Cycle Network are over 1,000 unique markers known as the Millennium Mileposts. Unveiled in 2000, these cast-iron sculptures are more than just waymarkers. Designed by four artists, one from each nation of the UK, they celebrate the diversity of the cycling routes. These artistic mileposts come in various shapes and can be found in both bustling towns and scenic landscapes, adding a touch of artistic charm to a cycling adventure.
Here’s the 3 Mileposts that I spotted on day 1 of the trip. There were none on day 2.
Previous South Coast Cycle trip: Dover to Hastings
Next South Coast Cycle trip: Southampton to Weymouth (coming soon)
Rapeseed field between East Claydon and Verney Junction
Start & Finish: St Mary's Church, Church Way, East Claydon, Buckingham, MK18 2ND
Distance: 12.7 km (7.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 97m
Terrain: Mixed terrain including field paths, bridleways, and quiet country lanes.
Midshires Way section covered: East Claydon to Addington: 4.7 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Midshires Way, The Swan Way, Cross Bucks Way, Bernwood Jubilee Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 51
Pubs / Cafes on route: None, although there are several in Winslow if you take a diversion from the main route at 7 km in.
Map: Buckingham & Milton Keynes Map | Leighton Buzzard & Woburn | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 192
Links: East Claydon, Verney Junction, Winslow, Addington, East West Rail
This is part of a series of short circular walks following the length of the Midshires Way in Buckinghamshire. The Midshires Way is a 225-mile (362 km) trail that journeys through the rural heart of Middle England, linking the Ridgeway National Trail at Bledlow in the south to the Trans Pennine Trail at Stockport in the north. Opened in 1994, this route traverses several counties, including Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Greater Manchester, following a scenic tapestry of ancient bridleways, quiet country lanes, and historic canals. In Buckinghamshire, the Midshires Way has a significant connection with the Swan's Way (often referred to as the Swan Way), a 65-mile long-distance bridleway. Essentially, the Swan's Way forms the backbone of the Buckinghamshire section of the Midshires Way, with the two routes being broadly coincident for approximately 50 miles between Salcey Forest and Bledlow. While the Swan's Way strictly adheres to bridleways to accommodate horse riders and cyclists, the Midshires Way sometimes offers alternative waymarked footpaths for walkers to avoid on-road sections.
This delightful circular walk takes you through the serene Buckinghamshire countryside, starting at East Claydon. The highlight is the historic site of Verney Junction. From the remnants of this once bustling railway hub, the path guides you northwards across open farmland and peaceful meadows, offering wide views of the Buckinghamshire landscape. The route gently undulates as it loops towards the charming market town of Winslow, dropping from around 124 metres in elevation down to 83 metres, making it an excellent afternoon stroll or a scenic alternative to your weekend parkrun.
Upon reaching the western edges of Winslow, the trail turns back southwest, following well-trodden bridleways and field margins. The return leg provides a contrasting perspective of the countryside, with quiet copses and the occasional glimpse of local wildlife. It is a manageable route with varied terrain, though sensible footwear is recommended during wetter months when the field paths can become muddy.
The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.
Start near St Mary’s Church where there’s several spots of free on-street parking on Church Way.
Walk along Church Way in a westerly direction, onto Sandmill Road, then take a right onto the footpath at the junction with Lacemakers Close.
Follow the path through fields for 1.6 km to Verney Road then take a left to follow Verney Road to Verney Junction village.
Take a moment to explore the village that was formerly the site of Verney Junction Station. The former station building is now a private house and the old rail line has now been replaced by the new East West Rail line.
Continue along Verney Road past the village then take a right onto the bridge that takes you over the East West Rail line. After the bridge, follow the path round to the right until you reach the track that previously crossed the disused rail line to the village.
Take a right at this track to follow the path in a north-easterly direction.
When you reach St Mary The Virgin Church in Addington follow the road as it curves round to the east. This is the furthest point on the Midshires Way for this section. You’ll now be following the Cross Bucks Way into Winslow.
You’ll reach a T junction where you’ll take a right then take a left to leave the road and follow a path through a field in an east / south-easterly direction.
Follow the path as it crosses under the East West Line then runs parallel to the rail line to reach Furze Lane on the western edge of Winslow.
Follow Gibbs Close, Featherbed Close, Selby Lane, Verney Road and Langley Close through Winslow until you reach a footpath near some stables on the southern edge of Winslow. Take a right onto this path to head east.
Follow this path through fields, initially in a westerly direction then curving to the south to reach East Claydon Road.
Take a right onto East Claydon Road and follow it for 600m to the East Claydon Substation. Be careful on this road as there’s no pavement but there is a grass verge to avoid cars.
Take a left onto the footpath that starts on the service road at the western end of the substation.
Follow the path as it zig-zags across fields to rejoin the Midshires Way then continue back to St Mary’s Church in East Claydon.
East Claydon: An historic Buckinghamshire village with clear Anglo‑Saxon origins, its name deriving from the Old English clægig dun, meaning “clay hill.” At its heart stands the parish church of St Mary, a building that today reflects several centuries of architectural development. Although the church was largely destroyed during the English Civil War by Parliamentarian official Cornelius Holland, it was rebuilt after the Restoration and now incorporates elements from the 13th to 16th centuries, including a 14th‑century chancel. The village provides a peaceful and culturally rich backdrop as you explore the surrounding countryside.
Claydon House and Estate: Just a stone's throw from East Claydon lies the magnificent Claydon House, a National Trust property renowned for its extraordinary 18th-century rococo interiors. For generations, it has been the ancestral home of the Verney family—the namesakes of Verney Junction. The house also boasts a deep connection to Florence Nightingale, who was a frequent visitor and had her own bedroom there, as her sister Parthenope was married to Sir Harry Verney.
Verney Junction: Once a significant interchange on the Oxford–Cambridge Varsity Line, Verney Junction played an important role in the region’s Victorian railway network. Passenger services ceased in 1968 with the closure of the line, but the site remains a notable landmark for railway historians and enthusiasts, offering a quiet reminder of the area’s transport heritage.
The Varsity Line Landscape: Much of the landscape you will encounter has been shaped by the former Varsity Line, the rail route that once linked Britain’s two great university cities. Though the line closed in the late 1960s, major efforts are now underway to revive parts of this historic corridor through the East West Rail project, which aims to restore modern rail services across sections of the original route.
Addington: Set within the Buckinghamshire countryside, Addington is a secluded village with deep historical roots, recorded in the Domesday Book as Edintone. Its parish church, dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, reflects a long architectural history with Norman origins. During the English Civil War, the original manor house served twice as the national headquarters for Parliamentarian forces, giving the village an important—if brief—strategic role. Today, Addington is characterised by the extensive Addington Manor estate, whose mid‑19th‑century parkland was laid out with input from the noted landscape designer William Andrews Nesfield.
Winslow: Winslow is a historic market town known for its traditional architecture and lively high street. Its most prominent landmark is Winslow Hall, a grand mansion built in 1700. The house is traditionally attributed to Sir Christopher Wren, although the attribution remains a matter of scholarly debate. Regardless of authorship, the building stands as one of the finest examples of late 17th‑century domestic architecture in the region.
Midshires Way previous section (south): Quainton and Botolph Claydon
Midshires Way next section (north): Addington and Great Horwood
There are currently 47 parkrun events in Northern Ireland of which I have completed 3. The first Northern Irish event was Waterworks which started on 6th November 2010 and the newest is Claudy Country Park which started on May 16th 2026. The name for having completed all parkrun events in Northern Ireland is “Northern Entireland”.
Two 5k parkrun events in Northern Ireland have been permanently cancelled: Knockbracken Reservoir and Stranmillis College.
Numbers exclude 2k Junior parkruns and any events that are not open to the general public such as prisons or armed forces facilities.
The counties of Antrim and Down jointly have the highest number of parkrun events with 14 each. The full counts are:
15 parkrun events in County Antrim
14 parkrun events in County Down
7 parkrun events in County Derry/Londonderry
6 parkrun events in County Tyrone
3 parkrun events in County Armagh
2 parkrun events in County Fermanagh
Below are each of the Northern Ireland 5k parkrun events in alphabetical order. A few things to note:
The interactive maps below take you to the approximate location for the course, typically the centre of the park. See the course instructions in the parkrun page for each event for specific directions to the start.
Course maps and elevation profiles show the route at the time that I ran it and may have changed since then. See the Course page in the event’s page on parkrun.org.uk for the current course outline. Note that course outlines are from Garmin data during a specific run and may vary from the officially measured distance.
Please contact me if you spot an event that doesn’t have a course map and elevation profile and you would like to donate one from your own run. I’m also interested in maps and elevation profiles for courses that have changed or where there’s a regular alternative route (e.g. Horsham). I’ll need a GPX file from your run plus the date. I’ll include a credit for you and will donate £1 to parkrun.
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 94
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: September 28th 2013
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Tim McEvoy on May 9th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: July 15th 2017 with a finish time of: 26:49
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Armagh
Inaugural: October 12th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: March 29th 2014
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Joel Adcock on February 28th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: May 7th 2011
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: September 13th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: February 1st 2014
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Joel Adcock on April 26th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: September 23rd 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 96 Causeway Gateway
Historic County: Londonderry
Inaugural: May 17th 2025
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Joel Adcock on May 17th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Armagh
Inaugural: August 11th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Londonderry
Inaugural: May 16th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: October 10th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: May 31st 2014
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Joel Adcock on November 29th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (walk): North Down Coastal Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 93
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: February 29th 2020
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Joel Adcock on March 21st 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Londonderry
Inaugural: January 12th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Londonderry
Inaugural: February 26th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Tyrone
Inaugural: August 18th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: March 26th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: March 31st 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Fermanagh
Inaugural: April 13th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: May 26th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Londonderry
Inaugural: July 31st 2021
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: June 26th 2021
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Tyrone
Inaugural: June 15th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
***Knockbracken Reservoir parkrun is now permanently cancelled ***
I did not complete this event before it was closed
Historic County: County Down
Inaugural: February 29th 2020. Final event: #189 on June 28th 2025
Reason for cancellation: Organisers couldn't reach a compromise with the landowner, Let's Go Hydro, regarding the use of their private grounds.
Replaced by: Belvoir Forest
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: November 9th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Londonderry
Inaugural: March 28th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: August 6th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Fermanagh
Inaugural: September 20th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Tyrone
Inaugural: May 10th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Armagh
Inaugural: May 10th 2025
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Joel Adcock on April 4th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: April 13th 2024
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Tyrone
Inaugural: July 26th 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: May 31st 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Tyrone
Inaugural: October 17th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (walk): Connswater Community Greenway
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: August 4th 2018
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Joel Adcock on January 10th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: April 30th 2016 with a finish time of: 25:39
Other routes touched (walk): None
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: June 22nd 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: October 5th 2024
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Tyrone
Inaugural: May 23rd 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: September 8th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: May 7th 2016 with a finish time of: 25:37
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: February 25th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: April 25th 2026
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Tim McEvoy on April 25th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: November 11th 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: July 20th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched: None
Historic County: Down
Inaugural: August 29th 2015
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Joel Adcock on February 21st 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
***Stranmillis College parkrun is now permanently cancelled ***
I did not complete this event before it was closed
Historic County: County Antrim
Inaugural: February 2nd 2019. Final event: #54 on March 14th 2020
Reason for cancellation: Due to increasing conflicts with the college's sporting activities, particularly football, meaning the event couldn't safely run when pitches were in use from late summer to mid-February, leading to a mutual decision to stop the weekly run
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Londonderry
Inaugural: May 11th 2024
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: October 11th 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: March 9th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Historic County: Antrim
Inaugural: November 6th 2010
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
parkruns are free, weekly, community 5k events all around the world. I started in December 2012 and have been obsessive about it ever since. See my parkrun Collection page for details.
Featured and popular parkrun posts:
Deer grazing near the Tamsin Trail
Start & Finish: Various (see notes below)
Distance: 11.5 km (7.1 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 107m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Capital Ring, Beverley Brook Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4
Pubs / Cafes on route: Various (see notes below)
OS Trig Pillar: TP5674 - Richmond Park
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Richmond, Richmond Park, Pembroke Lodge, London’s Protected Views
The Tamsin Trail is a shared perimeter cycleway and walking path that traces the outskirts of Richmond Park, closely following the boundary wall. It was originally conceived as a way to reduce off-track cycling and protect the park's delicate grassland and flora from mountain bikers. In this regard, it is considered a highly successful addition to the park, having significantly reduced off-path riding in the vicinity.
Today, it is incredibly popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists. If you happen to be there on a Saturday morning, you will likely spot the local parkrun community using part of the route.
The factual origin of the Tamsin Trail's name is well documented. The trail was under construction for several years before being officially opened in September 1997 by celebrity Jerry Hall and Peter Beckwith. It was named after Tamsin, the daughter of Peter Beckwith, who was the Chairman of The Richmond Park Charitable Trust at the time. It was his significant private donation that funded the creation of the trail.
Despite this clear history, if you chat with some of the park regulars, you might hear a couple of local legends floating around. Some say the path was named after a beloved Labrador called Tamsin who belonged to a local cyclist, while others claim it was named after Tamsin Keys, the wife of a former park ranger. While these stories add a bit of charming folklore to the walk, it is the Beckwith family's generosity we ultimately have to thank for the route.
Because it is a shared path for both cyclists and pedestrians, there have been ongoing concerns and strong views regarding the safety and co-existence of both groups. Over the years, various measures have been taken to manage this: in 2003, the police even conducted a trial specifically to catch speeding cyclists on the trail.
Additionally, near Pembroke Lodge, cyclists using the upper part of the trail would sometimes ride directly down the slope to connect to a newer lower path: this led to the installation of barriers to prevent the descent and limit soil erosion.
The trail is accessible and relatively easy to navigate:
Terrain: The path is largely made of hard-packed crushed limestone and sand. While mostly flat, there are a few undulating sections, particularly the climb up Broomfield Hill near the Robin Hood Gate.
Time Needed: For walking, it is best to allow between 2.5 and 4 hours. This gives you plenty of time to stop for photographs, rest, or grab a coffee. You can also make the walk slightly longer by using some of the smaller paths that hug closer to the boundary. We used some of these for a quieter experience as some of the Trail stays close to the main park roads.
Starting Point: The trail connects all the main gates: Roehampton, Robin Hood, Kingston, Ham, Richmond, and East Sheen. Because of this, you can start your walk from any entrance and simply choose to go clockwise or anti-clockwise.
Walking the Tamsin Trail gives you a great tour of the park's varied landscapes and wildlife. Here are a few highlights to look out for:
Beverley Brook: Just past the Roehampton Gate, the trail crosses a footbridge over this beautiful little river. The name actually comes from the Old English 'Beaver's Ley', meaning a place where beavers live. While you will not see beavers today, the brook is a fantastic spot for wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled: you might spot the bright blue flash of a kingfisher, parakeets in the trees, or even deer cooling off in the shallow water during warmer weather.
The Deer: Richmond Park is famous for its hundreds of free-roaming red and fallow deer. The trail passes many of their favourite grazing spots. Just remember to keep a respectful distance and never feed them.
Pembroke Lodge: Situated on the high ground within the park, this Grade II listed Georgian mansion is a brilliant place to stop. It features beautifully landscaped gardens and a popular cafe. The lodge has a rich history, having once been the home of Prime Minister Lord John Russell, and its elevated position offers sweeping, panoramic views over the Thames Valley.
King Henry's Mound and the OS Trig Pillar: Located just north of Pembroke Lodge, King Henry's Mound is a prehistoric burial chamber that provides an incredible vantage point. If you look through the trees, you can see a specially protected, framed view of St Paul's Cathedral. Just a stone's throw from the mound, between the footpath and the road, you will also spot an Ordnance Survey trig pillar. These historic concrete pillars were part of the vast retriangulation network used to map Great Britain, and this specific one sits at an elevation of 56 metres above sea level.
Refreshments: You will not be short of places to stop. There are cafes, toilets, and water fountains at both Roehampton Gate and Pembroke Lodge, along with various refreshment kiosks located around the park.
Richmond Park is highly accessible, whether you are arriving by public transport or driving.
By Public Transport:
Train & Tube: The closest mainline stations are Richmond and North Sheen to the north of the park, and Norbiton to the south. You can also catch the District Line directly to Richmond Station. From these stations, it is roughly a 15 to 25-minute walk to the nearest park gate, or you can hop on a local bus.
Bus: Several bus routes serve the park's perimeter. The 85 and K3 stop near Ladderstile Gate on Kingston Hill, the 65 stops near Ham Gate Avenue, and the 371 stops near Ham Village.
Free Park Minibus: If you are visiting on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday between March and November, you can take advantage of the free, volunteer-run RP1 minibus. It is fully accessible for wheelchair users and loops between all the car parks and main gates.
By Car (Gates, Car Parks, and Facilities): If you are driving, the park has several main vehicle gates with car parks. Since the Tamsin Trail is a loop, you can park at any of these and start your walk immediately. Here is a breakdown of the main car parks and their facilities:
Roehampton Gate: Car park, Roehampton Gate Café (which includes an ice cream parlour), and toilets.
Pembroke Lodge: Car park, a fantastic café (perfect for a classic cream tea), and toilets. This is located close to Richmond Gate.
Kingston Gate: Car park, a refreshment kiosk, and toilets.
Sheen Gate: Car park and toilets.
Robin Hood Gate: Car park and toilets.
Internal Car Parks: If the gate car parks are busy, there are also internal car parks at Pen Ponds (with a kiosk) and Broomfield Hill (with a kiosk). There is also a dedicated disabled visitors' car park at Isabella Plantation, which has accessible toilets.
Note: Parking in the Royal Parks is free, but it can fill up very quickly on weekends and bank holidays. There is a 20p contactless charge to use the public toilets.
Whether you are looking for a brisk weekend walk or a leisurely stroll to take in the wildlife, the Tamsin Trail is a fantastic choice. It is a wonderful reminder of the beautiful places we have access to right outside our doors, full of history and nature that is just waiting to be explored.
There are currently 13 parkrun events in the present-day county of Leicestershire of which I have not yet completed any. The first was Braunstone, which started on 25th September 2010, and the newest is Sence Valley Forest Park, which started on 23rd September 2023. The name for having completed all parkrun events in the county is “Flaw-Leics”.
The location of the Market Harborough event was in the historic county of Northamptonshire but is now in present-day Leicestershire.
Numbers exclude 2k Junior parkruns and any events that are not open to the general public such as prisons or armed forces facilities.
Below are each of the Leicestershire 5k parkrun events in alphabetical order. A few things to note:
The interactive maps below take you to the approximate location for the course, typically the centre of the park. See the course instructions in the parkrun page for each event for specific directions to the start.
Course maps and elevation profiles show the route at the time that I ran it and may have changed since then. See the Course page in the event’s page on parkrun.org.uk for the current course outline. Note that course outlines are from Garmin data during a specific run and may vary from the officially measured distance.
Please contact me if you spot an event that doesn’t have a course map and elevation profile and you would like to donate one from your own run. I’m also interested in maps and elevation profiles for courses that have changed or where there’s regular alternative route (e.g. Horsham). I’ll need a GPX file from your run plus the date. I’ll include a credit for you and will donate £1 to parkrun.
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 15th April 2023
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 25th February 2023
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 15th January 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 25th September 2010
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 16th April 2011
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 28th July 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 26th March 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 14th November 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: December 17th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: April 25th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 10th January 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 23rd September 2023
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: 25th September 2021
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
parkruns are free, weekly, community 5k events all around the world. I started in December 2012 and have been obsessive about it ever since. See my parkrun Collection page for details.
Featured and popular parkrun posts:
