When: February 9th 2020
Where: Newbury Racecourse, Racecourse Road, Newbury, RG14 7NZ
Course: 2 laps of the racecourse and a wiggle round the back of the stands. 5k and Half Marathon options also ran on multiples of the same course
Other routes touched: N/A
Finish time: 57 minutes
Rail bridge, just north of Westhumble
Start: Leatherhead Railway Station, Station Approach, Leatherhead KT22 7SW
Finish: Dorking Railway Station, Station Approach, Dorking RH4 1TF
Distance: 9.5 km (5.9 miles)
Elevation Change: +91m / - 100m. Net -8m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Ranmore SCC, North Downs Way, Norbury Park Walk
Other Routes Touched (run): Mole Valley parkrun, Surrey Bacchus Wine Half Marathon
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 22
Cafe / pub on route: Pilgrim Cycles at Boxhill and Westhumble Station / The Stepping Stones Pub, Westhumble
Map: OS Explorer 146 Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate
Links: Explore Surrey - Mole Gap Trail, River Mole, Leatherhead, Leatherhead Station, Westhumble, Boxhill and Westhumble Station, Denbies, Dorking, Dorking Station
The Mole Gap Trail is an easy, scenic walk roughly following the River Mole. This was our latest walk in the Explore Surrey series whose website is a rich source of information about getting out and about in the county. It was our 3rd of their walks and it proved to be just as rewarding as the others. As with all of their routes, their PDFs have all the details so I won’t cover them again here. Instead, here’s a few other things to note:
The route is well signposted with silver metal arrows and messages, mostly on the ground but also on some footpath signposts. There’s a lot of different trails following or crossing this route, so be careful not to get taken off in the wrong direction. As much as you could just as easily take the opposite route starting from Dorking, the South-facing route from Leatherhead makes more sense as you’re following the direction of the arrows.
The Pilgrim Cycles cafe at Box Hill and Westhumble Station is a great place to stop for a rest at about 2 thirds of the way in. I particularly liked the old signs including one from the 2012 Olympics Cycling route.
According to Country Walking Magazine, the Mole Gap Trail is the shortest trail in Britain that is waymarked on the ground, labelled with the green diamonds of a recreational route on the OS Explorer map and has it’s own name on the map and isn’t part of a longer trail.
The first parkruns events in each country in the continent of Europe. Updated August 2024 to show Lithuania. See the footnotes regarding Cyprus.
Footnotes
* shows where there were multiple events started on the first day for that country.
Iceland briefly had a parkrun but it has been permanently cancelled. Iceland is generally considered part of Europe but actually straddles the European and American continental plates. The parkrun event at Elliðaárdalur was on the American side of the continental divide.
Both of the original Russian parkruns are on the European, rather than Asian, part of Russia. parkrun is currently not operating in Russia
Although there is no parkrun in the Czech Republic yet, the Cieszyn parkrun course in Poland crosses the Poland/Czech border.
Akrotiri parkrun on the island of Cyprus is part of the British Overseas Territory of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. This makes it fall within the same box on the graphic as Cape Pembroke Lighthouse, Falkland Islands. It is also on a closed facility and is therefore open to authorised people only.
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:
Steer’s Field
Start / Finish: Polesden Lacey National Trust Car Park, Great Bookham, Leatherhead, RH5 6BD
Distance: 8.3 km (5.2 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 169m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Ranmore SCC, North Downs Way, Yew Tree Walk
Other Routes Touched (run): Trust 10 (Running) Route, Surrey Bacchus Wine Half Marathon
Other Routes Touched (cycle): N/A
Cafe on route: The cafe at Polesden Lacey National Trust
Map: OS Explorer 146 Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate
Links: Explore Surrey - Prospects of Polesden Circular, Polesden Lacey National Trust, Ranmore Common
This was our second of the Surrey County Council (SCC) Walks and a return visit to the Polesden Lacey National Trust Estate. The Explore Surrey website contains all of the directions, so I’ve not included them here. Instead, here’s a few other things to note:
We parked at the National Trust Car-park rather than Denbies Hillside Carpark as mentioned in the leaflet. National Trust parking is free for members or a small charge for non-members. There’s also the Granary Cafe which is a good (and only) place on the route.
Unlike its sister route, the Ranmore Circular, the Prospects of Poleden is not signposted so you’ll need a map or GPS route. The Yew Tree Walk follows much of the same route, but not all of it so don’t strictly follow the blue Yew Tree roundels.
When: January 26th 2020
Where: Morden Hall Park, Morden Hall Rd, London, SM4 5JD
Course: 3 laps of a figure of 8 (ish) course in Morden Hall Park. Flat / mix of grass and paths.
Other routes touched (walk): Wandle Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 20
Finish time: 53 minutes
Descent to Great Missenden from The Hyde
Start / Finish: Great Missenden Station, HP16 9WH
Alternative Start / Finish: Link Road Car Park, Great Missenden, HP16 9AE
Distance: 9.8 km (6 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 113m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Buryfield Car Park to Ballinger Common: 3 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Chiltern Heritage Trail, South Bucks Way
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Hampden Route, NCN 57
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Great Missenden
Map: OS Explorer Map (181) Chiltern Hills North
Links: Great Missenden, Great Missenden Station, Ballinger
This is a ~10k circuit of farmland and small villages to the North East of Great Missenden. The steep sections are confined to the start and end with a relatively flat middle section. We had lovely classic Chilterns views even on an overcast January day. We’ll likely be back in the Spring for another go too. 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 route is also part of a series of 17 walks that, between them, cover the 83 km of the Chiltern Heritage Trail. Created as a Millennium project, this trail links the towns and parishes within the district, offering stunning scenery, charming villages, and points of historical interest.
** Note that when we did this walk the HS2 works were getting ready to be built on the eastern side of the A413. We noticed some footpath diversion signs and it’s likely that the first section of this walk will be slightly different until the works are complete. Check current maps when you plan your version of this walk **
The Link Road Car Park is an obvious place to start and it’s also a very short walk from the train station. Although most of the walk is the other side of the busy A413, you don’t need to dodge the cars. There’s an underpass on the outward stretch and a bridge next to St Peter and Paul’s Church on the return.
Much of the first 3 km is a steady climb north-east, passing Potter Row to Ballinger Common. At the War Memorial Hall on the East side of the Common you’ll head south along Ballinger Road. It's fairly quiet and you can walk on the grass verge on the left hand side of the road. When you see Ballinger Bottom take a footpath heading South diagonally across a field, bypassing the village. This will take you to the junction of Ballinger Road and Marriott’s Avenue. Take the footpath to the left of Marriott’s Avenue, heading south-east to a small wooded area at South Heath. On reaching the woodland, turn right and follow the footpath for approx 1 km to the B485 Frith Hill Road.
Watch out for traffic here. The B485 is busy but there’s a pavement on the south side for the very short section that you’ll follow it (heading West). Take Hyde Heath Road heading south-east for about 250m then take the first footpath on the right, heading south-west. Hyde Heath Road isn’t busy but there’s no pavement so be careful and watch out for cars. Once on the footpath, you’re back in pleasant Chilterns territory, crossing rolling hills, quaint farms and a lovely old manor house on Hyde Lane.
The final section is a steep descent to St Peter and Paul’s Church. Cross the bridge and you’ve got 3 options for the final stretch back to the car park. The quickest way back is to turn right and follow Church Lane, Buryfield Lane and the South Bucks Way to the car park. Alternatively, turn right for the longer route following the South Bucks Way along the perimeter of Missenden Abbey to London Road, then follow the High Street in a northerly direction. We took the 3rd option which was through a small gate into the grounds of the Abbey, across the River Misbourne and out the North exit of the property.
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section clockwise: Lee Common and Ballinger
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section anti-clockwise: Great Missenden and Little Kingshill
Margate
Start: Dickens House Museum 2 Victoria Parade Broadstairs CT10 1QS
Finish: Turner Contemporary, Margate, CT9 1HG
Distance: 6.2 km (3.9 miles)
Elevation Change: +36m / -54m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Ramsgate to Margate Coastal Walk
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 15
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several. We stopped at the Red Lion in St Peters
Map: OS Explorer Map (150) Canterbury and the Isle of Thanet
Links: Turner Contemporary, Visit Thanet, Broadstairs, St Peter’s, Margate
After loving our previous day's Ramsgate to Margate coastal walk we were keen to do one more trip before heading home. The Turner and Dickens walk , also connecting both towns, walk is a good choice. The walk is well documented in this leaflet so I won't repeat any of it here. My main add is that it's a great companion to the coastal route. Doing both in the same day would make a fantastic 17.5km / 11 mile circular route.
Kingsgate Bay
Start: Ramsgate Tunnels, Marina Esplanade, Ramsgate CT11 8FH
Finish: Turner Contemporary, Rendezvous, Margate CT9 1HG
Distance: 11.3 km (7 miles)
Elevation Change: +129m /- 127m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Broadstairs Town Trail, Turner & Dickens Walk, Sea it All Walk
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 15, Viking Coastal Trail,
Pubs / Cafes on route: Lots, especially in Broadstairs and Margate beach-side.
Map: OS Explorer Map (150) Canterbury and the Isle of Thanet
Links: Turner Contemporary, Visit Thanet, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, North Foreland Lighthouse, Margate
Ever since I’d started researching my family history I’ve had a trip to Broadstairs in the back of my mind. My Dad remembered being sent to a convalescence home there when he was a boy. He didn’t remember much of the details or even how long he was there for. His most vivid memory was being taken to a London train station by his parents and being met by some nuns. His only other memory was walking through a tunnel from the home to the beach where they would play in the afternoons.
Having read some of the blog posts from people who also went there it seems that vague memories are a shared experience. Some told of abuse by the nuns but there’s no evidence that it happened to my Dad. One day I’ll do some deeper research, but for now I wanted to visit the area and see where he spent some of his childhood.
This was also our New Years’ planning trip. We do something like this every January to reflect on the year before and decide what’s important for the year ahead. A long walk outside in an inspiring place puts us in the right mental state to work out what’s really important. The coastal walk from Ramsgate to Margate turned out to be a perfect location for such a walk.
Our walk started from a B&B that we rented on Granville Marina in Ramsgate. A visit to the Ramsgate Tunnels seemed very appealing but we had a long day ahead to do so we’ll do those on a return visit. The first section stays close to the beach following the Sea it All route. The painted shelters along the East Cliffs are worth a look but don't go too far as you'll get to a dead end. The best route is to use the stairs to the Winterstoke Gardens (~750m from the Ramgate Tunnels) and follow the cliff-top path through King George VI Memorial Park.
The route has options in several places to stay on the cliff-top path or take the beach-route. A lot of this will depend on tides so keep an eye out and stay to the cliff-top if in doubt. The first of these choices is at Dumpton Gap where there's a path down to the beach next to the old submarine telephone cable hut. From here both the cliff-top and beach walks take you to Viking Bay in Broadstairs.
At Broadstairs we met up with Mark, a new friend that we met on the Camino Portuguese last May. As well as being an all round great guy, his local knowledge made the trip even more special. We walked with Mark along Stone Beach, where the (now filled in) tunnel that my Dad remembers connected to St Mary’s Convalescence Home on the top of the Cliff. The bright sunny day was quite a contrast to the grim black and white image I’d had of my Dad's stay there. I’d always pictured his time there to be a lonely and scary experience but maybe it wasn’t. It made me think about how we often make up stories about other people’s experiences through a lack of information.
After Stone Beach the coastal path diverts off the cliff from behind the expensive houses on North Foreland Road. A highlight is North Foreland Lighthouse which towers over the original site of St Mary’s, now a private estate. After ~1km, you can return to the Beach at Kingsgate Bay. Our timing was great as the tide was out and we were able to walk all the way to Margate on the beach.
There's a lot of choice of things to do and places to eat after the walk. We opted for the quirky Double-Decker Bus cafe in the Old Kent Market for food and a rest before heading back. Regular trains run back to Ramsgate from Margate, making this an easy point-to-point walk.
Here’s a Tube-style map of the rivers of the Chiltern Hills National Landscape (formerly AONB) and “Greater Chilterns Area”. Let me know if you spot any mistakes and I’ll donate £1 per correction to one of my causes. If you would like a printable PDF version, please Buy Me a Coffee and send me your e-mail via the Contact page. All copies for personal, not commercial use.
It started in 2016 with my Winter Solstice walk along the River Chess. I loved the walk and soon my mind turned to contemplating how many rivers there were in the Chilterns. More importantly, how many of them could be walked, cycled or ran? Over the following few weeks I went on a desk-based adventure researching the source and mouth of every waterway in the area. Unlike the Chess most of them don’t have a well-signed path following them. For these I started planning cycle trips to discover them. These would be circular routes, one section keeping as close as possible to the river, and the other section a return trip along quiet country lanes.
Each trip took me to places I’d not been to before. It also taught me a lot about the geography of an area that I’d grown up near but knew little about. I could see first hand how the rivers formed the valleys that cut through the chalk hills. I also discovered how many of the towns and villages that I knew so well were named after the river that runs through them.
The tricky part what knowing when the adventure would come to an end. Every time I got close I discovered a new stream that I never heard of and had to find that one too. I also had to make a decision about what would classify as a Chiltern River. The main criteria was that either the source had to be in the Chiltern Hills AONB and / or most of the river’s length had to be through the Greater Chilterns area. Some didn’t quite match this but I included them anyway. The Lea, for example, originates North of Luton in the gap between the 2 sections of the AONB. From here it flows away from the Chilterns to meet the Thames on the other side of London. It still felt like a Chiltern River though so I included it. I’m very happy that I did as the cycle trip along it was one of the most enjoyable of the set.
There’s a few that I didn’t include. The Flit and the Hiz both touch the Greater Chilterns area but originate outside of it. I may explore them later but for now I’m happy to give them a miss. I’m sure that there will be other rivers, streams or waterways that I have missed. If you know of any and have a recommendation for an adventure that includes them, post a note in the comments section below.
Scroll down for maps, links to blog posts for each river-based trip and a section on Chilterns towns that take their names from the rivers.
Alderbourne: Source in Fulmer, runs ~5 miles to the Colne Brook at Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire
Ash: Splits from the Colne on Staines Moor, runs ~6.2 miles to meet the Thames at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
Assendon Stream: Source in Stonor, runs ~4 miles to the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Bulbourne: Source at Cow Roast, runs ~7 miles to the River Gade at Two Waters, Apsley, Hertfordshire
Chess: Source in Chesham Vale, Buckinghamshire, runs ~11 miles to the River Colne at Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
Colne: Source near North Mymms, Hertfordshire, runs ~11.2 miles to the the Thames at Staines, Surrey
Colne Brook: Splits from the Colne at Uxbridge Moor, Greater London, runs ~9 miles to the Thames at Hythe End near Staines, Surrey
Datchet Common Brook: Source at Fulmer Wood Lake, runs 7 miles to meet the Thames at Sunnymeads near Wraysbury
Ewelme Brook: Source in Ewelme Village, runs ~2 miles to the Thames near Benson Lock, Oxfordshire
Frays River: Splits from the Colne at West Drayton, Greater London, runs ~5.5 miles and rejoins the Colne near Staines, Surrey
Gade: Source at Dagnall, Buckinghamshire, runs ~16 miles to the Colne at Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
Hambleden Brook: Source at Skirmett, runs 4.1 miles to meet the Thames at Mill End, Buckinghamshire
Horton Brook: Source at Black Park near Fulmer, runs 12.2 miles to meet the Thames at Ankerwyke near Wraysbury
Hugenden Stream: Sourced from springs near Hughenden Village, runs ~2.2 miles to meet the Wye in High Wycombe
Lea: Source in Leagrave, Bedfordshire, runs 42 miles to meet the Thames at Leamouth, Greater London
Mimram: Source near Whitwell, runs 12 miles to the River Lea at Hertford, Hertfordshire
Misbourne: Source at Great Missenden, runs ~17 miles to the Colne at Denham, Buckinghamshire
Ouzel: Source at Dagnall, runs 20 miles to join the River Great Ouse at Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire
Pinn: Source at Pinner, runs approx, 11.4 miles joining the Grand Union and the Frays at Yiewsley, Greater London
Wraysbury: Splits from the Colne at West Drayton, runs ~5.5 miles and rejoins the Colne near the confluence with the Thames at Staines, Surrey
Ver: Source at Kensworth, Bedfordshire, runs ~15 miles to the Colne at Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire
Wye: Source at Bradenham, runs 9 miles to the Thames at Bourne End, Buckinghamshire
Wendover Arm Canal
Poyle Channel
Staines Rivers Aqueduct
Wraysbury Lakes Ditch
Ashford - River Ash
Bricket Wood - Rivers Ver and Colne: "Bright-coloured small island or piece of marshland"
Bourne End (Buckinghamshire) - River Wye
Bourne End (Hertfordshire) - Bourne Gutter, a short stream that flows into the Bulbourne near Hemel Hempstead
Chalfont St. Giles - River Misbourne. Chalfont means "spring frequented by calves"
Chalfont St. Peter - River Misbourne. Chalfont means "spring frequented by calves"
Colnebrook - Colne Brook (obviously)
Colney - River Colne. Also London Colney, Colney Heath
Fordbridge - River Ash
Fulmer - Alderbourne. Means "Mere or lake frequented by birds", possibly due to the small lakes feeding the river at the end of Framewood Road
Gadebridge - River Gade
Great Gaddesden - River Gade
Great Missenden - River Misbourne
Halliford (Upper and Lower) - River Ash. Means “holy ford”
Little Missenden - River Misbourne
Leagrave - River Lee (possibly - alternative meaning exist that are not connected to the river)
Longford - River Colne and Wraysbury: "Long Ford across the river"
Loudwater - River Wye
Luton - River Lee: "Farmstead on the River Lee"
Pinner - River Pinn
Redbourne - River Ver: "reedy stream", reedy could be a derivation of Reade who owned the manor in the 16th century
Ruislip - River Pinn (could also be Yeading Brook): "leaping place across a river where rushes grow"
High Wycombe - River Wye
St Albans (Roman name = Verulamium) - River Ver
Stanwell - River Colne - "Stoney spring or stream"
Two Waters - Rivers Gade and Bulbourne
Watford - River Colne - "Ford used when hunting"
Wooburn Green - River Wye
Wraysbury - Wraysbury River. River could be named after the town. Strangely the river doesn't go through the town, although the Colne Brook Does
Uxbridge - River Colne: "Bridge of the tribe called the Wixan"
Primary sources: A Dictionary of British Place Names (Mills) and Wikipedia
Start / Finish: Penn St, Penn, Penn Street, Amersham HP7 0PX
Distance: 6.3 km (3.9 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 75m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): N/A
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Milton Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Squirrel and The Hit or Miss both at the start and end of the route
Map: OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
Links: Penn
Unlike many of my recent walks this had no geeky excuse to be there. No Trig Pillars, no County Tops, no National Trail to complete. Instead, this was a simple New Year’s Day walk in the heart of the Chilterns. 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 best place to start is at the Squirrel Pub where there’s good free parking on Penn Street. From here cross over the small green, past the cricket pitch and head for one of the openings in the fence. Penn Wood has a lot of paths criss-crossing it so there’s many options for walks there. We chose a diagonal North-East route that heads toward one of the main gates to the A404 at Beamond End. At this point you’ll be 1 km into the walk and you’ll turn right, heading South-West for 1.5 km to the crossing of Gravelly Way.
Continue South-West between Two Sisters Plantation and Gravelly Way Plantation then take a path crossing a field in a roughly Southerly direction. At the end of the field the path re-enters the wood and climbs steeply up to Chalk Track. Chalk Track is a long, straight Bridleway running to the South West. It eventually meets Common Wood Lane but we took a left turn about 300 metres from the end on a path that crosses Gravelly Way again. There’s a final 0.75 km climb up out of the woods, past Grove House and back to Penn Street.
Penn Street is fairly busy and the best place to walk is on the grass verge on the Northern side. It’s a very short walk along here to the first pub, the Hit Or Miss, and and even shorter one from there back to the Squirrel.
Documenting a long-term project to complete the NCN Route 4 and connecting routes:
Stage 1: Fishguard to Caerphilly: 182 miles (not yet attempted)
Stage 2: Cardiff / Caerphilly to Bath: 82 miles. Completed in 2011
Stage 3: Bath to Reading via Kennet & Avon Canal. 78 miles. Completed in 2010
Stage 4: The Thames Path / NCN4 Reading to Thames Barrier. 183 miles. Completed in 1997
NCN Route 8: Holyhead to Cardiff: 243 miles. Completed in 2010
Thames & Severn Canal: Gloucester to Kemble: 49 miles. Completed in 2019
My mileage per activity type in 2019
Run: 338 miles (544 km)
Cycle (Outdoor): 494 miles (796 km)
Cycle (Zwift): 266 miles (428 km)
Trek: 565 miles (909 km)
Total = 1,664 miles (2677 km)
Trek = recorded hiking & walking events, not general steps.
1 Ultra Marathon: Race To The Tower
3 Half Marathons: Portsmouth Coastal, Welwyn Garden City, Prague
9 x 10Ks: Chessington, Sant Ya Go, Vitality London 10,000, West Wycombe, Beat The Boat, Windsor Lakeside, Trust 10 Saltram, City Runs: Fulham, 2 Counties Jingle Bell Run, Trust 10 Polesden Lacey
43 parkruns, each a different event and all except 1 was new to me.
3 new County Tops (Arrran Fawddwy, Plynlimon, Foel Cwmcerwyn)
3 Caminos: Portuguese, Ingles, Finisterre
View of St Michael & All Angels, Hughenden Parish Church from the Hughenden Stream
Part of the Chiltern Rivers Series
River start: Springs in the Hughenden Valley
River end: Confluence with River Wye in High Wycombe Town Centre
River length: 3.5 km (2.2 miles)
Walking route start: Hughenden Village Hall, HP14 4NX
Walking route end: Eden Shopping Centre, HP11 2DQ
Walking route length: 4.1 km (2.5 miles)
Walking route elevation change: +15m /- 42m. Net -27m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Hughenden Park Boundary Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Map: OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
Links: Hughenden Valley, Hughenden National Trust, High Wycombe, Dry valleys and the chalk stream at Hughenden (National Trust)
Our walk along the Hughenden stream marked the final stage of my Chiltern Rivers Adventure. I’ve been saying this for about a year and a half and keep finding streams that I didn’t know about. I’m sure that I’ll find more and I’ll do them when I find them, but for now I’m calling this done. 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.
What a wonderful way to finish the project too. The Hughenden Stream is short at just over 2 miles from spring to mouth, but takes in some interesting points along the way. Although Hughenden Village Hall has its own large car park there’s signs saying parking is strictly for hall use only and there's a lockable gate. Rather than risk getting locked in we parked on the road nearby.
The stream is often dry in spring and summer so we chose well to walk it on a sunny but soggy mid-winter’s day. Even so, for the first part of our walk we saw only an indentation across the field where the stream once flowed. At around 750m in we found our first physical sign of the stream with the remains of an old stone bridge fenced off from the fields.
Our first sight of actual water was in the grounds of Church Farm at the point where the Hughenden Boundary Walk intersects with our route. A bit further down you’ll enter the grounds of Hughenden Park. Here you can visit the grave of former UK Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli at St Michael & All Angels Church.
At the Southern end of Hughenden Park the stream disappears into a housing estate. You have the choice of keeping close to the stream by walking along the busy Hughenden Road or, as we did, take the quieter Coates Lane and Hughenden Boulevard. You can pick up the stream again by following a footpath along an uncovered channel that runs South-West from Hughenden Avenue between housing. At the end of the footpath, cross the road and follow intermittently covered and exposed sections of the stream in front of the Spindle and Thread Pub and Morrision's Supermarket.
The last time that you see the uncovered stream is at the crossing of Parker Knoll Way south of Morrisons. The stream goes under the railway and flows under the town centre. For the final stretch of the walk follow Bellfield Road under the railway bridge, and cross the A40 Oxford Road to enter the Eden Shopping Centre. The Shopping Centre was built right on top of the River Wye and possibly the confluence with the Thames. I couldn’t find any details on whether the actual confluence was so I decided that it was probably between Nando’s and Wagamama’s, our final stop for the trip.
You can return to the start via the #300 bus. Check timetables for the most up to date info.
If you’ve searched for or stumbled across this page then you probably already know what an OS Trig Pillar is. If you don’t then this article from the Ordnance Survey is a good place to start.
Boxing Day 2019 saw the completion of my mission to find all of the Trig Pillars in the Chilterns. I used my broader definition of the Chilterns which extends beyond the boundaries of the AONB to the banks of the Thames, Lea and Colne. I also kept it to those that were accessible without trespassing, damaging crops or fences or scaring animals. That definition is somewhat subjective though as some that I’ve listed as accessible are just off the public right of way. Looking at the logs, there’s others who have successfully bagged ones I’ve listed as inaccessible but I’ve taken a more risk-averse approach, missing out on 7 pillars. Always check the logs on Trigpointing.uk to see how easy it is to access a pillar.
Click on each icon to see the Trig Pillar name and a link to the page on Trigpointing.uk
If you would like a PDF version of my manual Chilterns OS Trig Pillars Log Sheet, please BuyMeACoffee and let me know on the Contact Page. It’s a table of all Chilterns National Landscape Trig Pillars, plus a section for those inside the Greater Chilterns Area. You can track your date completed and there’s space for your own Notes. It’s simple and you could easily make one yourself, but let me know if you want a copy of mine. 20% of each virtual coffee goes to one of the Causes that I support and the rest goes toward the running of this website.
When: December 22nd 2019
Where: Polesden Lacey National Trust, Great Bookham, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6BB
Course: Muddy, hilly, twisty, turny trail route out and back from Polesden Lacey NT Car Park.
Other routes touched (walk): Prospects of Polesden (SCC), Ranmore (SCC)
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Finish time: 64 minutes
Dawn on the Chiltern Way at Stokenchurch
Start: The Royal Oak Pub, Church St, Stokenchurch, High Wycombe, HP14 3TH
Finish: Cowroast Lock, 46 Wharf Ln, Tring HP23 5RE
Distance: 36.5 km (22.7 Miles)
Elevation change: +452m / -646m. Net -194m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): The Ridgeway, Midshires Way, Risborough Blue Route, Risborough Purple Route, South Bucks Way, Grand Union Canal Towpath
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway, NCN Route 57, Hampden Route, Harding Route, Tring Route 5, Berkhamsted Route 6
Maps:
- OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
- OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
- OS Explorer Map (181) Chiltern Hills North
Links: Chiltern Way (Chiltern Society), Stokenchurch, Bledlow, Loosley Row, Little Hampden, Cow Roast
This is the first of a series of point to point walks on the Chiltern Way. The full trail is approximately 177 miles (285 km) long, depending on which extensions you take, and takes a large circle around the Chiltern Hills National Landscape. My friend Brian and I have been doing a section a year on or around the Winter Solstice since 2019. At the current rate we plan to be finished in December 2027. The Chiltern Way is well sign-posted however you should take a map or GPX route to keep on track and be prepared for all weathers. This post isn’t intended as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.
A dawn-to-dusk Winter Solstice walk has become a permanent feature of my Christmas plans. It started out a few years ago as a solo trip to escape shopping and people in general. Brian joined me for last year’s Icknield Way trip and, not only did it not kill him, he was back for more this time.
The Solstice Walk has also become a means for me to unwind my brain after the busiest 6 weeks in my job. By mid December my brain is mashed. I’m waking up at 04:00 every morning and my mind is racing at a thousand miles an hour. A full day's walking in the countryside has proven to be the perfect antidote.
I chose the Chiltern Way for this year's trip. Although I’d crossed and followed it on many smaller walks, I’d never attempted any of its 134 miles as a specific trip. On the early morning drive there I explained to Brian why I chose Stokenchurch as the start. The transmitter tower, just off the M40, is a big landmark and always reminds me of my first ultra-distance walk. In my late teens I completed Endurance 80, a 50 mile / 80k circular walk from Great Missenden. The Stokenchurch Tower marked the final corner, normally passed in the middle of the night, and a sign that we were on the home straight. Brian was particularly amused by my story of being part of the "Fastest All-Girls' Team" one year. I'll save that for another blog post though.
I knew this was going to be muddy. It got confirmation of this when I slipped over onto my arse 200 metres into the walk. What followed was the wettest, muddiest adventure since the Gower Ultra. Two weeks of rain had made most of the South of England a muddy mess.
The morning was fairly easy. It was an overcast misty day but warm enough. The trail is well sign-posted so navigation was easy. The morning hours slipped away with conversations about work, home automation, future adventures and general geekery.
We made it to The Whip Inn at Lacey Green just as it was opening for lunch. At 10 miles in it was just under half way and perfect for a refuel before the longer, tougher afternoon stretch. Tougher was an apt description as it felt significantly colder as we left. It also started raining within 30 mins and didn't stop for the rest of the trip.
By 16:00 it was fairly dark and we started relying more on my phone for navigation. There were many wooded sections which were pitch black. Wandering through cold rain in the dark is not everyone's cup of tea but it was exactly what I needed. Being completely focused on navigating to the end was the fully-present experience I needed to combat the abstract concerns of corporate working life.
Our main learning was that the trip was just a bit too far. 23 miles, of which the last 5 were in the dark, was too much in those conditions. Twenty would have been plenty. The weather made sure that we would remember that by turning up the rain intensity in the last hours. To top it off we had a nearby lightning strike in the final 100 metres.
Our plans for a celebratory drink at the end didn't happen. By the time we reached my car at Cow Roast Lock we were soaked and exhausted. All we could think about was getting home, getting dry and getting to bed.
Long. Soaking. Challenging. Hilly. Muddy. Cold.
Loved it.
Previous section: Walking The Chiltern Way Part 9: Russell’s Water to Stokenchurch (Coming in December 2027)
Next section: Walking The Chiltern Way Part 2: Cow Roast to Chalk Hill
When: December 17th 2019
Where: Merchant Taylors’ Senior School, Sandy Lodge, Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 2HT
Course: Twisty turny, MUDDY, route around the grounds of Merchant Taylor’s School with a lap of the lake and following a section of the River Colne.
Other routes touched: course of the River Colne
Finish time: 57 minutes
There are currently 27 parkrun events in present-day Essex of which I have done 6. The first was Gunpowder which started on October 22nd 2011 and the newest is Thorney Bay Beach which started on May 2nd 2026. Hatfield Forest was also an Essex event but has now closed. The name for having completed all parkrun events in the county is “PIED (parkruns in Essex Done)”.
The Historic County of Essex has a further 9 events. These are now part of Greater London. Completing these is “Completely PIED”. Victoria Dock, which was part of Greater London and within the Historic County of Essex, has been permanently cancelled.
For the absolute completists there’s also the “Completely PIED +” which includes the 12 parkrun events in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Suffolk whose Voronoi area extends into Essex.
Numbers exclude any events that are not open to the general public such as prisons or armed forces facilities.
Below are each of the Essex 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: December 6th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
This event is also part of Kent ++
Inaugural: April 5th 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: New Year’s Day 2023 with a finish time of: 26:57
Other routes touched: None
Inaugural: June 24th 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: November 16th 2019 with a finish time of: 28:53
Other routes touched: None
This event is also part of LonDone ++
Inaugural: December 6th 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: July 22nd 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
This event is also part of Kent ++
Inaugural: February 29th 2020
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: January 19th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: October 15th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: April 6th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: April 14th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: June 28th 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: December 27th 2014 with a finish time of: 25:47
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 1
This event is also part of LonDone +
Inaugural: October 22nd 2011
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
This event is also part of Kent ++
Inaugural: October 22nd 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: Christmas Day 2019 with a finish time of: 26:54
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 1
Inaugural: November 8th 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: August 1st 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
This parkrun event has been permanently cancelled. I did not complete this event before it was closed.
Inaugural: March 21st 2015. Final event: #131 on September 23rd 2017
Reason for cancellation: The venue couldn't sustain the growing event, mainly due to a lack of all-weather parking, leading to difficult conditions in winter and limited space
Replaced by: Castle Park
Links: Event Home Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: March 2nd 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: February 2nd 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: August 31st 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: November 13th 2021
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: December 17th 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: September 22nd 2018 with a finish time of: 27:08
Other routes touched: None
This event is also part of LonDone +
Inaugural: January 14th 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
This event is also part of parkrun Compass Club
Inaugural: March 10th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
This event is also part of parkrun Compass Club
This event is also part of Kent ++
Inaugural: October 13th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: May 2nd 2036
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: March 12th 2022 with a finish time of: 25:59
Other routes touched: None
Inaugural: October 10th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: February 28th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: February 29th 2020
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
See the LonDone blog post for maps and stats for these:
*Hackney Marshes starts and ends in Historic Essex but most of the course is in Historic Middlesex
Once you’ve completed all of the parkrun events in Historic Essex the icing on the cake is to complete the 12 parkrun events in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Suffolk whose Voronoi area extends into Essex. Note that different parkrun apps have slightly different calculations for their Voronoi maps. For this page I’ve used the Voronoi map from the Running Challenges Chrome Extension.
In the images below the light blue polygon is the non-Essex parkrun event whose Voronoi area extends into Essex. The red line is the county border.
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:
There are currently 25 parkrun events in present-day Hampshire of which I have done 17. The first was Basingstoke which started on July 5th 2008 and the newest is Fordingbridge Recreation Ground which started on July 19th 2025. The name for having completed all parkrun events in the county is “Champshire”.
The Historic County of Hampshire has a further 5 events, totaling 30.
Bournemouth, Highcliffe Beach, Moors Valley were in historic Hampshire but are now part of present-day Dorset and are in the South-West region.
Tidworth: South Tidworth where the parkrun takes place was moved from Hampshire into Wiltshire in 1992 but houses there still have Hampshire on their address for post.
Medina IOW was in Historic Hampshire but is now in the present-day county of the Isle of Wight.
A special mention goes to Sandhurst Memorial. The course starts and ends in Berkshire but crosses over into Hampshire which is on the south side of the River Blackwater.
Mountbatten School parkrun was active until the Covid-19 parkrun pause and is now permanently closed.
You can spell out the word ‘Hampshire’ by running various parkrun events in the county of Hampshire. For example: Havant, Andover, Meon Valley Trail, Portsmouth Lakeside, Southampton, Hogmoor Inclosure, Itchen Valley Country, Rushmoor, Eastleigh. (thanks to Helen Rees for this info)
Numbers exclude any events that are not open to the general public such as prisons or armed forces facilities.
Below are each of the Hampshire 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 completed this event on: New Year’s Day 2020 with a finish time of: 28:09
Other routes touched (walk): The Shipwrights Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, 224
Inaugural: November 17th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: December 7th 2019 with a finish time of: 26:54
Other routes touched (walk): The Brenda Parker Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Charlton Lakes Cycle Path
Inaugural: July 16th 2011
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: July 26th 2025 with a finish time of: 26:59
Other routes touched: None
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: July 1st 2017 with a finish time of: 23:57
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 23
Inaugural: July 5th 2008
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
This event is now part of present-day Dorset and in the South-West Region.
Inaugural: August 24th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: May 25th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: July 2nd 2016 with a finish time of: 25:39
Other routes touched: N/A
This event is also part of parkrun Compass Club
Inaugural: May 8th 2010
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I first completed this event on: August 27th 2022 with a finish time of: 25:08
Other routes touched: None
Inaugural: April 23rd 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): None, although NCN 236 runs past the start and finish
Inaugural: April 9th 2016
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on April 6th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: July 19th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: December 2nd 2023 with a finish time of: 27:37
Other routes touched: None
Inaugural: November 19th 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: Christmas Day 2022 with a finish time of: 27:28
Other routes touched: none
Inaugural: January 22nd 2022
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (walk): Staunton Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Inaugural: June 16th 2012
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on May 3rd 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
This event is now part of present-day Dorset and in the South-West Region.
Inaugural: December 13th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: New Year’s Day 2020 with a finish time of: 25:20
Other routes touched: N/A
Inaugural: March 10th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: November 12th 2021 with a finish time of: 27:05
Other routes touched (walk): Forest Trail, Woods and Meadows Walk, Purple Trail
Inaugural: February 29th 2020
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: June 13th 2026 with a finish time of: 29:02
Other routes touched (walk): Solent Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2
Inaugural: July 4th 2015
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on February 29th 2020
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: July 9th 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Inaugural: May 7th 2011
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: May 16th 2026 with a finish time of: 27:52
Other routes touched (walk): Meon Valley Trail, Pilgrims’ Trail, Soberton and Newtown Millennium Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 224
Inaugural: April 12th 2025
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
This event is now part of present-day Dorset and in the South-West Region. While most of the course is in present-day Dorset, the 3km turn-around point is just inside Hampshire.
Inaugural: November 7th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
***Mountbatten School parkrun is now permanently cancelled ***
I did not complete this event before it was closed
Inaugural: March 2nd 2019
Final event: #46 on March 14th 2020
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: July 22nd 2023 with a finish time of: 26:58 on their alternative course as there was an event on the main course
Other routes touched (walk): N/A, although the Solent Way runs very close by.
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on March 7th 2020
Inaugural: March 17th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
Netley Abbey course (3 laps) on March 7th 2020
Netley Abbey alternative course (5.5 laps) - July 22nd 2023
I completed this event on: June 1st 2024 with a finish time of: 27:53
Other routes touched (walk): Pilgrims’ Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, 236
Inaugural: April 30th 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: March 30th 2019 with a finish time of: 26:58
Other routes touched (walk): South Downs Way, Staunton Way, Hangers Way, The Shipwrights Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 89
Inaugural: May 18th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: November 4th 2017 with a finish time of: 26:51
Other routes touched (walk): Basingstoke Canal Towpath
Inaugural: May 3rd 2014
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: January 8th 2022 with a finish time of: 26:12
Other routes touched: None
This event is also part of parkrun Compass Club
Inaugural: July 7th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: April 22nd 2023 with a finish time of: 26:01
Other routes touched (walk): Solent Way, The Shipwrights Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2
This event is also part of parkrun Compass Club
Inaugural: October 5th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched: None
Inaugural: April 1st 2017
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on October 26th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: January 11th 2020 with a finish time of: 26:37
Other routes touched: N/A
Inaugural: April 27th 2013
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:
There are currently 24 parkrun events in the present-day county of Sussex. The Historic County is now made up of 3 present-day counties:
East Sussex with 7 parkrun events, the oldest of which is Eastbourne which started on January 28th 2012 and the newest is Abbot’s Wood which started on May 9th 2026. I have completed 2 of these events.
West Sussex with 12 parkrun events, the oldest of which is Tilgate which started on June 9th 2012 and the newest is Downs Link, Shoreham-by-Sea which started on October 11th 2025. I have completed 6 of these events.
Brighton and Hove Unitary Authority with 5 parkrun events, the oldest of which is Brighton and Hove which started on November 3rd 2007 and the newest is East Brighton which started on December 8th 2018. I have completed 3 of these events.
The name for having completed all parkrun events in the county is “Sussexful”.
Numbers exclude any events that are not open to the general public such as prisons or armed forces facilities.
Below are each of the Sussex 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
Present Day County: East Sussex
Inaugural: May 9th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: June 25th 2022 with a finish time of: 27:52
Other routes touched: None
Present Day County: Brighton and Hove
Inaugural: February 6th 2016
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched: None
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: May 24th 2014
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on March 7th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (walk): Monarch’s Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Regional route 82
Present Day County: Brighton and Hove
Inaugural: November 3rd 2007
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on January 23rd 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (walk): West Sussex Literary Trail
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: August 2nd 2014
Course Map and Elevation Profiles by: Mark Brace on October 11th 2025 (Summer Course) and January 11th 2025 (Winter Course)
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
Chichester 3 lap Summer Course
Chichester 3 lap Summer Course
Chichester 4 lap Winter Course
Chichester 4 lap Winter Course
I completed this event on: September 7th 2019 with a finish time of: 25:21
Other routes touched: None
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: July 20th 2013
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (walk): Downs Link
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 223
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: October 11th 2025
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on January 31st 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page
I completed this event on: April 25th 2026 with a finish time of: 27:51
Other routes touched: None
This event is also part of parkrun Compass Club
Present Day County: Brighton and Hove
Inaugural: December 8th 2018
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: November 9th 2019 with a finish time of: 28:12
Other routes touched (walk): Sussex Border Path. The western edge runs very close to the Greenwich Meridian Trail.
This event is also part of parkrun Compass Club
This event is also part of Kent ++
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: September 9th 2017
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched: None
This event is also part of parkrun Compass Club
Present Day County: East Sussex
Inaugural: January 28th 2012
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on February 8th 2020
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2
Present Day County: East Sussex
This event is also part of Kent ++
Inaugural: April 18th 2015
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on February 15th 2020
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: August 31st 2019 with a finish time of: 24:48 on the Summer course
Other routes touched (walk): West Sussex Literary Trail
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: September 6th 2014
Winter Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on March 4th 2023
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
Horsham has an alternative location for winter parkruns at Southwater Country Park, a few miles away.
Summer Course at Horsham Park
Summer Course at Horsham Park
Winter Course at Southwater Country Park
I completed this event on: April 18th 2026 with a finish time of: 28:57
Other routes touched (walk): Monarch’s Way, King Charles III England Coastal Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2
Present Day County: Brighton and Hove
Inaugural: July 11th 2015
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: October 5th 2019 with a finish time of: 24:28
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 228
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: September 21st 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (walk): King Charles III England Coastal Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: August 25th 2018
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on June 22nd 2024
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (walk): King Charles III England Coastal Path
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: April 13th 2019
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on April 4th 2026
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: July 20th 2024 with a finish time of: 27:19
Other routes touched (walk): None, but the Sussex Ouse Valley Walk runs close to the start and end of the course.
Present Day County: East Sussex
Inaugural: July 6th 2024
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched: None
Present Day County: East Sussex
Inaugural: May 20th 2017
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on December 14th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (cycle): None, although NCN20 runs close to the western edge of the route
Present Day County: Brighton and Hove
Inaugural: April 20th 2013
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on December 21st 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2
Other routes touched (cycle): Vanguard Way
Present Day County: East Sussex
Inaugural: March 2nd 2019
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on January 30th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: March 23rd 2019 with a finish time of: 25:24
Other routes touched (walk): Crawley Greenway
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: June 9th 2012
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: May 11th 2019 with a finish time of: 26:11
Other routes touched (walk): Weald Way
Present Day County: East Sussex
Inaugural: May 4th 2019
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I completed this event on: September 7th 2024 with a finish time of: 26:59
Other routes touched: None
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: April 20th 2024
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
I have not yet completed this event
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2
Other routes touched (cycle): Vanguard Way
Present Day County: West Sussex
Inaugural: June 11th 2016
Course Map and Elevation Profile by: Mark Brace on May 25th 2024
Links: Event Home Page, Course Page, blog7t write-up
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:
