Discover new and exciting spots to run. Know how to get there, what to do when you are there, and of course, the most important of all, where the toilets and nearby eateries are. The following hotspots provide a taster for what will be in the book (to be released 2015). Tell us about your favourite London running hotspot.
CENTRAL HOTSPOTS
HYDE PARK & KENSINGTON GARDENS | No London running guide would be complete without a thorough going over of Hyde Park and its seamlessly conjoined neighbour. Perimeter: 4.3mi (7.0km)
VICTORIA PARK | A classic London inner-city park with large open fields, tree-lined avenues, and ponds bordered by well manicured gardens. Perimeter: 2.7mi (4.4km) CENTRAL THAMES | With a bridge every few hundred metres and the Thames Path hugging both sides of the river, this is a wonderful urban running environment. Construct your favourite loop using our bridges matrix. Discover here. SOUTHWARK PARK & DOCKS | South of the river, this is an exceptional park with plenty of nearby options for adding on. Perimeter: 1.4mi (2.3km) THE REGENT'S PARK & PRIMROSE HILL | Two parks with everything: stunning gardens, large playing fields, wide sealed roads, narrow dirt trails, lakes, a running track, a hill with top views, and even a zoo! Perimeter: 4.0mi (6.5km) NORTHWEST HOTSPOTS
HAMPSTEAD HEATH | A massive green space of woodland, heath, grass, and formal gardens, all over rolling hills. Plus some stunning city views. Perimeter: 8.0mi (13.0km)
RUISLIP WOODS |Over 300 hectares of stunning woodland—the ideal weekend destination for a long run. Perimeter: 9.0mi (14.4km) GUNNERSBURY PARK | This popular park consists of two old mansions and sports grounds. The latter are great but the former not so much. Perimeter: 2.4mi (3.9km) SOUTHWEST HOTSPOTS
CLAPHAM COMMON | A large, flat park with tree-lined paths, open playing fields, and many trails making it one of the most popular running spots in the city. Perimeter: 2.8mi (4.5km)
RICHMOND PARK | The largest of London’s Royal Parks, with 955 hectares of perfect running terrain it's a haven for joggers from all over London. Perimeter: 7.3mi (11.7km) CRANE PARK | A beautiful elongated park that follows the River Crane under an ever-present cover of trees. Perimeter: 4.0mi (6.5km) |
NORTHEAST HOTSPOTS
WANSTEAD FLATS & PARK | Wanstead Flats and Park combine to make a wonderfully diverse running spot of grass, woods, swamps, and even a cemetery. Perimeter: 6.9mi (11.0km)
THE GREENWAY PATH| The banks of a sewer have been transformed into a 5-mile raised corridor perfect for traversing east London. Distance: 4.8mi (7.7km) WEST HAM PARK | West Ham Park is the premier park of east London attracting over one million visitors each year. Perimeter: 1.25mi (2.0km) HORNCHURCH COUNTRY PARK | Once a key RAF base for the defense of London, this outer-city park is now home to some beautiful trails amongst regenerating woods, marshes and grasslands. Perimeter: 2.5mi (4.0km) SOUTHEAST HOTSPOTS
GREENWICH PARK & BLACKHEATH | Greenwich Park is not Just the oldest of the royal parks and the home of time, but is also a great place to seek out some hills. Perimeter: 2mi (3.2km) plus Blackheath.
DANSON PARK | One of London's top suburban parks with grand old buildings, amazing play areas and sports facilities, a large boating lake, pockets of woodland, and of course great running. Perimeter: 2.4mi (3.9km) HIGH ELMS COUNTRY PARK | A popular nature reserve over rolling hills, surrounded by sublime countryside. Perimeter: 2.3mi (3.6km) CHECK OUT THE PERIMETER DISTANCES OF EVERY LONDON PARK |
