Great Runs in London
London is one of the world’s great cities…and it is also so for running. With its grand parks, paths along the Thames, and historic sites…London is a treat for running, because so much of what’s interesting to see is accessible on foot. The running highlight in central London is undoubtedly its famous and historical Royal Parks: Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Green Park, St. James Park, and Regents Park are all relatively close together and are interconnected. Other running highlights include the paths along the Thames River, and the ‘lanes and mews’ of some of the quieter residential streets. Another great aspect about the running scene in London is the excellent transportation system allows you to run one way and “tube” it back. The expansion of bicycle accommodation in recent years has also opened up some new running options and connectors. A few particular points of advice for running in London: remember to LOOK LEFT when crossing the street; pack for chilly, wet weather running; bring reflective gear for those shorter winter days.
Everyone knows about the London weather. There can be long stretches of damp and overcast. In summer it can be warm but rarely hot. Winters are dark and chilly but there’s rarely snow — sort of like Seattle or Vancouver. Note that winter days are short, averaging only 8 daylight hours. Conversely, there are lovely, long summer days when the sun sets past 10pm.
The Iconic Routes
- A run along the Thames
- London Parks: Hyde, Kensington, St. James, Green, Regents
- A London “Tourist” Run
- East London Canal Paths/Victoria Park/Olympic Park
The Routes
One note about the Lond0n guide. For the main routes, we start each run from a central location (i.e. Big Ben, Hyde Park Corner), and/or near a Tube stop.
A note about the Royal Parks: some of them close early or at dusk. Also, the folks at Runners Guide to London have mapped out all of London’s Parks’ perimeters HERE.
London Park/Diana Memorial Tour
7.2 miles, RT. Start: Hyde Park Corner. MAP
Shorter option: Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens ~4 miles; Green/St. James Parks ~2 miles, which are closer to hotels in Mayfair area.
Longer Option: Regent’s Park is 1-mile north of Hyde Park
More detailed park info here.
This run incorporates London’s famous inner city Royal parks: Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park, and St. James Park. It is a way-marked ‘figure eight” loop, in honor of the late Princess Diana. Start at Hyde Park Corner near Big Ben, and run counter-clockwise, beginning with the lake in St. James Park. Each park has its character and highlights: the lake and mall in St. James Park, with views to Buckingham Palace from the bridge over Duck Lake; the tree-lined alleys of Green Park; busier Hyde Park, with Speakers’ Corner, the Serpentine, large lawns and many recreational opportunities; and the beautiful horticulture and Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens. A shorter version of the run is Hyde The run can be shortened by cutting out one of the parks, or easily lengthened by adding some trails within the parks, or running along the Thames near the start/end of the run at Hyde Park Corner. Note: Kensington Gardens is restricted after dark.
Londdon RUnning tour
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Regent’s Park/Primrose Hill
4.75 miles. Start: Regent’s Park/Great Portland St./Baker St. Tube stations, across from Madam Tussaud’s. MAP
Regent’s Park, at 395 acres, is one of the Royal Parks in north west London, straddling the Westminster/Camden areas. There’s lots to see, including Queen Mary’s Gardens which features more than 12,000 roses of 400 varieties, as well as the gloriously restored William Andrews Nesfield’s Avenue Gardens. There are 100 acres of sports facilities, Open Air Theatre, and London Zoo. A great run is to combine Regent’s Park with Primrose Hill, which has lovely paths and a great view of central London from the summit. Our route includes the 2.75 mile ‘outer circle’ of Regent’s Park, although you might prefer the inner paths, such as the around Boating Lake, or the north-south Boardwalk Trail. It is 0.85 miles north-south or east-west in the park. Can also be combined with Hyde Park, which is ~1 mile to the south. Primrose Hill is relatively open and gentle, with good views.
Thames River/Bridge Tour
Running along the Thames River embankment is one of the running/tourist treats of London. It’s a great way to see some of the sights, while also getting some exercise in. What’s also nice is that the main bridges of central London are fairly close together, so it’s easy to do loops of various lengths. Rather than proscribing a certain route, we have put together this table and accompanying map with the segment distance between the bridges. The total distance between Tower Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge is ~4 miles. On either side, there are brief road connector sections. Sites include, from east to west, Tower Bridge, City Hall, London Bridge, The Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge, The National Theater, the London Eye, and Big Ben. The best connection from the Thames to the Royal Parks is at Westminster Bridge (Big Ben), which is a few blocks from St. James Park, and 0.7 miles from Buckingham Palace.
- Short Option, 3.4 miles: Start at Big Ben, run on north side, cross Jubilee Bridge, run on south side to Millennium Bridge, cross back to north side, and return.
- Western Option: Westminster Bridge to Battersea Bridge. 6.5 miles. MAP. Follows the Thames Path on the south side to Battersea Park. Cross Albert Bridge and return on the north side. There’s a small road section o in the Battersea Park area. Add to the run by enjoying some of the trails in Battersea Park (~2 miles around the park’s paths), or further east along the Thames Path.
London Tourist Spots and Views
7.7 miles. Start: Westminster Bridge. MAP
Contributed by Hayden Shearman, A Runners Guide to London
From Westminster Bridge, run to Trafalgar Square and then follow Charing Cross and Tottenham Court Roads north to reach Euston Road. Turn left to find Regent’s Park and run through the park on its eastern side. Cross the canal and head up to the top of Primrose Hill. Enjoy the panoramic view and jog back down through the western side of Regent’s Park. Follow Portland Place then fancy Regent Street back to Trafalgar Square and home to Westminster Palace. Note: these streets can be jammed with people, so do this run early.
Highlights of West London: 14 mile run/walking tour
~14 miles. Start: Westminster Palace/Big Ben. MAP
Contributed by Hayden Shearman, A Runners Guide to London
This is a ~14 mile tour of some of London’s highlights. Run it, walk it, do it in segments. You’ll run past palaces, the UK’s most expensive street, iconic theatres and department stores, and then be treated to the riverside vistas of Chelsea and Fulham as you make your way back to Big Ben. Note: these can be busy, crowded streets.
From Westminster Palace head west through St James’ Park, past Buckingham Palace and on to Hyde Park Corner. Follow Knightsbridge further west and then veer left onto Brompton Road where you’ll pass the shopping destination of Harrods. At the Victoria & Albert Museum turn right to follow Exhibition Road up to Kensington Gardens, passing the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Imperial College on the way. Take in the Royal Albert Hall and Albert Memorial on your way to Kensington Palace and then exit the park on to Kensington High Street (be sure to cast your eyes to your right to see the UK’s most expensive street, Kensington Palace Gardens — or even take a detour up and down this leafy, exclusive street).
Docklands 5-miler
5 miles. Start: Canary Wharf LR Station. MAP
The Docklands have had an interesting history. Once the world’s largest port, the area fell into disrepair in the 1960s. Over the past 2o years, the area has been developed as a commercial and residential center, with lots of offices, hotels, and modern apartment buildings. Business travelers might end up here for a conference. There aren’t a lot of parks or trees in this area, but there is some fine running along the Thames Path. It’s a pretty seamless 5–mile loop around the perimeter of the Docklands/Canary Wharf. There are a couple of connector spots off the path. An additional/alternative option is to run along the perimeter path along Millwall Dock — it’s a ~2 mile loop from the South Quay LR station.
East London Canal Run
6.9 miles. Start: Mile End Tube Station. MAP
This is one of London’s running highlights, and allows for a good exploration of the city’s eastern end. There are three “sites” incorporated on this route: pathways along the several canals; a jaunt by the area built for the 2012 summer Olympics, and a run into gorgeous Victoria Park. Starts at the Mile End tube station, which is 1 mile south of Victoria Park. Head north to the Park, then ~1 mile through the Park to Olympic Park, where you can take a quick detour to view the sites. Then head south along the River Lea, for ~2 miles, east along the Limestone Cut path for a mile, and north along the Regents Canal and greenway back to the start. For a longer option, head further west along the Regents Canal path, which is ~2 miles between Victoria Park and the Angel Tube station. More info on Victoria Park here.
Further Afield
Richmond Park
~7 mile perimeter tour. Start: Vale Crescent Robin Hood Stop. MAP
The largest of London’s eight Royal Parks, Richmond Park is 8 miles west of London and accessible by train. It has a more rural feel, with landscaped hills & gardens, woods, grasslands, and a great view of the Thames. Our route is on the outer clay-surfaced perimeter paths, ~7 miles, but there are lots of options for interior paths. A great add-on option is Bushy Park, 1.8 miles to the west. Wimbeldon Common is just to the east, with its famous “All England Lawn and Tennis Tennis & Croquet Club”. The Common is one of South West London’s largest green spaces, with 1,100 acres to explore (for a simple 5km route start and finish at the old windmill). Richmond Park is also a good option closer to Heathrow Airport, which is about 20 minutes away by car.
Bushy Park
6.1 mile loop. Start: Parking Lot or Hampton Wick train stop. MAP
The second largest of London’s eight Royal Parks,Bushy Park is 10 miles west of the city, near Richmond Park. Accessible by train. Our 6-mile ‘perimeter’ route is a mixture of pavement and trails, with a mix of woods, gardens, ponds and grassland. Deer herd spottings are likely. Sights include ‘Chestnut Avenue’, a formal Baroque water garden and the beautiful Diana Fountain. A good add-on to the run is Richmond Park, 1.5 miles east. Use Hampton Court Rd./Horse Fair to cross the Thames, then King’s Rd. to connect.
Hampstead Heath
Various options, including 6-mile ‘Heath Circuit’. Start: Parliament Hill Cafe. Hampstead Tube station is 0.5 miles from the Heath. More info.
Just north of London and easily reachable by Tube, Hampstead Heath is a wonderful and hilly running area in the affluent Hampstead residential area. The historic heath is a great collection of views and landscapes, part open and part wooded. It’s also great for hill training. Rather than proscribing a particular route, we’ve included a link to three trail options: a 6-mile ‘Heath Circuit’, which covers most of the park. The 1.5 mile loop around Parliament Hill is a nice add-on.
Heathrow Airport
Unlike many other cities, all is not lost if you get stuck staying (or delayed) at Heathrow, which is 20 miles west of the city. There are surprisingly good running options, even if you’re staying right at the airport, or at one of the hotels nearby. Some recommendations:
- At Airport: Moors. There is some very decent running at the airport. Hammondsworth Moor is just north of the airport and near hotels. Lots of roads and paths in here, adjoining the rivers. Also Accommodation Rd. and Moor Rd. Just to the south is Stanwell Moor.
- Staines-Upon-Thames. One of the best options, just a couple of miles southwest of the airport, for access to trails on the Thames, heading west toward Windsor.
- Windsor. Windsor is only 6 miles west of Heathrow. Windsor Castle is of course worth seeing. There’s wonderful running through the old part of town, toward Eton College, and along the Thames trails.
- Hounslow Heath. Good trail/heath running, 4 miles east of Heathrow. 200 acres, with 4 miles of trails for running/walking.
- Richmond Park. 8 miles east of Heathrow. About halfway between the airport and the city. A good running option if you are staying at or near the airport want to experience London’s largest Royal Park. Not that easy to get to by public transport. See entry above for Richmond Park.
Gatwick Airport
Gatwick is about 30 miles south of London, or about an hour by train. There are plenty of hotels in the area, most directly north or south of the airport. There are no great running options right near the airport, but there are two spectacular places, each within 15 miles of Gatwick (you’ll need a car).
- Surrey Hills — 20 miles west of the airport. It is a 163 sq. mile designated “Area of Natural Beauty”, dotted by hills, fields, vineyards, and quiet roads. There are some wonderful opportunities for running in this beautiful countryside area, including hundreds of miles of trails. There are about 10 designated ‘walking routes’, several of which are perfect surface/terrain/distance for running.
More info on park. More info on walking trails. - The High Weald. This “Area of Natural Beauty” is about 15 miles south of Gatwick. A medieval landscape of wooded, rolling hills studded with sandstone outcrops; small, irregular-shaped fields; scattered farmsteads; and ancient routeways. This is a vacation destination in itself. Some 1,500 miles of footpaths, bridleways and byways. Info about walking/running.
STAY
London is huge and there’s a vast selection of hotels. The central part of London is bound by the A320 to the west (Chelsea, Kensington), the A100/Tower Bridge to the east, the A501 to the north, and the Thames to the south. My recommendation is to stay close to one of the four major parks, perhaps using Hyde Park as an anchor. The poshest hotels are in Mayfair, just east of Hyde Park. South of Hyde Park (Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Kensington) is a little more residential, with good access to the Thames. There are good and slightly more affordable options north of Hyde Park in the Bayswater & Paddington areas, and even more so just north of there, in Camden & Hampstead (grear running in Hampstead Heath). Business travelers might end up at an office/hotel/conference in the Docklands/Canary Wharf area in the southeast part of the city, has been developed over the past 20 years. There are some good waterside running options there but it’s a light rail ride away from central London.
Running Stores and Group Runs
There is a good number of running stores in central London, as well as Canary Wharf/Docklands, and up north in Camden/Hampstead. Runners Need is the largest chain, with 10+ locations in the area.
MAP — locations for all the major running stores. The Green icons are the Runners Need locations. Click on the icons for address, & directions.
Group Runs. The starred icons on the map are stores with group runs. Click on the icon for more info. The Runners Need stores in the Docklands and Canary Wharf have lunchtime group runs!
Events
Runners Guide to London has a great list of the major races. CALENDAR
London Marathon. Late April. One of the ‘biggies’ alongside Boston, New York, Chicago, and Berlin. Hard to get into. 38k runners.
Royal Parks Half Marathon. October. Gorgeous city run through the major parks.
Bath Half. One of England’s most popular halfs.
The British 10k. July. Central London. 20,000 runners.
Parkrun. Apparently there’s a worldwide movement to do 5k park runs on Saturday morning. Great way to start a weekend — there are 35 each Saturday in London! so there’s bound to be one near you!
Additional Resources
London has a large and vibrant running scene. For many additional running options, plus tons of other info about running in London, we suggest A Runners Guide to London. This comprehensive, beautifully done guide by Hayden Shearman has dozens of ‘themed’ routes all over the city, narrated, with great directions & photos. There’s also a blog, calendar of events, and many other goodies. Plus, he just published a book! Please buy it if you’re in town for a stretch.
Serpentine Running Club. Major running club with lots of detailed routes all around and outside London.
Secret London Runs. Guided themed running tours, such as In the Shadow of the Shard, and Riches, Royals, & Rumours. Highly recommended.
Trail Running North of London. A good article I found.
Central London running clubs:
London City Athletics Club More Info
London City Runners More Info
Frontrunners More Info
Serpentine RC More Info
We Run — North London More Info
