Night running in London

Hi, I've just moved into central London and I am very curious where people run after work during winter. It's very dark outside and I need somewhere safe without much traffic.

I leave near Paddington Station and will check out Hyde Park and Little Venice, but I don't think they will be lit enough. I've heard the south bank is nice but it's too far me...

Please share your routes! image

Comments

  • Not a part of London I ever lived in, but I (and many others) used to do laps of the perimeter of Regent's Park. I suspect that Hyde park' perimeter would be similarly popular.

  • PG3PG3 ✭✭✭

    I think anywhere with pavements and street lights is fine. The parks themselves (i.e hyde park) is very dark and I wouldn't recommend it.  

    Alternatively, you could join a club and have some company.

  • OK I don't know if you're prepared to go that far but I'm thinking along the lines of: from Paddington down towards Hyde park then along the outside perimeter along Bayswater and Park Lane. Down Constitution Hill towards the Mall, down the Mall, along Whitehall then down Bridge Street (yes this little bit will be busy) to the Embankment on the north side.

    Plenty of scope for varying your routes around that and pretty scenic.

  • If worried about light why not invest in a cheap head torch

     

  • I walked along Little Venice last night and I'm not sure it's suitable for running on in the dark at the moment. There are some bits that aren't v. well lit and with the rain/mud/leaves it's a bit slippery.

    The Kensington Park Gardens side of Hyde Park will be locked after dark so you need to avoid that part although the bit that runs down alongside Park Lane is fine.

    I normally just run on the pavements at this time of the year. It can be nice when the Christmas decorations go up.

    Good luck image

  • I run from South Bank to Shepherds Bush, which takes me accross Hyde Park. The paths near the edge of the park are fairly well lit and have lots of other runners or cyclists if you don't go too late. At the moment the park is extra bright because of Winter Wonderland.Just be carefuul if you go out the park near Lancadter Gate. I discovered the dark path was steps and not the gentle slope I was expecting. Nearly broke my ankle!

  • Hi rob - check out the routes on the Serpentine Running Club website, and join us on a wednesday night run if you want!

    http://www.serpentine.org.uk/pages/run_routes_index.html

  • There's a great route (about 11 miles) from Cromwell road, up Warwick Avenue/Holland Park Road to Nottinghill/Bayswater, then across the top of Hyde Park, down Park Lane, around Green Park and then back along the south edge of Hyde Park.  Can run along the mall/past Buckingham palace too, and up Whitehall, feels like a run around the monopolgy board!! A loop of the perimeter of Hyde Park is 4.3 miles, and you can cut short the above run to various iterations of this.  Makes me wish I still lived close to there, it was a lovely part of the world to run in (and felt really safe!)

  • I used to run in Hyde Park in the dark and Battersea both were fine, just watch for cyclists without lights! Road runs are great at this time of year as you get to look at all of the decorations.

    I never braved Regents Canal though - It can get pretty rough down past Islington.

    The river is pretty good too but beware some of the paths out past Wapping get locked at dusk so you will need to go out onto the road. I got locked in King Edward VII Memorial park once. I went in, found the other end locked so retraced to find my original entrance locked!! As a woman out on my own it was pretty scary image

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    I was going to suggest Serpies - baldbloke beat me to it!

  • Yes, just head North and don't stop

  • Glad I am a northern / country bumpkin.image

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