Hi Everyone,

I hope you have been able to enjoy the London summer weather. I miss you! My foot is improving, but I’m not ready to run yet. I’m going to try to stop by Starbucks one day so I can say hello to everyone.

We planned a new route to Tower Bridge for Monday. We’re following the route we usually take to Borough Market and then continuing along the Thames (or the roads when necessary) until we reach Tower Bridge. This could be named the London History route – so many great opportunities to appreciate our wonderful city and take some photos. Please note that many of our leaders will be out because they are running the Richmond race on Sunday (see below). So if you are planning to run, make sure you take a look at the map and directions. Wednesday we’re doing the Kensal Rise route and on Friday we’re suggesting the Heath Pergola route. Once again, take a look at the directions for the Pergola route because we’ve added some new details, directions and photos so we can enter the Pergola at the beginning and see the entire garden.

GOOD LUCK Richmond Runners!
We have a very large group of WRW runners racing in the Richmond Park 10-mile race on Sunday including Carol Bertolino, Carrie Brady, Dani Burke, Gisele Caseiras, Katy Cohan, Paola Di Meo, Bjorg Fridbjornsdottir, Maureen Fossum, Denise Glaser, Jordanna Hoffman, Alysia Hoyt, Asdis Karadottir, Rekha Kumar, Corinna Matlis, Nicole McNaughton, Julie Moyle, Dinae Norris (and daughter and friend), Marissa O’Malia, Stephanie Schueppert, Mia Schlappi, Audgunn Syse, Jen Rakvin, Sue Wheeler and Liane Zielinski. (Sorry if I forgot anyone!) GOOD LUCK and we hope you have a great race!

Keep running,
Jane

ROUTES

Monday 5 June –  NEW ROUTE! Tower Hill (7.25 miles)

Today we will be running across, along and across the Thames and in and around some of the oldest parts of London. The sights will be stunning!

We start off as though we are running to Borough Market-down Grove End and into Hyde Park, under Wellington Arch, along Green Park, through St James Park and towards Big Ben then across Westminster Bridge.  At the end of Westminster Bridge, exit left down the stairs and run along the Thames Path past the London Eye, Royal Festival Hall, Blackfriars Bridge, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe to the Golden Hinde, admiring all the landmarks as you trod past. Follow the walkway to the right of the Golden Hinde and at the junction with Southwark Cathedral, turn sharp left and follow Montague Close until just before the tunnel.  At the tunnel, go up the stairway to the left (which puts you onto London Bridge Road) then turn right on London Bridge Road to the first crosswalk-cross London Bridge Road and go left; just before the river, turn right on the stairs to descend to the Thames Path. Continue on the Thames Path past the HMS Belfast, City Hall and Potters Fields, to Tower Bridge.  Climb the stairs up to the Bridge (don’t go under the Bridge), then run across Tower Bridge (the views!), continuing past the Tower of London (more views!) until you reach the stairs down to Tower of London Park.  Take the stairs down and follow the paved path along the park. Just past the park is a junction in the path-turn right to run in a tunnel under Tower Hill Road, past part of the original London Wall and up to the Tower Hill tube station.  Now, think of all the history you’ve witnessed in just 7 miles!

Wednesday 7 June –  Kensal Rise (4- 5+ miles)

The beginning of this run takes us along the canal to the west.  Please be aware of bikes along the canal and move into single file whenever you hear a ‘bike!’ shout.

Start out heading west on Circus Road, turn left on Grove End to St John’s Wood Road and go west, turning left on Cunningham then right on Aberdeen to work your way to the canal entrance on Bloomfield. Enter the canal heading west and run to the Ladbroke Grove exit.  Here we turn right and run over the bridge along Chamberlayne Road to Harvist Road. Turn right on Harvist, which turns into Brondesbury Road, and take that to Kilburn High Road/Maida Vale. Turn right and follow Maida Vale to Hall Road where you turn left and run back to Starbucks. If you want to shorten this route, run west on the canal and turn back at your desired half-way point.

(The two mile mark is at the point on the canal when the Westway highway is over our heads.)

Friday 9 June – Heath Pergola (6 1/3 miles)

This is a new and improved version of the run we did in April.  It is slightly longer but clearer and provides a full “run” of the Pergola. Enjoy!

Head out from Barclays to Avenue Road, then up Fitzjohn’s per all the Heath routes.

Continue past Hampstead Tube Station all the way to the roundabout just beyond Whitestone Pond.  At the roundabout, use the pedestrian crossings to cross counterclockwise over to New End Way to Jack Straws Castle (now a personal training gym) and continue past the parking lot entrance and past the bus stop to turn left onto a small street called Inverforth Close.  A short way down, there is a trail to the right with a green barrier gate and a sign that says  “The Hill Garden.” Here are pictures of the trail:

Follow this trail until you come to an entrance on the left for “The Hill Garden and Pergola”, enter it and go to the right around the big bushes.  You will see a beautiful reflecting pool.  Run alongside it and up the stairs-you are on the Pergola!  Run or walk the length of the Pergola.  Don’t forget to look at the beautiful views, admire the flowers and take a pic or two. Please be considerate and don’t run if others are walking the Pergola as it isn’t very cool to run the Pergola if others are also viewing from it (you’ll understand when you see it).

When you have are finished with your Pergola time and reached the far end, take the stairs down and turn left to run on the wide trail back to New End Road, turning right to run by Jack Straws Castle (the gym) and then crossing left at the pedestrian crosswalks by the roundabout to put you back on the standard Heath route.  Turn left from the crosswalk and then right to enter the Heath.  Run the wide path as usual but don’t turn left to run up Parliament Hill.  Instead, veer right at that juncture and follow the trail across the ponds.  After the ponds, the trail veers left and shortly after there is an opportunity to take a right turn on the intersecting trail that heads towards E. Heath Rd (taking you next to the fields used for the Art Fair, parking etc at different times of the year.). Cross E. Heath Rd at the pedestrian crossing, then run on Downshire Hill Rd to Haverstock Hill Rd.  Turn Left on Haverstock Hill, running home the usual way (turn right on Belsize Ave, left on Lancaster Grove, right on Crossfield, right on Adamson, then cut through the Swiss Cottage public area by the Hampstead Theatre, turning onto Fitzjohns to St Johns Wood Park Rd to St Johns Wood Terrace and then to Starbucks).

NOTES: 1.  You can lengthen this run by choosing to run up Parliament Hill and then run by the usual Royal Free route.  2.  You can always take Belsize Ave directly to Fitzjohns and bypass the several turns though this route has more traffic fumes.