the course
The course is a circular route that starts and finishes at Grappenhall and Thelwall Royal British Legion Club. On leaving the club the course follows the Trans Pennine Trail for the first mile, plenty of time for the field to spread out, before taking you over Latchford Locks, the biggest lock gates in the country.
The course then heads east alongside the Manchester Ship Canal, built in 1894 and still in commercial use today, all the way to Woolston Weir and the first River Mersey crossing. From Woolston Weir, the course heads west where it begins to make its way towards Warrington following what was the towpath of the New Cut Canal, built around 1821 to shorten the distance that vessels took along the meandering River Mersey.
At Paddington Bank the course picks up the River Mersey again down to Kingsway Bridge, opened by King George VI in 1934, before making its way onto the now filled in Black Bear Canal, built in 1804. Once reaching the end of Black Bear Park, there will be an opportunity to pause for a breather and fill up water bottles at the water station located near to Morrisons.
The next leg of the course rejoins the Manchester Ship Canal and continues to head west where runners will turn left at Chester Road before heading towards Walton Gardens. The course then follows Hough’s Lane for a mile, before it joins the Bridgewater Canal, constructed in 1761 to transport coal, all the way to Thelwall.
A short hop from Thelwall and you’ll be running west along the old railway line which ran between Lymm and Warrington, it closed in 1962 and is now better known as the Trans Pennine Trail. Rejoining the Trail in which the course started on marks the final half mile of the race in which you will be directed back to the Royal British Legion Club and the finish line.
Course highlights include the Trans Pennine Trail, Latchford Locks, Manchester Ship Canal, Woolston Weir, New Cut Canal, River Mersey, Black Bear Canal, Bridgewater Canal.
