Exploring new routes for potential second Swindon park run location

[Equi-geek]

Our main Park run Race Director, Emma, happened to mention after a Good Gym run that she's been asked to find a second Park run site for Swindon, as Lydiard is about reaching capacity! I've not been specifically tasked with finding one, but it seemed a good excuse to try some new 5k routes and freshen up my runs while I built strength in my feet and shook off PF. I'll go the extra mile to help someone else while I can barely be bothered if I'm the only beneficiary 🤣 . Of course, this morning's gorgeous sunny cool weather also helped with motivation! So I did a business errand first, then parked up in Redhouse, sorted out Strava and set off.

First bit I wanted to check was downhill to Tadpole Lane and see if the wooden barriers were still there - yep! Then it was a challenging incline half-way up Blunsdon Hill before the path levelled off and I trotted past a couple of playgrounds while catching my breath. Then I reached the site of the Roman villa - which I'd never seen before. Time Team got all excited and did a 'Live' programme from there, only to find stuff-all in the way of anything interesting. I followed the path as it rose upwards again (getting it all out of the way in the first half, so I thought) I'd have taken a photo at the top because the views were stunning (for Swindon!) but I was too busy trying to breath and not get lost. The final leg was to a circular playpark that I envisaged Park Runners following the outside barrier before turning for home.

The way out was almost all uphill, and the way back dropped downhill sharply towards the main road, only to climb just as sharply to rejoin the path. Retracing my steps, back to the green by Redhouse School, I finally caught my breath and could enjoy letting my legs carry me along. There was even a Tesco where I'd parked so I could grab a cold drink - perfect!

It was smooth, wide tarmac, no roads to cross and quite a challenge!!! It'd make a super Park run, very accessible but I think they want something more in the East of Swindon. I'll have to suggest Ang3333's Chiseldon railway route! But next week I'm going to try Covingham and Dorcan, which will probably be flatter. I'd suggested Coate Water but they can't do routes around lakes (Elf n safety!). Hope you all get to enjoy the great outdoors today! 😚

[Sandie1961 Graduate10]

Surprised about your comments re water Equi. The parkrun in Chesterfield (Poolsbrook) is 3 laps of the lake, so it might be possible if there’s a path round it?

[Equi-geek Graduate10 in reply to Sandie1961]

Might be that the path runs right alongside the bankside which has a steep drop? Not sure. Could also be a logistics thing of getting exactly 5k out of the circuit as well.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

We have one at Sale Water Park... that’s partly next to water. Strange.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

Shaw Forest Park... just had a play on footpath and got a 3.2 mile route in seconds.

[Equi-geek Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks, yes! That was my first thought! Too close to the Lydiard Park venue though. I like the look of the pathway that runs from the Shaw Forest north under the railway line - probably horrid in winter but never been along there and I'm Swindon born/bred Shaftsbury area is promising with underpasses beneath Dorcan Way 🤷‍♀️. Or I was looking at Covingham play park, south to Dorcan School, then left towards Dorcan ind est (not sure how wide that path is though) then back to Covingham. Maybe even a route using the underpass to Nythe/Eldene 👍

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Equi-geek]

Hehe... you’re losing me now, I’m a fair way from there!

[Equi-geek Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Ah I grew up in Nythe, but I was curious today to try the North Swindon route after I'd watched it all being built but never really explored it.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Equi-geek]

Too many laps of the speedway track 😂. There and the football ground are about the limits of my first hand Swindon knowledge!

[Equi-geek Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Yep, dizzying 😂 We were big into speedway. My brother used to ride for Reading Racers back in the 80's. Made the first team a couple of times - you might remember Troy 😁, or my mum from Cobra Leathers who'd repair all the leathers after a rider discussion with the chain-link 😊

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Equi-geek]

I used to go to Belle Vue every week, but was a Cradley Heath fan... think it was Bruce Penhall pulling wheelies while half a lap ahead that attracted me too them.

Troy Butler? Nope... he’s not from England even 😂

[Equi-geek Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Bruce was amazing! And such a gent. They were great days. Malcolm Holloway and Alun Rossiter's parties were legendary, but I was slightly too young to go to them (probably a good thing, based on the stories!) One of the kids at grasstrack went on to race at Cradley Heath but I can't remember his name - nice lad though! It's likely you saw my brother in the first team at an away match, he always did well away from the Smallmead 'ice-rink', but he didn't race for a third season after Jan Anderson and Tim Hunt's crashes. He lost the buzz and there was no point risking your neck if you didn't enjoy it.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Equi-geek]

Simon Wigg springs to mind from grasstrack, but he’d have been older.

Yeah, I was surprised Jan O Pedersen carried on after Eriks crash.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

Our parkrun has a section that encircles a lake and I’ve often hoped that my dog doesn’t do a spontaneous leap into the water after a swan, taking me with her. So water can’t be prohibited surely?

Sounds like a good challenging run though! Are you going to suggest it? 😀🏃‍♀️

[Equi-geek Graduate10 in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Perhaps I got the wrong end of the stick 🤪 my bad! It is a good, safe route and I've put it on Strava, so the RD is aware. 👍

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10 in reply to Equi-geek]

Great stuff! Hope it gets approved. 🤞 🏃‍♀️🏃😀

[Ang33333]

Sounds interesting! We're coming to Lydiard a week tomorrow! 😁

[Equi-geek Graduate10 in reply to Ang33333]

👏👏👏👏🤩🤩🤩 I’ll see you there with any luck 😗😗😗

[mountaindreamer Graduate10]

Sounds an interesting challenge EG! Our Parkrun has a biggish pond in the middle, but the Elves have fenced it off, so maybe they think that’s safe enough! 😂❤️