As the club is no longer in “business as usual” mode and I know how much you love those Wednesday night routes, we have decided to send a route each week that Harriers might like to do at any time during the course of the week. There won’t be any leaderboards and no one will be checking up on you, but it gives Harriers an excuse to mix their routines up a bit from their usual array of runs.
Pru Clements is this week’s Routemaster 🚌, so fasten your seat belts and here we go ……
Pru is one half (or is it now one quarter ?) of the Clements clan who reside in Tonbridge (our second favourite town in Kent) and she has given us our second Wednesday club run in and around Tonbridge. Pru has a couple of club road champ trophies, a couple of Dave Abbots and the 2017 Club Grand Prix trophy to her name. Pru does most of her running early in the morning while I’m still asleep, which says a lot about the both of us. Here is one of her favourite summer routes – a 6.7 mile (largely) trail run to remember.
People could either start from the train station, or parking in the streets in South Tonbridge, which is usually residents-only between 9:30 and 10:30 and 1:00 and 2:00.
Waterloo Road is right next to the station and usually has a few free spots at the weekend – Ed
So here are Pru’s instructions:
Start at the train station
Left at Avebury avenue then R on to River Lawn Rd
L over the first bridge then right along the playground edge and over the bridge. Through the car park and past the Slade primary school along the Slade
L Stafford Rd then first R on Lodge Rd and R on Landsdowne Rd (stay on pavement as you are against the traffic) I’ve never encountered a car.
Left on to main rd B2260 past Tonbridge school.
Left at the fork B245 skirting the edge of the School.
Continue down the hill until the traffic lights. Cross the road to the footpath that takes you to the Tonbridge Cricket club.
Follow the path until it comes out at Welland Rd. Veer r on the the Road then first L on to Longmead Way.
R on Darenth then QUICK L on Waveney Rd. Up the hill to Northwood Rd. Turn Left. Left again at Trench Rd.
Go R behind the school to pick up the footpath. Through the gate along the footpath – dog leg to the R (1 km) to Coldharbour Lane. Turn Left.
Downhill 1/2 mile to footpath sign on the Left.
Along the foot paths veering diagonally to the right. Through several fields and then continue behind the houses. R at Hilden avenue (or you can carry on the footpath and come out at Oast Lane.
Left on B245 . Cross the road
R Watersfield Lane. Through the gate to Tonbridge School fields. Left at the end along the path that skirts the edge of the school. Narrow path here.
Come out at Hawden Rd and go along past the Slade school. Continue to Tonbridge park – (OPTION TO ADD MORE DISTANCE HERE) or carry on through the park to finish at the train station.
You must wear something bright and hi vis if running in the dark (somehow)
Any offers for setting routes gratefully received. Off road routes especially welcome.
Geoff Turner