Don’t wait until January to start your health kick, lace up and check out these great run routes across Merseyside.

Running in Merseyside is a great way to get fit. It’s free and there’s some seriously impressive sights and sounds to check out while you’re clocking up the miles. From the waterfront to the city parks and trails, West Kirby to Croxteth and everywhere in between. We’ve got short, starter distances that will give you a real sense of achievement, plus interval routes and traffic free paths – perfect for long training sessions.

Ready to take on a challenge? Scroll down for details on two of the city’s best fun runs and set yourself a winter fitness challenge.

Here’s 7 of the best running routes in Merseyside to check out whatever your fitness level….

1 – Sefton Park Loop

Sefton Park is the perfect place to build your confidence and smash a personal best. According to MapMyRun, the perimeter path of Sefton Park is 2.3 miles around – a great starter distance for anyone beginning their 5k or 10k training too. We recommend starting at the lake and running counter clockwise to get that little hill out of the way early!

2 – Pier Head to Otterspool

A run along the waterfront is sure to blow away the cobwebs. Starting at the Royal Liver Building, there is a clear, straight path along the waterfront to Otterspool Adventure Centre. This route is 4.3 miles and is always fresh thanks for the breeze from the Mersey. Traffic free and gruelling during the autumn and winter.

3 – Croxteth Park 5k

Parkrun operates weekend morning runs in various parks across the Liverpool City Region. One of the most popular is Saturday morning at 9am at Croxteth Park. Mixing up tarmac paths, forest trails and a cafe with toilets on site too, this is a great run community to join if you’re just starting out. More on Merseyside Parkrun events here. 

4 – Queens Drive

Queens Drive offers more than 8 miles of path along the city’s main ring road. It’s busy, noisy and littered with traffic lights but – if interval training is your bag, it could be a great place to clock up some miles. Think evenly spaced lamp posts, long and short runs between junctions and a couple of underpasses to catch your breath. Mossley Hill to Bootle anyone?

5 – Crosby Marina & Beach

One of the most picturesque yet challenging routes to run is Crosby Marina and beach. Start at the Crosby Lakeside Centre and run the path to the beach itself. Here you can stick to the pathway up to Burbo Bank and back, take on the sand dunes to really get the legs burning or head down to the beach to feel the wind in your hair. Make sure you check tide times and don’t get caught out. Oh and get a selfie with an Iron Man obvs!

6 – West Kirby to Heswall

Wirral offers mile upon mile of coastline to get your fitness app pulsing. The route from West Kirby to Heswall is a straight 5 and a half miler that offers up stunning views across to North Wales and on some days – a pretty forceful wind to battle against. Smash it and treat yourself to an ice cream at the end. Traffic free too.

7 – Liverpool Loop Line (The Ralleh)

Liverpool’s old train loop line is the perfect, uninterrupted 13 mile scenic running route. From Aintree to Halewood, this route is popular with cyclists and dog walkers alike so regardless where you choose to join the path – which takes in Norris Green, West Derby, Broadgreen, Woolton and more, there’s always someone around – so dig deep and clock up your best performance yet!

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Scouse 5k

Running on Merseyside has never been so colourful! What colour wig will you wear to take on the Scouse 5k 2019? This city centre based 5k fun run takes place on 27th October and is such a good laugh. You can run, walk, jog, hoola hoop your way round. Entry is £20 and £10 for under 15’s. Enter here. 

Liverpool Santa Dash 2019

Pier Head, 9am, get your Santa suit on and celebrate the real start of Christmas with the annual Santa Dash 5k from BTR Liverpool. Taking place on 1st December, there’ll be blue suits available again and a host of famous faces taking part in the city course that ends with real snow at the Town Hall. Entry starts from £20. Enter here. 

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