Below are details of several 5k routes in around Wimborne. You are welcome to run the routes in whichever direction you choose! All these routes are traffic-free and on tracks unless noted below. Click on the map for a closer look at the route.
Park at Snowdrop Corner. Start at the gate of the car park. Run out and after going up the hill take the left after around 1k. After 1.5k shortly before you get to the end of track you are heading on, take the track on your right. Follow the path as it goes downhill and weaves to the right then left and comes out on the Badbury rings road. Turn right back along the grass path alongside the road until you get to the track around Kingston Lacy just after 3k. Turn right and keep on the same track back towards the start. You should finish about 150 metres before the gate you started at. Another hilly but scenic route. It may well be quicker the other way round.
Starting from the gate at the Willetts run out for 2.5k and back. Should mean you get to the bridge at the golf course and go over it and then return.
Fractionally over four laps. Two big laps around the whole park and two smaller ones cutting across the middle of the park. Can be busy especially with dog walkers so best to pick a quiet time.
Starting from the bottom near the new Wimborne first school, this is one big lap followed by a small lap and then another big lap. It’s about 100 metres further so make sure when you start you aren’t too close to the first gate. There are several gates involved and quite windy and undulating so quite a difficult course.
Start on the river side of the gate next to the skateboard board ramp. Run down to the river and down to the new paths then just after crossing the small bridge you do 2 laps of the full circuit and then return to where you started. 2 gates involved that you need to go through twice.
Walk up from the road to the top of the path and start from here. Follow the track as it winds along until you hit the bridge & crossroads after a mile. turn right and run to the end of the track. Just as you get to the small bridge on your right turn back to your left and follow that track to the end at about 2 miles. Then turn right and follow the track and look out for the little bridge on your right. Take that turning and follow that path. When it forks keep right and stay on it as it winds around to bring you out where you started. Fast route.
Start just the other side of the entrance from Arnold Close. Follow the Castleman Trailway Ringwood bound for about 1.5K. Turn right at the signpost and follow the good track as it winds to the right and then has a 90 degree left bend. At the T-junction turn right. Take the good stone path, just before 3k as you start to see the exit of the woods. Stay with that path as it bends to the left and joins a smaller path next to the houses. Run a short distance, 200 metres or so and then take a 90 degree turn back on to a good stone path. Run to the end of that path and just as you hit 4k turn sharp left. Go to the end of track and turn right again and left shortly afterwards and run to where you started. Extremely flat with wide path – one of the fastest routes.
Just short of 1 lap. This is all on tarmac and fairly flat. Just follow the main path around the outside of the airfield. Don’t take the routes that lead off it! Fast if it’s not a windy day
Park at one of the small car parks at the far-side of Kingston Lacy on the Badbury Rings Road. It’s a 1k walk/jog to the start. Start from the junction with Pitts Drove (marked as no public access). Running to the North-East follow the main track as it winds until you hit a junction after 1k (the dung heap – which isn’t a dung heap anymore!). Turn left. At the bottom of the hill peel left. Up and down the hill the route then turns 90 degrees left just after half way. Back up the track over the top and down past the farm. Shortly after the farm at a crooked crossroads turn left up a short hill and then you have 1k or more downhill to the finish. One of the hilliest but worth it and no gates.
This will be just over two full laps of the area. Lovely run and very flat but it gets very busy so pick a quiet time to run there.
Park on the far side of Canford Heath in Francis Avenue next to the golf course. Start just inside the gate. Follow the main path outwards. At the crossroads after 1k turn right. Follow the track. It bends to the right and then crosses a bigger path. you want the smaller path ahead of you. Follow this as it twists along and the ground underfoot becomes sand. At the fork keep left. Keep going to the gate and through the wooded area down a track and then keep right to head back up the hill until you hit the path you started out on and head back to where you started. There are several gates in this route but it’s a lovely one.
Just short of two big laps of the lakes. Very flat. Dodge the flies. Start finish wherever you like.
