Steph Steele
North & South London
North & South London
Run Leaders for the Maverick Run Project are the people who make our social runs possible. They know their local area better than we do so they go out and find routes that they think you'll enjoy. Below is the information about the Run Leader for this particular social run.
I started running 4.5 years ago after a triple ankle break, and running provided me with the opportunity to increase fitness and improve mobility. It became something that brought a quicker paced adventure to my love of solo hiking, and a gratitude for my body.
Deciding to enter races was nerve-wracking because so far I wasn’t social in my sports, but quickly found groups - including Maverick - that offered the support, laughs and guidance I was after.
I’m not a quick runner and don’t really feel like I need to be, instead preferring to test my ability with endurance and technique - downhills are my absolute favourite for the thrill of letting go, which I can’t say I do regularly in normal life.
I like to find new routes - even in my urban environment of London - to bring an appreciation to what we have around us. So for this, I also supplement running with road cycling, outdoor swimming when I can, and bouldering.
Other than this, I work in sustainable textiles and ethical fashion, along with being an organic food grower. I’m from the North East of England and have lived in London potentially for too long, yet I still find pockets that make it home - and would love to share this with you.
Steph organises several shorter runs in the London area, each with varying distances and start locations, every week. The longer ones are held at the weekend. To get the most up to date information, locations and dates, please sign into the My Running Club app.
Start and Finish: Chingford overground station (outside at the station entrance) Chingford, London, E4 6AL
Starting from Chingford station, we will mostly follow the main paths to traverse the lower end of Epping Forest. This is a straightforward route with some twists and turns, a mix of forest trails and metalled paths, a few ups and downs (but nothing dramatic), and will introduce you to the joy of this ancient woodland.
As the clocks change later on in the year, we will make this a dark route again.
Please ensure you bring fuel for the length of the run, whatever works for you. There is no bag drop, so only bring what you can comfortably carry and run with. If it’s been raining, the route could be muddy so trail shoes are recommended and even when dry the paths are hard-packed and lumpy. There is a toilet off the train, otherwise plenty of trees! The pace is social at 9.30-10 minutes/mile (around 5.55-6.30kph).
Start: Highbury & Islington station entrance (outside, next to Famous Cock Tavern) Highbury & Islington station, Holloway Road, London, N5 1RA
Rather than a mega trail run, we remind ourselves with this one that there is still fun to be had on London’s streets. We take in a number of green spaces (five, to be exact), each with its own character, that break up the pavements. They will still give you some ups and downs, a bit of mud depending on the weather - and you may even spot some deer and goats. With many spots along the way to divert, you can make this a brief tour. There’ll definitely be a chance to stop for a coffee or beer at the end too (but no bag drop).
Start: Parliament Hill Lido (outside the front entrance in the car park), Parliament Hill Fields, Gospel Oak, London, NW5 1LT
Finish: Hampstead Heath Overground Station
You could run Hampstead Heath every day, and yet you probably still won’t recognise where you are. An ancient green space that likes mud even in summer, we’ll be taking a route that will introduce you to all areas of the 320-hectare piece of land.
We first visit Parliament Hill for that ubiquitous view of the city, take in bits of woody areas, pass glorious Kenwood House and visit the exterior sections that offer a bit of calm. With lots of ups and downs to test the legs, and twists and turns to keep you on your toes, this is a route great for day and night, where you’ll be sure to see something new even if you’re a regular of these parts.
We finish up by Hampstead Heath station for a refuel, where there are pubs around if you so wish.
Please ensure you bring fuel for the length of the run, whatever works for you. There is no bag drop, so only bring what you can comfortably carry and run with. If it’s been raining, the route could be muddy so trail shoes are recommended. There are no public toilets, but plenty of trees! The pace is social at 9.30 minutes/mile (around 5.55kph).
Start: Greenwich Foot Tunnel (outside the front - don’t go in!), Greenwich, London, SE10 9HT
Finish: Greenwich Rail Station
The purpose of this route is to enjoy a sunset over the city. It’s not trails, but there are a few classic Greenwich hills that will benefit any trail runner’s legs. Starting off at the Cutty Sark, running along the Thames and then doing a wiggle across Greenwich Park and Blackheath, we will be able to enjoy the expanse that this area affords.
Please ensure you bring fuel for the length of the run, whatever works for you. There is no bag drop, so only bring what you can comfortably carry and run with. If it’s been raining, the route could be muddy so trail shoes are recommended. There are no public toilets, but plenty of trees! The pace is social at 9.30 minutes/mile (around 5.55kph).
Start: Finsbury Park (Opposite Finsbury Park Station Place on Stroud Green Road) Stroud Green Road Gate, Finsbury Park, London, N4 2DE
Trails are quite hard to come by so close to the city but in just a short route, this area of North London gives you a good variety underfoot. The Parkland Walk is a former railway line, now a nature reserve, that is filled with wild flora and trees, managed only slightly so that you have little dips and rocky sections to keep you on your toes - there’s also a sneaky gradient you won’t notice until the way back.
We keep on with the city rollercoaster, going upwards to Highgate, with a mad dash downhill through a really quiet spot, Queen’s Wood, before resuming our ascent through Highgate Woods, another gem of biodiversity and calm. The surfaces keep changing between pavement and bouncy forest, so it’s a fun one.
This is an out and back. No bag drop and unfortunately public toilets will be closed at this time. Unless you’re used to the area, transport can be a bit awkward so best to stick to the end but remember once out of Highgate, it’s all downhill. Wear shoes that have some grip as it does get muddy if it has been raining.
Start: Wanstead Park Station (outside the front), Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate, London, E7 0HX
Finish: Wood Street Overground Station, Walthamstow, London, E17 3NZ
To the south of Epping Forest, the area of Leytonstone and Wanstead offers marshes, rivers and open space that still has the bustle of the city - especially as we run right past and under the North Circular Road. For this route we will take in two parts of Wanstead Flats with its marshy terrain, Wanstead Park with traditional ponds, boathouse and golf club, little Bush Wood and then upwards to take in Leyton Flats around Snaresbrook at the foot of the Forest. Finishing up at Wood Street station, there are easy transport links to the underground. The start point is also close to Forest Gate station, so travelling here should be within reach.
Please ensure you bring fuel for the length of the run, whatever works for you. There is no bag drop, so only bring what you can comfortably carry and run with. If it’s been raining, the route could be muddy so trail shoes are recommended. There are no public toilets, but plenty of trees! The pace is social at 9.30 minutes/mile (around 5.55kph).
Start: Hackney Wick Overground Station (outside at station entrance) White Post Lane, Hackney Wick, London, E9 5ER
A good route to remind you that there is still peace close to the city; with a combination of new infrastructure in the Olympic Park contrasting the old waterways of the River Lea, wet marshes of Walthamstow (where cows are often seen), and the smell of wood smoke on the canal, it takes you back to London-past while rooting you in the now.
This is a flat route, with a variety of metalled and tarmac paths, yet with options to go off-road around both marshlands, you can still have a bit of a splosh and wind. There are some cafés and pubs in the local area for when we finish up, but it’ll be tricky to find a toilet (the woods are handy, though). No bag drop. If you’ve had enough, there is the option to cut short and divert yourself to other stations, but it’s a great one to take in the sights and sounds of East London.
Start: Hackney Wick Overground Station (outside at station entrance) White Post Lane, Hackney Wick, London, E9 5ER
A good route to remind you that there is still peace close to the city; with a combination of new infrastructure in the Olympic Park contrasting the old waterways of the River Lea, wet marshes of Walthamstow, and the smell of wood smoke on the canal, it takes you back to London-past while rooting you in the now.
This is a flat route, with a variety of metalled, towpath and tarmac paths, yet with options to go off-road around both marshlands, you can still have a bit of a splash and wind about. There are some pubs in the local area for when we finish up.
Please ensure you bring fuel and fluid for the length of the run, whatever works for you. There is no bag drop, so only bring what you can comfortably carry and run with. It doesn’t generally get muddy, but you may want to wear trail shoes for the rockier paths. There are no public toilets this late, but plenty of trees! The pace is social at 9-9.30 minutes/mile (around 5.35-5.55kph).
Start: Richmond Station entrance (outside) The Quadrant, Richmond, TW9 1EZ
We’re going to try to cover a lot of ground in this one, going for an almost full circumnavigation of Richmond Park. With open space and a vast vista, this is one to give you a feeling of freedom - for anyone who lives in the North, we at least know that those Southerners have perhaps got a bit more fresh air. We start in the town so there is pavement as we move uphill past views of the Thames into the park. We’ll traverse different sections of this 17th Century deer park to offer variety underfoot and to your eyes - and you’ll even get to touch a rare London trig point. Then it is back downhill to the town, alongside the river, for a cuppa. If you live in the South West, you’ve got the possibility of extending or shortening your run, and, if we feel that the trail we’re on isn’t gnarly enough, we can follow wherever our heart’s delight in this whopping 2500 acre park. No bag drop and you’ll want fuel, but there are toilets and cafe's throughout the park and in Richmond town.
Start: Crystal Palace station entrance (outside by the white rail/overground sign), SE19 2AZ
This is a half marathon with a lot of sights. Perhaps nothing to rival the Landmarks or Big Half, yet you will experience small pockets of calm down here in the South London green spaces that will still feel dramatic. Starting in Crystal Palace park with an eerie amount of overgrown space, we have some ups and downs before heading into various woods. Traversing the stately Dulwich park, we then get to hilly Brockwell (but to be honest, the hills don’t let up). We have lots of variety underfoot, many chances to test your power on uphills, and chances to stretch your legs as we move across the characterful borough of Southwark through many green spaces. We finish up at a coffee shop that offers the best pain au chocolat you’ll have ever had (unless you’ve been to Little Bread Pedlar before). No bag drop, and you’ll need to bring some fuel. We’ll have some rest stops to take in the fresh air, but you can divert yourself to lengthen or shorten your run with many tube stations nearby.
Start: Clapham Common Underground Station, SW4 0HY
Finish: Clapham Junction Rail Station, SW11 2QP
This route is to get some miles in the legs while taking in South London’s green spaces. Starting at Clapham Common, we’ll go through Tooting Commons, Wandle Meadow, an almost full circumnavigation of Wimbledon Common, through Putney Heath and onwards to finish up at Clapham Junction via Wandsworth. It is a mix of road and park paths, which is actually good training for races where the terrain is mixed. This is a social run with a fair few ups and downs, so we’ll take an easy pace around 9.30-10 minute miles (5.55-6.15kph) but will take it as it comes for all paces and whatever the morning throws us. We’ll definitely enjoy a coffee and cake after this one.
Please ensure you bring fuel and fluid for the length of the run, whatever works for you. There is no bag drop, so only bring what you can comfortably carry and run with. If it’s been raining, the route could be muddy so trail shoes are recommended, but as mentioned above, it is a mix of trail paths and pavements so wear what you can endure in. Public toilets will be open, and we will pass shops and cafes should that be necessary.
You must be a member of the Maverick Run Project to enter this session. If you have joined, you will have received instructions on how to join via our app. If you need assistance signing up to the app, please contact us.
Please bring the following items with you:
Backpack/Hydration Vest
Trail shoes
Water/food
Head Torch
Dry Top to change for afterwards
Rain jacket
Take Precision Fuel & Hydration's free trail running sweat test to get a hydration plan tailored to your Maverick Race
In an effort to keep our trails clean and preserve the nature around us, we're aiming to keep our outposts cup free. Please bring a cup or bottle to re-fill.
