Trail Running Journal
Route tips, training ideas, kit picks and news from the trails.
How to Turn Your Run Into a Route Map Print (From Strava or GPX)
A route map print turns your GPX file into a printed map of the day. How it works, prices from £35, and the best options for trail runners.
Best Trail Runs From Settle: 10 Routes in Ribblesdale
Ten trail runs from Settle, 6.6km to 41.5km, all with free GPX, from Victoria Cave and the Stainforth waterfalls to the Three Peaks by train.
Jason Millward ·
10 of the Best Trail Running Routes Near Ilkley
Ten trail runs from Ilkley, 7.7km to 35.1km, all with free GPX — from a bluebell wood loop to the 35km Ilkley Skyline.
Jason Millward ·
Best Gifts for Trail Runners: 15 Useful Ideas That Will Actually Get Used
A Petzl ACTIK CORE head torch if you want one bigger present, a HydraPak flask or a Buff if you would rather be certain it gets used. Fifteen gifts that need no shoe size.
Jason Millward ·
Best Trail Running Books, Guidebooks and Maps for UK Runners
Compare practical options for best trail running books, guidebooks and maps for uk runners. Honest UK trail-running advice, clear drawbacks and Amazon avai
Jason Millward ·
Best Trail Running Poles for Ultras and Steep Routes
Buy the Leki Ultratrail FX.One Superlite if you race and know your length, the Harrier Helvellyn Carbon if it is your first carbon pair, the Harrier Catbells if you are not sure poles are for you yet.
Jason Millward ·
Best Trail Runs From Grassington: 10 Routes in Wharfedale
Ten trail running routes from Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales, from a 6.8km reservoir circuit to a 97.9km ultra. Free GPX on every one.
Jason Millward ·
Best Head Torches for Trail Running and Ultras
Buy the Petzl NAO RL for overnight ultras, the ACTIK CORE for everything else, or the Silva Trail Runner Free 2 Ultra if comfort is the problem. Seven more considered.
Jason Millward ·
Recovery Drinks for Runners: 10 Best for Long Runs & Ultras
Ten recovery drinks for runners compared: protein and carbs per serving for SiS, Tailwind, HIGH5 and more, plus when a meal does the job instead.
Jason Millward ·
Best Energy Bars for Trail Running and Ultras: 10 Solid Fuel Options
Compare 10 of the best energy bars for trail running and ultras, including Veloforte, Maurten, STYRKR, SiS, OTE and TORQ. Carbs, texture and honest advice.
Jason Millward ·
Best Carb Drinks for Runners: 10 Drink Mixes Compared
Ten carb drink mixes for runners compared, including Maurten 320, SiS Beta Fuel 80 and Tailwind. Carbs per serving, best uses and what to watch for.
Jason Millward ·
Best Trail Runs From Ambleside: 10 Lake District Routes
Ten trail routes from Ambleside, 9.8km to 36.7km, with free GPX. Honest TRP grades from Moderate to Expert, and what each one is actually like.
Jason Millward ·
Best Anti-Chafe Products for Running and Ultras
BodyGlide Original for most runs, Squirrel’s Nut Butter for long wet ultras, Vaseline if you want to spend nothing. Where runners chafe, when to apply, and seven more considered.
Jason Millward ·
15 Trail Running Accessories That Are Genuinely Useful
A head torch, a soft flask and a bivvy bag before anything else. Then twelve more, grouped by what they solve, with a named product for each and when you actually need it.
Jason Millward ·
Best Electrolyte Tablets for Runners: 10 Options Compared
Ten electrolyte tablets and powders for runners compared by sodium per serving: Nuun, STYRKR, SiS and more, and when to take them.
Jason Millward ·
Best Energy Chews for Running: 10 Options for Trails and Ultras
Compare 10 of the best energy chews for running, including Precision Fuel, SiS, TORQ, HIGH5 and GU. Carbs, caffeine, texture and honest trail advice.
Jason Millward ·
Best Soft Flasks for Trail Running: 10 Options for Race Vests
Buy the HydraPak UltraFlask Speed 500 unless your vest is a Salomon, then buy Salomon’s own. Harrier for spares. How to match a flask to a pocket, and seven more considered.
Jason Millward ·
Best Energy Gels for Running: 12 Picks for Trails and Ultras
Twelve energy gels for running compared: Precision Fuel PF30, Maurten, TORQ, SiS, HIGH5 and more. Carbs, caffeine, texture, and which four we've run with.
Jason Millward ·
How Much Harder Is Trail Running Than Road Running?
Compare trail and road running pace using real UK routes, ascent and terrain. Learn how to estimate time without relying on road pace.
Jason Millward ·
Best Sunglasses for Trail Running
Compare 10 of the best sunglasses for trail running, including Julbo, Oakley, Tifosi, Goodr and Bloc. Photochromic lenses, fit, fogging and honest advice.
Jason Millward ·
Trail Running for Beginners UK: Your First Five Runs
Start trail running with a practical five-run plan, honest UK route ideas, shoe and kit advice, free GPX downloads and no gatekeeping.
Jason Millward ·
What Trail Running Shoes Do You Need for UK Trails?
A plain guide to choosing trail running shoes for UK terrain: mud, hard-packed trails, rock and bog. What lug depth and grip you actually need, by ground type.
Jason Millward ·
Best Trail Runs From Keswick: 7 Northern Lakes Routes
Seven trail runs from Keswick, 8.3km to 48.2km, all with free GPX: from Latrigg and a lap of Derwentwater to Coledale and Abraham's Tea Round.
Jason Millward ·
Yorkshire Dales Trail Running: Best Areas to Start
Where to start trail running in the Yorkshire Dales: Skipton, Malham, Settle, Ribblesdale, Wharfedale and more, each with a featured route. Honest grading, free GPX.
Jason Millward ·
Lake District Trail Running: Best Areas to Start
Where to start trail running in the Lake District: Keswick, Helvellyn, Ambleside, Staveley, Buttermere and the Northern Fells, each with a featured route and free GPX.
Jason Millward ·
Easy Trail Running Routes in the Lake District
Easy Lake District trail running routes with low climbing and good paths: lake laps, gentle valleys and one short summit. Honest grading and free GPX on every route.
Jason Millward ·
Best Trail Runs From Skipton Without Driving: 10 Routes
Ten car-free trail runs from Skipton station, 6.3km to 42km, all with free GPX: park and canal loops, Skipton Moor, Sharp Haw and a run to Saltaire.
Jason Millward ·
Best Trail Running Routes in the Yorkshire Dales
Twelve Yorkshire Dales trail runs, 7.8km to 43.7km, all with free GPX: Malham, Aysgarth and Bolton Abbey to Pen-y-ghent and the Yorkshire Three Peaks.
Jason Millward ·
How to Choose the Right Trail Running Route
How to choose a trail running route you can actually finish: distance, climb, terrain, weather, navigation and the TRP Grade explained. Free GPX on every route.
Jason Millward ·
Best Lake District Trail Running Routes With Free GPX
Thirteen Lake District trail runs, 6km to 20.8km, all with free GPX: lake laps, Catbells, Helvellyn's edges, Coledale, Kentmere and Bob Graham Leg 1.
Jason Millward ·
Best Trail Running Routes Near Skipton
Skipton sits right on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, and you don't need a car to get onto proper trail. The ten routes below all start in Skipton or a short bus ride away, and between them they cover 6.3km to 28.6km and 55m to 714m of climbing.
Jason Millward ·