Macmillan Way
The Macmillan Way is a 467 km route from Boston in Lincolnshire to Abbotsbury in Dorset — crossing the English countryside diagonally from the North Sea to the Jurassic Coast, raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
This route has no official waymarking. Serious navigation experience is required — do not rely on GPS alone. Carry OS 1:25,000 maps and study the line before you go.
About Macmillan Way
The Macmillan Way crosses England diagonally from the Wash to the Jurassic Coast in Dorset — through Lincolnshire, the Midlands, the Cotswolds and over the Dorset Downs to the sea. It is one of the longer recreational long-distance routes in England, designed partly to raise awareness of Macmillan Cancer Support.
For trail runners it is a multi-week challenge through quiet, varied English countryside. The Cotswold section and the Dorset downland are the most scenic; the Lincolnshire and Midlands sections are more agricultural. The route follows bridleways, field paths and occasional road sections.
The route
Boston to Stamford (~100 km): Through the Lincolnshire fens and wolds to the handsome stone town of Stamford.
Stamford to Chipping Norton (~120 km): Across the Midlands limestone — Rockingham Forest, the Cherwell valley.
Chipping Norton to Bath (~130 km): Through the Cotswolds — the finest section.
Bath to Abbotsbury (~117 km): Across the Mendips and Dorset Downs to the Jurassic Coast.
Getting there & logistics
Start: Boston. Train from Nottingham and Grantham.
Finish: Abbotsbury. Bus to Weymouth; train to London Waterloo.
Best time: May to September.
Safety
Low-hazard route throughout — gentle English countryside with good mobile signal. Fens sections can be isolated. In an emergency: call 999 or 112.
Have you completed Macmillan Way?
Log your round — time, date, attempt type, photos. Connect Strava to pull in your activity automatically.
Completions
No completions logged yet — be the first.