Trail Running in the Savernake Forest

One of my happiest discoveries this year has been my love for trail running. I've been an avid road runner for a couple of years now but it's only more recently that I've ventured off road into the exciting and extraordinary world of trail running.

This weekend a friend and I headed to the Savernake Forest in Marlborough to stretch our legs in the 4,500 acres of this beautiful woodland owned by the Earl of Cardigan. The forest is in a designated 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' and words alone simply cannot do it justice.

 I took my phone camera along for the run which was both a good and bad thing - on one hand it allowed me to capture these beautiful images, but it meant that I kept stopping intermittently to take pictures! Fortunately, my running buddy was very patient and admittedly the breaks were welcome as the Savernake Forest is certainly a challenging run consisting of ample hills and some very boggy terrain underfoot.

Some people discount trail running if their focus is on achieving good running times. Naturally, the pavement or the treadmill are better if you're trying to improve your time but there's no harm in adding a spot of trail running into your routine too. It brings a whole new dynamic to the sport - it's both challenging and rewarding and it allows you the opportunity to spend quality time outdoors in the beautiful countryside. It's worth investing in a good pair of trail running shoes if you live in the UK though as it can get a tad muddy along the way!