In the weeks before the run I bought the guidebook from the Icknield Way Association and read up about the history of the route. I always find knowing a bit more about where I'm running adds to my motivation and helps keeps my mind occupied when the miles start to drag.
After a very early start leaving home and after multiple train changes, I arrived at Tring station and began the 5k jog to the start of the trail at Ivinghoe Beacon.
At the time, I was still fairly green when it came to multi-day running adventures. I decided to split the 105 miles of the Icknield Way over 3 days, booking a couple of Airbnbs along the trail to rest.
Day 1 began at Ivinghoe Beacon and finished 64km later in Baldock. The weather was kind, and I enjoyed sunshine over the Chiltern Hills and Dunstable Downs. The terrain was varied and engaging, and I passed through some fascinating places along the way: Ivinghoe Beacon itself (an Iron Age hillfort), Whipsnade Tree Cathedral, and Sharpenhoe Clappers — ancient woodland perched on a chalk escarpment.
Strong winds and a heavy pack made progress slow. I topped up my water at a couple of churches along the route and stopped several times to try and deal with something digging into the small of my back, though I never quite managed to fix it. By the time I reached Baldock, I was tired and ready to stop. I grabbed some food from Tesco before heading to my Airbnb for a shower and sleep.
Day 2 was a 70km stretch from Baldock to Dullingham. The landscape shifted noticeably — away from the dramatic chalk hills of the Chilterns and into more gently undulating English countryside dotted with small villages.
The weather was the polar opposite of the day before. Rain fell for much of the day, turning torrential as I slogged through Royston town centre, completely soaked through. It felt like a very long day. My feet were sore from being wet for hours, and fatigue was starting to build.
Despite that, I still enjoyed being out on unfamiliar trails. My curiosity about where the path would lead next kept my spirits up. I stopped at the Co-op in Linton to top up on supplies before finishing the day at a small B&B in Dullingham — a quiet village far from any shops.
Day 3 covered the final 50km from Dullingham to the end of the trail at Knettishall Heath, just outside Thetford. The good weather returned, and I enjoyed a bright, sunny day, although the wind chill was biting — a "feels like" temperature of -2°C.
For me, this was the least interesting section of the Icknield Way. It's pan-flat and closest to home, so much of it felt familiar. The final 25km in particular features long, straight trails used heavily by motocross riders. The caffeine stop halfway at a coffee shop in Tuddenham didn't do much to avoid time stretching out endlessly during this last part.
Eventually, I reached the end of the Icknield Way at Knettishall Heath. I didn’t feel like trudging on into Thetford along main roads, so I called a taxi and waited against a tree for an hour, wrapped in my coat, until it arrived to take me to the train station and back home.