The Arden Way is my first ever attempt at an FKT and I knew as soon as I found the route I had to give it ago as I run on the Arden Way a lot as it passes my home :)
I started on Monday 28th August 2023 at 11:04, after parking my truck up just by the Train Station in Henley in Arden. I ran unsupported, with plenty of water and fuel!
The start of the route is at the bottom of the steps on Bear Lane behind the Henley in Arden train station, heading out towards Hallend through Henley Arden Golf course which has a lovely pond. From here Ullenhall is the next destination passing through the middle of village, past their beautiful church and out towards Cadborough Farm, which drops behind where I used to live at Chesters Green Cottage :) I then headed off over towards Manor Farm working my way towards Studley Castle, passing through Castle Farm. From Studley Castle (which has now become a place to stay as a hotel) I dropped down to the beautiful little church near Studley, before heading down alongside the stream to reach Spernal and Coughton, and part owned national trust property of Coughton Court (which has beautiful gardens). There is then a brief section busy road section which runs along the front of the impressive looking Coughton Court before I turned left down Coughton Lane towards the Ford, running up and over via the bridge, before turning left up Windmill Hill track. At the top of Windmill Hill after Windmill Wood you turn right and there is short road section before turning right again back on to trail at New End Cottages. This part of the Arden Way takes you down through Kinwarton and drops you out on Captains Hill which takes in in to the beautiful market town of Alcester.
The pedestrian street called Church Street in Alcester is just so beautiful and a real treat to run through, heading out of Alcester into Oversley Green passing the "Book" telephone box and up towards Oversley Woods on the bridlepath towards Exhall, running along side the Exhall and Wixford Cricket Ground, who are this year celebrating their 100th year!
Next I headed towards Haslor, up towards the Church underneath the wonderful Chestnut trees. The Church also has a wonderful rose arch as you leave back down the otherside of the hill towards the village of Walcote before heading up toward a wonderful little wood called Aston Grove wood. Next was the track to Aston Cantlow, and past the well known (locally) Kings Head pub, before turning left in the village over the fields and stream to the village of Little Alne. After this is a steady slow incline up to the village of Sheffield passing the well known local racing yard of Dan Skelton's. At the entrance of the yard you turn a sharp right and run on a short piece of road before taking the footpath up alongside Jacksons Wood and Tut Cottage, where the race horses always follow you across the field. Next is on to Greenhill Farm, running past Round Hill, across the clay field at the top of Clouse Wood and dropping down through Gullys Wood into Greenhill Farm. From Greenhill Farm, taking a right out of the footpath gate towards Banham Wood, the highest hill on the the route. A beautiful wood and a firm favourite of mine. Dropping down the otherside, of Banham, is the start of the journey to take you back to Henley in Arden, past Hunger Hill and working your way to back of the train station. Oddley whenever I have run to Henley in the past I alway go straight up the hill, so it was a joy to run another way into Henley and get that treat right at the end, with the conclusion of the run passing allotment gardens before taking you back down the final steps on to bear lane right opposite the steps you start at !
It was so great to link up many of the sections the Arden Way which I have run previously and also great find places to run. Such Fun. I finished the Arden Way Standard Loop unsupported (carried my own water and fuel in my running vest for the duration) and by myself, in a total time of 4 hours, 26 mins and 35 secs and spent of that time 6 minutes and 41 seconds walking - making sure I was not going the wrong way!
I also took at start and finish video on YouTube @emmaperzhorn.
Please find the links to each here:
Start: https://youtube.com/shorts/BS9lpWNKd9A?si=hczPDNgf61QlH-8m
Finish: https://youtube.com/shorts/9v-kGOAFiNU?si=IEzKZGNTjgDgnyxM
Emma Perz Horn