SportsShoes x inov-8 x Camino Ultra: London Blueways komoot Collection

Introducing a new world of trail running in the capital, with the Camino Ultra London Blueways Collection, supported by SportsShoes and inov-8.

Following the successful launch of the London Greenways Collection, we have retained the joy of trail running through London’s finest parks and forests, with additional routes linked to the city's waterways, including ponds, lakes, rivers, brooks and even waterfalls, all waiting to be discovered.

This Collection features 10 routes in total, with route descriptions and maps, plus stunning imagery to help motivate and inspire you to take part.

SIGN UP TO THE LONDON BLUEWAYS RUN CHALLENGE HERE

Once signed up, you will receive a race pack which includes travel logistics to and from the trail, recommended coffee shops, food en-route, toilet facilities, plus an insight into the trail history and access to London’s best ParkRuns and swim spots.

This collaboration coincides with the release of this season's new inov-8 TRAILFLY ULTRA G 280 with Graphene, designed to give trail runners the ultimate in long-distance performance.

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Here are the 10 routes;

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1. Nelsonight Way (5.5 miles)

A homage to all things River Thames. Starting in Putney this route takes on a slightly unique perspective. Where people are familiar with being on one side of the Thames this route pops you over the other side.

VISIT KOMOOT FOR A ROUTE MAP & MORE INFORMATION

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Expect a different view on London, its parks, bridges and of course how you view the capital's river. With the reopening of the Battersea Power Station it is a magical place to finish and refresh. If training for a marathon you can always extend your run further down the river (and cover off some more bridges!)

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2. East London Historic Canals (6.5 miles)

The route is part of a longer trail that exists. Camino curates ours from the convenience of two London stations (Mile End and Tottenham Hale). The route follows the Blue waterways of  Regent's Canal to the incredible Victoria Park, River Lea then on to Tottenham Hale.

VISIT KOMOOT FOR A ROUTE MAP & MORE INFORMATION

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Along the way you will see many remnants of East London's industrial past, such as Limehouse Basin, which was used by sailors to offload cargo into canal barges for further transportation into London, interesting canal locks which are still used by houseboats to travel between the different water levels across the canals; Victoria Park (also known as the People's Park) which was the only park historically built for the working class in East London. Further on the route, there is Hackney Marshes, historically controlled by the Knights Templar, who built mills to control the flow of water through the marshes, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park where the 2012 London Olympics were held, and lastly the route ends in Tottenham Hale, home of many craft breweries to celebrate one's awesome run.

CHECK OUT THIS PODCAST WITH CAMINO X RUNNING ON JOY ABOUT THIS ROUTE

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Pictured: inov-8 TRAILFLY ULTRA G 280

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3. Bollo Brook (7.2 miles)

One of the features of the Camino Blueways has been to explore the history of London and to rediscover where the important rivers would have been located 200-500 years ago.

VISIT KOMOOT FOR A ROUTE MAP & MORE INFORMATION

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One of the major rivers was the Bollo. Camino created this route to take in the flow of the original Bollo from what we now know as Ealing to the River Thames at Barnes. There is an extraordinary variety on this trail - from the parks at Ealing to the wonder of the Gunnersbury Nature reserve (where you can still see the original Bollo) and the splendour of England’s Chiswick house. There is history galore on this trail - The vicinity of Bollo Brook between Turnham Green & Chiswick House was the site of the Battle of Turnham Green in the English Civil War between the forces of King Charles 1 and Parliamentarians in 1642.

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Pictured: inov-8 TRAILFLY ULTRA G 280

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4. Beverley Brook (6.4 miles)

Another Camino Blueways that explores a different blue water route from source to river. The Beverley is a gorgeous waterway that weaves its way through urban landscape of South London and takes you through two of our most loved parks in Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park.

VISIT KOMOOT FOR A ROUTE MAP & MORE INFORMATION

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As with many of our trails you are taken to a different part of a park that you may have been to before. For Richmond the route allows you to explore the outer-perimeter and appreciate how the Beverley Brook provides a new perspective of nature and its surroundings. This is one of our community’s favourite trails because there is such a richness of green and blueways and some real gems along the way.

The stretch before you meet the Thames feels like you are in the New Forest and provides an opportunity to course through a myriad of trials - Remember the Camino rule that you make each of the trails work for you - take alternative paths and see things from a fresh perspective.

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5. Pond De La Tour (6 miles)

There are an estimated 500,000 ponds in the UK and in London we have many spectacular ones. We also have many lesser known ones like the one in Waterlow Park.

VISIT KOMOOT FOR A ROUTE MAP & MORE INFORMATION

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One of things we love at Camino is the opportunity to build trail routes that take people from obvious spots like Finsbury Park and Hampstead and weave a way around places like Elthorne Park, the hidden steps up to Archway Bridge, past the history of Tile Kiln Lane and Brendan the Navigator, up the cycle mecca of Swains Lane and beyond.

Often quoted as the most loved of the Camino Blueways there is also the option to seek out two of the capitals favourite swim spots - the West Reservoir in Stoke Newington and the Mixed Bathing Ponds in Hampstead Heath.

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6. Pymmes Brook (6.6 miles)

Named after William Pymme, a 14th Century landowner from Edmonton, this riverside trail runs through the London Boroughs of Barnet, Enfield & Haringey and connects with both the Lea Valley Walk and the London Loop.

It encompasses woodland, parks and open spaces, passing places of cultural and historical interest on the way.

VISIT KOMOOT FOR A ROUTE MAP & MORE INFORMATION

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The brook flows through a succession of parks (Oak Hill, Brunswick and Arnos) and has a close encounter with one of London's marvels of civil engineering - the Arnos Viaduct.

Some of the Camino Blueways follow existing ‘waymarked’ trails and the Pymmes Trail has a glorious blue sign and a highly impressive amount of trail signs that you can use to stay on the right route.

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7. Aquadrome to Lido (9.4 miles)

Camino has been lucky enough to partner with many friends from the community in creating the Blueways series. The routes are located in all four corners of London and when someone has a deep knowledge of their local area and the undiscovered trails that exist then it’s a pleasure to tap into their expertise.

VISIT KOMOOT FOR A ROUTE MAP & MORE INFORMATION

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So the Aquadrome to Lido was a trail created with Sonny Peart (Co-Founder of the BlackTrailRunners) and a full time ambassador of Camino. This trail takes in the local Blueways of his beloved River Colne, the many lakes near the Aquadrome as well as the epic Ruislip Lido which can be found at the end of Hillingdon Trail.

The Lido is a real London gem. It has a beach which can be used by the whole family, a great cafe and facilities and for us Blueways lovers there is also the option of a cheeky dip.

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8. The Line (6.2 miles)

The Line is a public art trail in London's East End, opened in 2015, that very roughly follows the path of the Greenwich meridian as it crosses the River Thames. Those of you familiar with Camino Greenways will know that we followed The Line Art trail (south of the river) in one of our trails to be found in that collection.

VISIT KOMOOT FOR A ROUTE MAP & MORE INFORMATION

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For this trail we curate our own version of the trail North of the River Thames. Starting or finishing in Stratford by the awe-inspiring Anish Kapoor Orbit the trail takes you alongside the constantly changing River Lea canal and it criss-crosses parts of the blueway that are not often followed. If you were to follow this route in six months time you would probably experience a completely new set of art sculptures, cafes and wildlife.

As with other Camino Blueways there are several swimming options - either the majestic Olympic indoor pool or the newly revamped Royal Docks for the open water wild swimmer.

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9. River Peck (8.6 miles)

Following in the theme of Camino Blueways that explore a ‘Lost and Hidden London’, this trail looks to include some of the best parks and vantage points that South London has to offer.

Hidden inside of all this wonder is the remnants of one of London’s lost rivers - The Peck.

VISIT KOMOOT FOR A ROUTE MAP & MORE INFORMATION

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Some of the well known spots like Dulwich and Brockwell Park are featured but it is the meandering around Peckham Rye Common (where you can still see the Peck) and the glorious heights of One Tree Hill where we hope that you will get under the belly of this epic trail loop.

There is so much to explore on this one that we encourage you to go off grid and pop back on when something takes your liking.

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Pictured: inov-8 TRAILFLY ULTRA G 280

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10. Brent (6.7 miles)

Another Camino Blueways collaboration - this time with ultramarathon legend Julien Cazorla.

Julien spent a long time heading up and down the lesser known routes around the Brent River and Reservoir to inform us of ways in which we could soak up the most green trail and get the best views of the Blueways.

VISIT KOMOOT FOR A ROUTE MAP & MORE INFORMATION

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This route is a short curated version of a much longer route that you can find on the Fastest Known Time website - In Camino’s version we were inspired by the The Sun-Bathing Riots.

In the 1920s the Brent Reservoir area attracted naturists, who sunbathed on the north bank and swam in the lake in a state of nudity or semi-nudity. But other local residents took offence at the nudity and in June 1930 a group of naked sunbathers were attacked by 200 local objectors. No-one seems to have been seriously injured, but the event is still referred to as “The Sun-Bathing Riots”.

As things culturally change and there becomes a greater acceptance of wild swimming there is a growing quest to get swimming back and truly reclaim this Blueway space.

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