The Great Northern Railway Trail (from Queensferry)

This 7.3 km out-and-back run follows a section of the Great Northern Railway Trail. Because it's an out-and-back on a former railway line, the route has a distinct two-part character: the first half is a sustained, gradual climb, and the second half is an equivalent descent. With 130 m of total ascent, you’ll find it’s not flat, making it a good session for practising pacing on an incline.

The surface is tarmaced for its entire length, so road shoes are the obvious choice in any weather. Starting from the Queensbury end, you immediately begin the long, steady drag uphill that defines the first 3.65 km. The gradient is consistent, so you can settle into a rhythm without any sharp surprises. Along the path, you’ll see some of the original railway infrastructure, including views of old viaducts, which are the main features.

The turnaround is simply the halfway point of the run. From there, your effort is rewarded with a continuous, gentle downhill all the way back to where you started. This makes it easy to pick up the pace for a negative split or just to open your stride and enjoy the faster return leg. The predictable surface and lack of road crossings make it a solid and straightforward training route.