7k Run Hastings: Scenic Seafront Loop to Old Bathing Pool

Route Overview & Local Insights

This 6.6km out-and-back route offers an impeccably flat, 100% paved surface perfect for runners looking to find their rhythm without the distraction of elevation changes. Starting in the heart of Hastings, you'll head west along the wide promenade toward St Leonards, reaching the historic Old Bathing Pool site before turning back. It is an ideal course for a tempo session or a recovery run, providing unobstructed coastal views and the refreshing salt air of the English Channel. With 0m of ascent, it is arguably the fastest stretch of path in East Sussex, though runners should be mindful of the prevailing southwesterly winds which can make the return leg a spirited challenge.

Running this stretch of the Hastings and St Leonards seafront is like moving through a timeline of British maritime history. You'll pass the iconic Hastings Pier, winner of the 2017 Stirling Prize for architecture, and the regal, Decimus Burton-designed facades of St Leonards-on-Sea, which echo the area's Victorian popularity. The turnaround point at the Old Bathing Pool site marks a spot that was once home to one of Europe's largest lidos in the 1930s. Today, the area has been reclaimed as a creative and communal space, embodying the modern, artistic spirit that has seen this coastal town become a favorite destination for both athletes and culture seekers alike.