6k Run Gloucester: Scenic Journey through Hempsted Meadows

Route Overview & Local Insights

This 6.3km loop offers a refreshingly flat and fast running experience through the heart of Gloucester’s maritime corridor. Starting at the iconic High Orchard Bridge, you’ll enjoy a predominantly paved course (80%) that tracks the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. With only 10m of total ascent, it is an ideal route for tempo runs or recovery sessions where you can find a steady rhythm without the interruption of steep inclines. As you pass through Monk Meadow and the expansive Hempsted Meadows, expect wide-open views and a mix of industrial heritage and riverside tranquility before returning via Glevum Way to the bustling Marina Junction.

Steeped in local history, this route follows what was once the broadest and deepest canal in the world upon its completion in 1827. The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal allowed tall ships to bypass a dangerous stretch of the River Severn, transforming Gloucester into a major inland port. Running through Hempsted Meadows today, you are traversing land that sits adjacent to the Llanthony Secunda Priory ruins—a site dating back to 1136. This area perfectly blends the city's Victorian engineering feats with its medieval roots, providing runners with a scenic backdrop that tells the story of Gloucester’s evolution from a religious hub to a global trading powerhouse.