9k Run Sedgemoor: Scenic Loop Around Cheddar Reservoir

Route Overview & Local Insights

This 8.9km loop around the Cheddar Reservoir offers a beautifully flat and fast terrain, making it a favorite for Sedgemoor runners looking to find their rhythm. Clocking in with only 20m of ascent, the route is predominantly paved and follows a mix of the well-trodden Mendip Trail and quiet lanes like Portmeade Drove. You’ll experience a refreshing, exposed lakeside run where the wide-open skies meet the glassy water, providing an ideal setting for interval training or a scenic recovery jog with unobstructed views of the Somerset landscape.

Steeped in local utility history, the Cheddar Reservoir was completed in the 1930s to supply water to Bristol, and today it serves as a vital wildlife sanctuary. As you circumnavigate the site, keep an eye out for the diverse birdlife that inhabits the SSSI-designated waters, all while the dramatic silhouette of the nearby Cheddar Gorge stands as a backdrop to the east. Running here connects you to the heart of the Somerset Levels, where the flat, drained moorland provides a unique, sprawling perspective of the Mendip Hills rising abruptly from the horizon.