Seghill - Hollywell Loop

This 11.7 km route is a mostly flat loop that links the areas of Seghill, Backworth, and Holywell. With only 32 m of total ascent, it’s a good option for a steady pace or a tempo effort where you want to get off the tarmac without taking on any significant climbs. The course is run anticlockwise, but as a circular route through public rights of way and streets, you can start from any convenient point.

The surface is a mix of paved and unpaved, with about 60% of the distance on trails. These vary from wider, firm farm tracks across open fields to narrower enclosed paths between hedgerows. Due to the unpaved sections, trail shoes are a reliable choice, particularly after wet weather when the ground can become soft or slippery. In very dry conditions, a durable road shoe would probably cope, but you’ll notice the lack of grip on any loose or grassy sections.

Setting off from Seghill, the route uses short sections of residential street to connect the main off-road segments. You'll run through the edges of Backworth before heading north towards West Holywell and then along the southern side of Holywell itself. The changes in environment are distinct; one moment you're on a street, the next on a path with fields on either side, before returning to a road to link up the next trail. This makes for a straightforward training run with varied footing.