Epping Forest – a 339km2 expanse of ancient woodland stretching from Manor Park in East London, all the way up to Epping in Essex. As London’s largest public open space, the forest is home to diverse ecosystems including open heathland and lakes alongside the denser forested areas.
I have visited parts of Epping Forest many times, on short runs or walks with my family. However, when I saw the opportunity to run the full length of the forest in one go by taking part in the Camino Ultra Epping Forest Ecotrail 25km, I knew this was the event for me!
I’ve come to know the Camino Ultra group quite well this year by taking part in their Blueways challenge, where we run a stretch of London’s waterways each month to build up a fabulous 12 part wooden jigsaw medal. These social runs have introduced me to a beautifully welcoming group of runners and the discovery of many hidden gems of London.
It was a gloriously Sunny October morning as we gathered in Epping for the start of the race. For many of the participants this would be the furthest distance they had ever covered. Others, like me had completed road marathons before but never a trail race. This would be a totally different experience to my previous races, and a chance to test the legs on unfamiliar terrain.
As we set off southbound along the upper stretches of the forest, the trail quickly began to undulate up and down to the many streams criss-crossing the woodland. A cluster of excited chattering runners protected by the shade of the trees. Before long though, we were surprised to see another runner coming towards us. This was the first of the 50km runners! A pack of hardy creatures who were running the full length of the forest not once, but twice! Having set off in Wanstead one hour before us, they were making their way north to our starting point, before turning round and running the full trail back to Wanstead. I was so delighted to see many familiar faces passing by, but also to see such a range of people taking part. It definitely made me think that a 50km could be a possibility for me one day.
As we ran ever southward, the pack began to thin out. I followed the orange trail markers pinned to trees, with one eye on the map on my watch too. The 11km aid station provided some very welcome snacks and a quick break before continuing. I stopped to chat to dog walkers who asked “Where are you all going? But that’s miles away!”. After skirting Highams Park lake, I was in familiar territory, running past the dens and rope swings popular with my children, before emerging out into the blazing sunshine of the open covered reservoir known as The Circle. Here I met Mark of RunGrateful, and continued on to the next section, the gratitude mile. Running alone now, this was a moment of complete tranquility I’ve never experienced before in the middle of a race. With just the sounds of the forest around me, I watched out for the #Rungrateful signs and reflected on how fortunate I was that my body and health allows me to have these wonderful adventures.
On the home stretch now, I crossed the open plains of Hollow Ponds and moved on to Wanstead flats, the bright pink finish arch in sight. At the end, a warm welcome, cold drinks from the Golden Fleece and the camaraderie of cheering other happy runners home. Whether it was 25 or 50km completed, the sense of accomplishment remained the same.
If you are looking for a London trail race, I couldn’t recommend Camino Ultra more for their inclusive and welcoming events, with a real focus on sustainability and runner wellbeing. In fact, I loved the whole experience so much I have signed up to their next 50km event, the Lee Valley Ultra in March! Why not join me?
Monday Running 
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