Nuremberg Old-Town Running Route

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Length 5.8 km (3.6 miles), terrain: one light hill

For more running routes, see Route List.

Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German) is one of those unique places with a real character of its own. It was one of Europe's biggest towns during the middle ages, and the city-wall ring still testifies to the gigantic proportions of the town back then. Most of the old town was bombed flat in World War II, but enough remnants remain standing to astound you at every turn when touring the town.

And that's what this route does: provides a tour of a lot of the best scenery that Nuremberg has to offer. It loops through the old town, starting and ending near the train station.

Tower at Königstor

We'll start at the square in front of the central train station, at Bahnhofsplatz. We're just south of the old town, with the massive city walls rising up to either side of Königstraße, that leads directly into town. The gigantic round tower here at Königstor still looms over the coming and going in the street below. 

Handwerkerhof

Follow Königstraße north into the old town. You immediately pass a walled compound on the left, the Handwerkerhof, which holds a collection of stands that sell hand-made crafts. You'll also pass a pair of gothic chapels to either side of the street, and an old Benedictine monastery.

Run straight to the big two-towered church, St. Lorenz. Across the street you'll see a tower-like Gothic house, the last of Nuremberg's patrician homes built in this strange tower style.

Medieval luxury home

Turn left here onto Karolinenstraße, Nuremberg's main shopping street. Most buildings here are post-war, but there are a few squares with fountains and older buildings. You'll run past a wild-looking fountain at the White Tower, then run between two churches. 

You'll then run straight towards another round defensive tower at Ludwigstor, in the southwest corner of the old town. At the Castle Irish Pub, we'll turn right and run just inside the city walls along a narrow lane. Keep running with the wall to your left side, running past various smaller towers and ramparts until you get to Westtor, the western gate.

Along the town walls

Here, we need to turn to the left to run out the gate and immediately turn right and run down the paved path through the greenbelt along the outside of the wall. This is a nice green contrast to the town life inside, and makes for another good route: a loop around the old town walls.

Outside of the town walls: a green oasis

But the path ends just a minute later when your way is blocked by the Pegnitz River. The walls continue over the river above a huge archway.

Turn right and run through the wall and along the riverside. You'll pass one of the world's oldest suspension bridges, for foot traffic. We could take that bridge, but we'd miss some of the best sights nearby. So we'll run eastwards to that next bridge that you see ahead. There is a great view there.

View from the bridge

Run to the stone bridge, the Maxbrücke and look off the east side of the bridge: there is a covered bridge, a stone tower and an impressive half-timbered building on the riverside. Now cross the Maxbrücke to the north end and turn left to run back along the river, westwards, to the suspension bridge again.

Now turn right and cross the Maxplatz into the side street, Weissgerberstraße. This street has a collection of half-timbered houses that really give you a feeling how every street here once must have looked.

Weissgerberstraße

The cobble-stoned street merges into the asphalted Weinmarkt, where you run past one more house, then turn left to run up the steps and continue uphill along Dürerstraße. This street heads right to another city wall gate, Tiergärtnertor, at the northwest corner of the old town. The last house on the left was Albrecht Dürer's house, who was one of Europe's greatest medieval painters.

Albrecht Dürer house

This spot is one of my favorite places in town, with walls, towers, an old well and beautiful houses surrounding the square. Now continue heading uphill, between the houses towards the castle just above them. The house on the left has a knight in armor slaying a dragon on the wall: an armor-maker once lived there.

At the castle, turn right and run along its base on Am Ölberg lane. The castle belonged to the Kaisers, who would stay here part of each year on their non-stop wanderings between castles during the medieval times.

The castle

After the last house on the left (a little pub), run up the steps and continue uphill with the big castle square to your right.

At the top, you'll come to a big stone building with lots of teenagers hanging around: the youth hostel. Turn left and run into the first walled terrace of the castle, and run to the lookout spot. Now head back to the front door of the youth hostel, formerly the kaiser's stables.

Now turn right to run straight downhill along Burgstraße. You'll pass come to the renaissance-style town hall on the left, across from the gothic Sebald Church, with its extensive statuary along the walls. Make a loop around the church before you continue downhill along Burgstraße. The Bratwürsthäusle, next to the church is a great place to try out Nuremberg's sausage specialty. Come back later!

The town hall

You'll now come to a big market square, home in December to Germany's most famous Christmas market, the Christkindlmarkt. If you're in town then, you'll see the square packed with stands selling more Nuremberg specialties: toys, gingerbread and, of course, more bratwürst.

There's a gothic fountain right along the street, and a beautiful chapel, the Frauenkirche, along the east side of the market. From the chapel, run south to the river, and cross the bridge.

Details of the market fountain

Right on the far side of the river, turn left and follow the path eastwards along the south side of the river. There are beautiful buildings from the old infirmary across the water.

The path merges into a street, but stay running along the river, with O'Shea's pub to the right. After going up some steps, you'll come to a modern glass riverside complex, the Cinecitta cinema. Run along the water, with the cinema to your right. You'll then come to the east side of the old town, where the river flows under the eastern wall, with more walled archways over the river.

The last part of the river

Now turn right and run past the classical building housing the Nürnberger Akademie, and continue along the inside of the city walls. Just follow the lane along the wall until you get back to Königstraße.

London Richmond Park Running Route

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Length 9.8 km (6.1 miles), terrain: light hills

London Running Routes:
Best London Running Routes: Overview
Thames Embankment
Docklands-LimehouseRegent's Canal and Camden Town  
Hampstead Heath  
3-Parks Route: Hyde Park, Green Park, St. James' Park  
Regent's Park  
Hyde Park   
Chelsea
Heathrow Harmondsworth Moor  
Greenwich 
Richmond Park
Notting Hill
Victoria Park
Wimbledon Common Trail Run
Royal Docks/ExCeL Route 
Kew / Brentford Thames Run  
For more running routes, see Route List.
Richmond is one of my favorite places to stay and run in London. This elegant old town on the banks of the quiet Thames has a lot of flair. And, what's better, it has a huge park criss-crossed by trails, a constant alternation between open grasslands, ancient forests and ponds. Richmond Park is the place to be on a nice summer evening.

Along a trail in Richmond Park

I was looking forward to finally staying in Richmond again after a 20-year absence. I booked a room there just to run in the park, even though I was working in the city center.

Richmond Park forms a rough circle, about 2-km in diameter, just east of Richmond. On its eastern edge, it touches another park, Wimbledon Commons, meaning you can easily extend your runs eastwards.

We'll start the run in Richmond, down on the banks of the Thames, at Water Lane, where several riverside pubs form the heart of Richmond nightlife. The river is narrow here, and lined by a trail on this side (another great run!). There's a boat-ramp, and an island across the water.

The start at Water Lane along River Thames

Face the water and turn left to run southeastwards along the Thames riverside path under Richmond Bridge, past some rowing clubs and down through Buccleuch Gardens park. Stay on the paved path.

Boathouse in Richmond

At the south end of the park, the paved path ends at a field. Take the path to the left, and run uphill to Petersham Road. Cross the road at the zebra stripes then run further up across the grass-covered hillside to Richmond Hill street. This is the biggest climb of the run, rising about 40 meters.

Now you turn right and run the two blocks straight into Richmond Park, going by the gatehouse and through the iron gates. The park is surrounded by a brick wall.

Richmond Gate is straight ahead

That brings us to the subject of opening hours: being a Royal Park (like Regent's, Kensington Gardens and Windsor), it closes at night. It opens at 7- or 7:30 each morning, and closes at dusk. In the summer, that's between 8- and 9 p.m. For the exact times all year round, click this link.

Richmond Park, like about all the Royal Parks, began as a royal hunting grounds, stocked with deer. Later, it was made public. There are still more than 600 deer roaming the park.

Deer: you are bound to see some!

After entering the gate, stay on the paved path on the left side Sawyer's Hill Road along the left, heading east. Just continue going straight. Meadows open up in every direction, dotted with woods.

Luckily, most of the car traffic is turning right onto Queen's Road.

You will soon be able to see the skyline of central London off to the left horizon.

City skyline in the distance

A half-kilometer after the gate, the road goes downhill and curves to the left. At the bottom of the hill, you'll see a paved turnoff to the left to Holly Lodge. Turn right here, crossing the road and running south along the dirt road. First, it goes a bit uphill, then it curves to the left, going downhill, towards Georgian-style White Lodge crowning the next hilltop. This path is called Queen's Ride.

There will be woods off to the right side. This is one of my favorite spots in the park. There are lots of amazing ancient oaks in Richmond Park, and you'll find some of the most breathtaking old trees along the left side. Definitely take a closer look, and run by some of these forest ancients: gnarled, hollow, huge, silent witnesses of the ages. Some of them look like they might pull their roots out of the ground and walk away, like in Lord of the Rings. You will not soon see anything like them again. 

A Richmond Park oak

I got hit by a rain shower at this spot and waited it out under one of these gigantic trees.

The author waiting out a shower

When you get to the meadow at the bottom of the hill, just before it starts going uphill to White Lodge, turn right onto one of the paths.

You are now heading south towards two ponds, the Pen Ponds. You will come to the smaller pond first. Stay to the left of the water, running along the east side of the pond.

Pen Ponds

The ponds are separated by a dirt causeway. Cross the causeway. Now keep running along the east side of the larger pond.

The south end of the big pond is bordered by a woods. As soon as you reach the trees, you'll cross a small stream bed. Now turn left onto the dirt path curving to the southeast.

You are now running through varying grassland and trees, and you'll cross a paved bike trail.

You'll then start going uphill between two fenced-in woods. The woods on the right side is our next destination, Isabella Plantation, a garden in the middle of the park. NOTE: don't run on the trail with the loose orange sand: that is a bridal path (for horses). Take one of the smaller parallel paths for walkers.

Run on the path on the edge of the woods to your right. After cresting the hill, run down to the main entrance of Isabella Plantation, with its signs.

Go through the gates and you'll see a little stream on your left side. Now just follow the path next to the stream all the way through Isabella Plantation, running northwest.

Path along the stream in Isabella Plantation

At the north end of the plantation, there's a little pond. Take the path to the left of the pond and it leads you through the exit gate just past the water.

Now turn right and follow the dirt road for 50 meters as it leads back to the paved bike path.

At the bike path, turn left and follow it southwest to the park's most trafficed car road, Queen's Road. Cross the road and then turn right onto the dirt pedestrian trail next to the road.

Queen's Road foot trail

We'll follow this for the next 1.5-km, heading north, all the way back to Richmond Gate, where we entered the park.

You will run along a ridge, where you can see down grass-covered slopes towards the Thames on the left side. At the end of the slopes, there is a green sign pointing to a trail to Richmond Bridge, which goes down through the grass, curving to the right. You can take it if you want, but this route just follows the roads back.

When you exit the park, continue straight north along Richmond Hill. Stay on the left side of the street, and you can run in the narrow park along that side, overlooking the river down below.

View of Thames from Richmond Hill

More than a kilometer after you leave the park, the street name changes to Hill Street and comes into the town center.

Where the main road turns right at the House of Frazer department store, turn left onto Water Lane. In two blocks, you'll be back at the River Thames.

Essen Baldeneysee Running Route

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Length 14.5 km (9 miles), terrain: flat

For more running routes, see the Route List

Essen is the main city in Germany's Ruhr District, the country's industrial heartland. The area is known for its steelworks, coalmines and smokestacks, and isn't famous as a place to enjoy the outdoors. But little-known to most people, Essen has a big area of wooded hills and water along its southern side, perfect for running.

Baldeneysee in the evening

This route circles the Baldeneysee (Baldeney Lake), lined by pedestrian trails and woods, with lots of boat clubs and their docks, cafés, beer gardens, campgrounds and public beaches.

The crescent-shaped lake is really just a dammed-up section of the Ruhr River. The dam was built in the 1920s, creating a new recreational heart for Essen.

This is one of the longer routes that you'll find on this website, but is well worth it. But if you don't feel up to running the whole loop, just turn around wherever you please.

This route will start at the commuter-train station called "Hügel", located just below Alfred Krupp's hillside mansion, Villa Hügel. So if you are staying in central Essen, you can easily get to the lake from the main station (take the S6 train towards Rattingen).

Leaving the train station, just go down the steps to the lakeside road, Freiherr von Stein Straße, and turn right to keep going downhill. You'll see the lake across the road.

Take the first turnoff on the left, which takes you into a parking-lot for lake visitors. Just run straight past it to the lakeside, where there is a big seating area for crowds to watch rowing races.

The start of the course, running towards the dam

With a simple run like this, you could run in either direction. The north shore, where we are now, is mainly lined by small pedestrian paths, whereas the south shore follows a little-trafficked street, mainly used by inliners, bikers and runners.

I turned right here and circled the lake counter-clockwise. Doing that, you will see the dam just 700 meters away to the west. Run along the paved trail, going by little marinas. When you reach the dam, take the steps up to the top of the dam and run across it to the south side of the lake.

Crossing the dam

Then turn left and take the steps down to the little road lining the lake. You now just basically follow this road, the Hardenberger Ufer, heading east. You do this until you reach the first bridge, 6.7 km later, where you cross back again.

Running along the Hardenberger Ufer

On this south side of the lake, you'll go by more boat clubs, the Haus am See café (very cool spot), and a big campground. There will be very few cars on the road: only people going to and from the boat clubs and campground drive here.

Haus am See garden café: maybe this should be the end of the run!

When you pass the campground, at the 5-km mark, you'll come to a castle ruins, Haus Scheppen. The water-filled moat is used as a little marina. Make sure you follow the trail to the left as it stays along the side of the marina, keeping you next to the water. The main road goes off to the right.

Marina in the castle moat

Now there will be just nature along the rest of the south shore until it curves to the left at the 7.5-km mark, where a neighborhood is built along the shore, Kupferdreh.

You are now getting close to the bridge back to the north shore. You will see it straight ahead.

The bridge is an old railroad bridge. The tracks have been removed and the old railway bed is now used as a trail for bikers, hikers and runners.

When you reach the green metal bridge, take the steps up along the right side, at the boat club restaurant.

Heading across the bridge

Now run westwards across the bridge. At the other side, you will come to a woods. You could run straight along the old railway bed, where the trail is perfectly flat and straight, but it's more beautiful to turn left at the shore and follow the dirt shore path along the lakeside.

You'll find the most beautiful nature of the run here, in the nature preserve called the Heisinger Bogen. There are little islands along the shore, and a lagoon along the right side.

Pure nature along the north shore

At about the 9.4-km mark, you will need to go inland to go around a boat harbor. After another 300 meters, look for the blue pedestrian-trail sign to bring you back to the water.

Further along the north shore

At the 11.2-km mark, the trail joins into a paved pedestrian path next to Freiherr von Stein Straße. You'll pass another castle ruins, then go under a bridge, and then run along the back side of the public swimming area before the trail turns back to the waterside.

Now you just run west along the water, past a row of boat clubs and restaurants.

When you pass the bleachers for the rowing course, turn right at the Regattahaus, with its lookout tower and clocks on the roof. Now just run back uphill to the Hügel train station again. A long run, but one you'll never forget!