Winterthur Eschenberg Hill Running Route

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Length 7.3 km (4.5 miles), terrain: hilly, total gain almost 500 meters

NOTE: There is a similar hill-run on the north side of town, up the Lindberg. Just take Lindstrasse north, cross the bridge over the railway, then turn right onto Haldenstrasse and head straight up the hill and into the woods!

St. Laurenz Church in Winterthur old-town

The city of Winterthur is surrounded by hills, as you could imagine for a Swiss town. And Winterthur has some of the biggest woods of any town in the country. So the best runs take you up into the wooded countryside hills, which you can get to within minutes of the center, in the old town.

This run heads south of town to Eschenberg hill, and loops across it past an animal park, through some farm fields, and then back again.

We'll start the run in the heart of the old-town pedestrian zone, at the corner of Marktgasse (the main shopping street) and Metzggasse, next to the Krone (Crown) Hotel. There is a fountain there, the Justitia-Brunnen.

Starting point of the run on Marktgasse

So, if you're ready to go, head south along Metzggasse the three blocks till Technikumstrasse, a busy street just outside the old town.

Cross the street and keep heading south, where it starts going uphill along Turmhaldenstrasse. You're now running up Heiligberg, the steepest spot on the whole run.

Go up and over this little hill, where the street-name changes to Hochwachtstrasse.

When you come to the next busy street, Breitestrasse, Winterthur ends, at about the 1-km mark. Now the road continues southwards going up the forest-covered Eschenberg hill.

Take the path to the left of the road going up the hill

Cross Breitestrasse, then take the gravel path to the left of the paved road, following the signs for Bruderhus, Bruederhus or Bruderhaus (there are a few ways to spell it). The trail parallels the street all the way up. The hiking trail markers are yellow diamonds.

At a spot where the trail goes downhill for a short ways, there is a fresh spring-water fountain. At the fountain, turn right to continue following the signs to Bruderhus.

The fountain, turn right here

When you get to the top of the hill, you'll see the farm buildings at Bruderhus, at about the 2.5-km mark.

Bruderhus is an animal park, with deer, mountain goats, European bison (a smaller cousin of the North American ones), and other animals grazing within fenced meadows.

Deer at Bruderhus

Continue following the paved road. Right after Bruderhus, follow the Wildparkweg trail to the east, just to the left of the paved road, following the signs to "Eschenberg Seen". You are now running along a fairly flat hilltop for the next two kilometers.

The top of the hill is to the left side, with occasional cross-trails heading up there to the 30-meter-tall observation tower.

We're now running towards a farm on the other side of the hilltop, with a restaurant.

Approaching the Eschenberg farm

At the farm, the path rejoins the road in the open meadows. You can see the 800-year-old Kyburg castle on the next hilltop to the south (to the right).  

View south towards Kyburg

NOTE: If you want to go there, you have to first run down to the bottom of this hill and the back up to the castle, but that's another great run!

Run straight to the farm's barn, then turn left onto the dirt path to the left of the paved road, at the 4-km mark. The path is marked for "Waldheim Bus". It soon starts heading downhill, back to town.

Make sure you keep following the signs for Waldheim and not the ones that turn off to Waldegg. Remember, WaldHEIM, your Woods Home.

Woodpiles along the way home

The last part of this trail goes downhill steeply, merging into Langgasse, where you keep running straight, past some new apartments, after the 5.5-km mark.

Cross Breitestrasse again, continuing north on Langgasse. The main street curves to the right and becomes Reitweg.

Just after the parking lot on the left, at the fountain, turn left onto Wildbachstrasse.

Now head north on Wildbachstrasse, cross the bridge over the stream and come out onto the loud intersection at Technikumstrasse.

Along Oberer Graben

Cross the street, re-entering the old town along Oberer Graben, with its trees and park-like feeling. At the next intersection, turn left onto Marktgasse again and run westwards the last three blocks back to the starting point, past the fountain.

A VERY cool run!

Sydney Manly Beach Running Route

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Length 6.1 km (3.8 miles), terrain: flat until small hills at Cabbage Tree Bay (200 meters gain)

In addition to my own pictures, I added a few better ones from the creative folks at Flickr Creative Commons. Thanks!

Sydney Running Routes:
Best Sydney Running Routes: Overview
Central Businesss District (CBD)  
Harbour north shore  
South Head and Watsons Bay  
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Run
Manly Beach Run
Centennial Park Run Check the Routes by Country/City page for more routes.

If you have a few days or more to spend in Sydney, then you should definitely take time for a trip to Manly Beach, at the entrance to Sydney Harbour. Just the trip there, by itself, is worth it, riding the Manly Ferry from Circular Quay all the way through this scenic bay, surrounded by sailboat regattas, lighthouses, islands, and beautiful waterside neighborhoods.

Manly Ferry, photo by Philip Morton

And once you get to Manly, you'll find a fairly laid-back beach town with a tree-lined promenade, amazing surf and cliffs with panoramic views over the coastline and the Pacific. Manly occupies a narrow peninsula along the coast, just north of North Head, at the harbor entrance. 

Manly Beach, looking north, photo by Frants

The back side (west side) of this attractive beach town, where the ferry lands, looks out over relatively peaceful Manly Cove on Sydney Harbour, and has its own beaches. But just 400 meters eastwards, the main beach is pounded by gigantic Pacific waves, and is a sought-after destination for surfers from around the world.

Surfers in giant breakers at Manly Beach, photo by K. Hauser

And, of course, what better way to quickly get to know the area than to bring your running shoes and head off exploring!

This route is fairly simple, needing little explanation: it just heads from the ferry docks to the beach, traversing up and down the beach, and then continuing on along more secluded Cabbage Tree Bay, with its rocks, ocean pool, Shelly Beach and a hilly overlook.

So, standing there in front of the Manly ferry station, let's go!

Cross the Esplanade and then then follow the wavy stripes straight up the main little shopping street, the Corso. This street has a park-like pedestrian area for most of its length. The Corso is often the site of various festivals held in Manly each year: the Jazz Festival in October, the Food and Wine Festival in June, and the Arts Festival in September, among others. I was there once for the Jazz Festival, with live music stages on the Corso, and it was a lot of fun.

Along the Manly Corso, photo by J. Degenhardt

In just 400 meters, you come to the main beach, lined by a par with multiple rows of big Norfolk Island pine trees. You'll probably see that only part of the beach is open for swimming, marked by portable flags at each end of the swimming area by the life-guards. They can only rescue people in the treacherous surf if they can reach them quickly, paddling their surfboards. So they limit the size of the swimming area, according to conditions.

Now turn left and run north, either near the trees or out along the sand. The part of the beach north of the Corso is called North Steyne, and the section to the south is South Steyne. The whole beach is popular with surfers.

Just keep running northwards until the beach ends at the 1.5-km mark (about a mile). You could continue past the next spit of land to further beaches, but that's a different route!

Now turn around and run south, past the Corso again, along South Steyne.

The beach ends, at the 3-km mark, right at the Manly Life Saving Club (nobody has drowned at Manly since they began patrolling more than a hundred years ago!). Just behind the Clubhouse, turn left and take the trail that continues along the water, Marine Parade. This pedestrian street lines the rocks out in Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, with waves bouncing over the rocks far out into the bay.

Rocks along Cabbage Tree Bay, photo by K. Hauser

At the low spot where the one side street, Bower Lane, comes in from the right, notice how the paint is peeling off the houses. The waves jump explode over the street here so often and pound the houses that the paint doesn't last long. Sometimes you have to wait for the right moment, between waves, to run through this spot!

Cabbage Tree Bay, with Shelly Beach in distance, photo by Richard Ling

Right after that, you'll pass the swimming pool built out into the rocks, protected from the waves.

In another 300 meters, you'll come to little Shelly Beach, a secluded cove popular with families with small kids because there are not normally any waves here. The hilly headland to the left (east) protects this great little spot. There's an idylic restaurant to the side, and a barbeque area, and you can often see diving classes practicing out in Cabbage Tree Bay: this is one great hangout!

Run to the back side of the beach and take the sidewalk up past the barbeque grills to the parking lot above. At the parking lot, stay along the left side the few steps as you run to the lookout over the cliffs along the Pacific.

Now turn left and run along the trail that circles the headland, along the yellow fence. This is one of the most spectacular running spots you'll ever encounter, with the waves thundering against the rocks below!

Cliffs along the headland at Shelly Beach, photo by LynnaKim

NOTE: There is a trail leading uphill from the other end of the parking lot which heads further south through the bushlands of Sydney Harbour National Park. You could follow it for some much longer runs. It's part of the Manly Scenic Walk, which continues through North Head at the mouth of the harbor. There are great lookouts from the cliffs, old fortifications and the quarantine station, too. The park closes in the evenings at 8 PM.

The headland trail soon loops back out to the parking lot again, where you follow Marine Parade back towards the Manly Life Saving Club.

Now, at the club, head west down Ashburner Street, which is a quiet residential street with some traditional Federation-style houses. In a few blocks, you'll be back at Manly Cove, with its own little beach and park.

Manly Cove at sunset, photo by K. Hauser

Turn right and run the last 300 meters back north to the ferry terminal. Now it's time to head to your favorite beach spot, have a swim and a shower (in one of the three surf clubs along the main beach, or at the beaches on the Cove side), and then buy one of those great-looking ice-creams along the Corso!

Manchester Center/Waterside Running Route

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Length 5.4 km (3.4 miles), terrain: flat (100 meters gain)

Pictures courtesy of the creative folks at Flickr Creative Commons. Thanks! 

Manchester running routes:
City center route
Salford Quays route
Rochdale Canal route
Worsley route
For more running routes, see Route List.  
Manchester City Centre definitely sends visitors a mixed message. Around the city centre, you'll see quite a few abandoned Victorian-Era factories, with their blackened brick facades and broken windows. But many neighborhoods are also making a spectacular comeback, with gleaming new buildings shoulder to shoulder with re-purposed factories along newly opened riverside walkways. There is some major rejuvenation going on in this proud industrial area, home to the industrial revolution.

This running route explores some of this fascinating mix, heading through the heart of the city and along some restored canals and riverfront along the western edge of the town center.

Fountain gargoyle in Albert Square, photo by Phil King

The route starts in Albert Square, in front of the Manchester Town Hall, which stands there looking like a role-model town hall: a classical facade in hewn tan stones and a big bell tower, with statues and monuments out front, and a fountain with weird gargoyles spitting out water. Each December they have a German-style Christmas market on the square, with Bavarian food and craft articles, as I discovered one year.

Stand there at the Gothic-steepled memorial to Prince Albert and turn south to run past the front of the town hall and down Mount Street. You'll immediately go by the round, domed public library, then come out onto the front plaza of the Manchester CCC, the Central Convention Complex. It was once the central train station, but now hosts conferences and concerts.

Now head around the left side of the CCC, still running south on Lower Mosley Street. Run for a couple of blocks, until you see the train overpass ahead at the City Road Inn, where you turn right to run west on Whitworth Street, with its canal-side clubs along your right side.

You'll soon pass the Deansgate Station on the left, and the jaw-dropping, huge new skyscraper with the Hilton Hotel off to the right. You'll then come to the big cross-street, Deansgate.

Continue straight, running under the red-and-white bridge along Castle Street. Just after going under the bridge, you come into the nicely restored Castlefield canal-side neighborhood.

Narrowboat and bridge in Castlefield, photo by Quite Adept

After going under the bridge, immediately turn left to go up onto the little terrace with the big, red cog-wheel,and then take the stairs down to the lower terrace by the ring-canal below, at the 1-km mark. Now cross the iron footbridge spanning the canal (raised-up with steps) and turn right to run along the water, past the narrow-boats. These unique boats were developed to travel the narrow, industrial-revolution era canals, in the early 1800s.

The Castlefield district has a great combination of restored old warehouses and new waterside housing and offices. You'll soon cross a Dutch-style draw-bridge and then continue along the walkway to the right, towards the modernistic, white footbridge ahead.

Run under the footbridge to stay along the Bridgewater Canal-side, as it curves to the left.

Along the Bridgewater Canal, photo by brandenburg

Now run southwest along the towpath of the Bridgewater Canal, where you can continue for another 400 meters, with its mix of older and brand-new buildings. After you go up and over a lock to a side-canal on the left, the towpath will soon end, where you turn around and run back to the modern, white footbridge back at the ring-canal again.

This time, when you get to the bridge, cross it. You'll go right through the beautiful beer garden of the Bohemia bar and grill. Maybe take a look to your right side at the old boat lock there, too, with its fascinating, almost 200-year-old technology.

The boat lock sluice, photo by Admanchester

Now turn north and run under the arches below the two railroad bridges. Stay to the left and then go under a third railroad bridge, coming to the Castlefield boat basin, with more narrowboats and its tent-roofed outdoor concert venue along the right side.

Leave the canal basin by continuing up the steps to Liverpool Street ahead, where you turn left, leaving Castlefield. Liverpool Street is lined with classical facades from Manchester's industrial boom-town days.

NOTE: Right where you enter Liverpool Street is the great (if you like mechanical stuff, like me) Museum of Science and Industry, with its cars, airplanes, huge motors, etc., all made right around Manchester!

In 100 meters, Liverpool Street ends at Water Street. Turn right there and go under the next two old iron railway bridges and then turn left onto the first street thereafter, Princes Bridge, at the 3-km mark. This bridge crosses the River Irwell, which separates Manchester with Salford on the other side. We'll now run northeast in Salford along the riverside.

So, at the far side of the bridge, follow the bicycle signs that point to the right and follow the towpath.

When you pass the next bridge over the Irwell, you'll enter a neighborhood with a lot of new office buildings, shops and riverside restaurants, Spinningfields. A very cool spot, with the Marc Addy pub right along the water! The area is changing fast, with each new development phase opening up more waterside trails.

Along the Irwell, the Marc Addy pub, photo by innpictime

You'll pass by another white, modernistic footbridge, Trinity Bridge, and then come to another car bridge, at Blackfriars Street, after the 4-km mark. The trail ends here, so turn right to cross the bridge and then turn left after the big car-park and hotel, onto Deansgate.

You are heading straight toward the old Gothic cathedral, two blocks ahead. Run past the cathedral, then turn right to continue along the green churchyard.

Manchester cathedral, photo by Bittenk1

At the square behind the cathedral, turn right to continue along its back side, running south.

You now come out onto Exchange Square, a surprising mixture of medieval, Victorian and modernistic architecture. The square was rebuilt after the IRA bombed it in 1996, and the contrasts are refreshing. Look at the tudor-era pubs to the right, on the small courtyard of Shambles Square.

Exchange Square, with Shambles on the left, photo by Pete Grubb

Now cross the square, past Selfridges department store towards the giant Next store in the Arndale Shopping Center, then turn right to run south along Cross Street.

In 500 meters, you'll be back at Albert Square and the town hall.

NOTE: Or you could take the parallel pedestrian street, Exchange Street, right from Shambles Square to St. Anne's church before turning left to get onto Cross Street. It's a bit quieter and nicer.