[steve_c]

Hi-
I'm looking for suggestions for a winter holiday for two involving running, Preferably guided or with a group, but I'm willing to consider a place where I can find routes run on Strava or the like. I'd rather it wasn't an isolated purpose-built gated community like Club La Santa. Thanks!

I'm in the habit of running all year round and my spouse and I like to get away from the snow in December for a week or so. In previous years we've run with a guide in Edinburgh, Evia/Greece, Chefchouan/Morocco and Alhama de Granada, Spain. (In the summer we've also run in the Chamonix area, Dolomites, Jura/France and Annecy.) We've been to the Canaries, Azores and similar on ordinary holidays so hesitate to go again. We've done quite a few long distance paths in the UK too, so that could be a possibility, except for the weather thing. I'd appreciate any suggestions.

 

[Fulmar]

You could try doing a section of the Camino de Santiago.
The Camino Inglés could be a good option.

https://www.csj.org.uk/planning-your-pilgrimage/routes-to-santiago/routes-in-spain/the-camino-ingles/

https://caminoways.com/ways/english-way-camino-ingles/section-1

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/ingles/

 

[steve_c]

Interesting idea. We've done the part that overlaps with Stevenson's Way from Puy en Velay. I'm looking at an option a bit further south in Spain at the moment

 

[Fulmar]

I'm looking for something similar for mid-November.
Let's use this thread when we come up with ideas.

 

[Stupid Beard]

Unless you really like mud, I'm not sure the UK in December will be a good option. The paths here get really muddy in the winter. It's fine for day trips/long runs, but I would think that it would get old fast if you didn't have a nice hot shower and clean/dry clothes and shoes to change into at the end of the day.

But that said, it really depends on which path and what the weather is like.

 

[steve_c]

I'm looking for something similar for mid-November.
Let's use this thread when we come up with ideas.

Fine by me. In that case, I have a couple of suggestions from the past to relate. Please don't interpret them as advertising

Unless you really like mud, I'm not sure the UK in December will be a good option. The paths here get really muddy in the winter. It's fine for day trips/long runs, but I would think that it would get old fast if you didn't have a nice hot shower and clean/dry clothes and shoes to change into at the end of the day.

But that said, it really depends on which path and what the weather is like.

Good point. That can also be true of the summer. Run-walking Offa's Dyke in one of the wettest summers on record a couple of years back comes to mind It's easy as an expat for me to forget that chilly rain can be more unpleasant to run in than snow Our normal style of running holiday that I am looking for includes bag transport or trips from a fixed base, so at least we do get to change and shower in a nice B&B usually.

Options we have used before are:

• Tracks and Trails - we've used this only for non-snowy guided running holidays, usually in the summer, e.g., Jura mountains, tour of Mont Blanc, Dolomites Alta Via 1.
• Contours - summer trips run-walking their hiking packages on national trials, e.g., St Cuthbert's, Offa's, Pembs, Wales CP, South West CP.
• Trailrun Spain - Andalucia guided trail-running around Al Hama de Granada around christmas
• Drovers - self-guided run-walk for parts of the Wales CP

One we are thinking about for xmas but haven't used yet is Ultratrail Spain. I'd appreciate any comments about this one.

 

[Fulmar]

Thank you for the suggestions, Steve.