Cambridgeshire is about as flat as English counties get, which is good news for anyone chasing a personal best and less good news if you like hills. What it does have is miles of riverside path, a reservoir big enough to run a half marathon round, a traffic-free path beside the Guided Busway and running clubs in every town that will happily take a beginner out on a Tuesday night.
This guide covers fifteen routes, clubs, venues and races across Cambridge and the south, Huntingdonshire and the Great Ouse, and Ely, the Fens and Peterborough. We list race dates only where the organiser has confirmed them for 2026 or 2027, and we flag the path works and seasonal limits we found in November 2026. A full list of the county’s parkruns is coming in our separate parkrun guide.
Details were accurate at the time of research in November 2026. Club sessions, race entries and path closures change often, so please check each organiser’s own website before you go.
Cambridge and the South
Cambridge has the county’s biggest athletics club, its best-known race and a river that is busy with rowers before most people are awake. Running here is mostly flat and riverside, so the hill work happens out at Magog Down and the villages towards the Essex border.
The River Cam Towpath and the City Commons
Outdoor activity
- A flat loop of about 5.6 miles (9km) links Jesus Green, Midsummer Common, Stourbridge Common and Ditton Meadows along the River Cam, turning at Fen Ditton
- You can stretch the run by carrying on about 1.3 miles north on the river path to Baits Bite Lock and on to Milton Country Park
- Cambridge City Council has marked a shorter 2.5km circuit around Jesus Green for quick laps
- Paths are shared with cyclists, and the stretch past the college boathouses gets crowded, especially on spring and summer evenings
- Rowing crews and their coaches on bikes use the towpath at first light, so keep to the side and expect sudden stops at the boathouses
- Jesus Green Lido, a pool about 90 metres long managed by GLL for the council, sits beside the route for a post-run swim; check its current season and hours before you go
- The council’s sports facilities leaflet lists outdoor gyms at Coldham’s Common by the Abbey Leisure Complex, Ditton Fields, Logan’s Meadow and Trumpington Recreation Ground, among others
- The commons are grazed by cattle in summer, and the lower paths can be muddy or under water after heavy rain
Start point: Jesus Green, Cambridge (near Victoria Avenue); Cambridge station is about 1.5 miles away
Distance: About 5.6 miles (9km) out and back to Fen Ditton; 2.5km Jesus Green circuit
Maps: OS Explorer 209 (Cambridge)
Website: camconservancy.org (river notices); cambridge.gov.uk (parks and Jesus Green Lido)
River note: The Cam Conservators issued a temporary navigation restriction on 5 November 2026. No towpath closure was listed at the time of research, but check their notices page before an early run
This is the run most Cambridge runners do without thinking about it. You leave the traffic behind on Jesus Green, pass the boathouses where eights are being carried down to the water, and within a mile you are on open common with cows for company. The turn at Ditton Meadows gives you a view back across the river to the city that is worth slowing down for. It is a good place to learn pacing because it is dead flat and almost entirely free of road crossings once you are past Victoria Avenue. Go early or late in summer, when the towpath fills with walkers and cyclists.
Cambridge & Coleridge Athletic Club
Outdoor activity
- The city’s main athletics club, formed in 1961 when Cambridge City Athletic Club and Coleridge Athletic Club merged
- Most training takes place at the Cambridge University Athletics Track, with some endurance sessions on quieter roads around the university’s West Site
- Hill and trail sessions head out to Coton and Magog Down, and a limited programme runs at the Carver Barracks track near Saffron Walden
- Sections cover endurance running, track and field, a junior academy, disability athletics and race walking
- Members include grassroots runners as well as athletes who have represented Great Britain at European and World championships
- The club is a registered charity and announced a two-year sponsorship with Penningtons Manches Cooper in November 2025
- Session times are listed on each section’s page rather than on one timetable, so check the section that suits you before turning up
Address: Cambridge University Athletics Track, Cambridge (main training base)
Website: cambridgeandcoleridge.org.uk
How to join: Through the Membership and Contact pages on the club’s website
Cambridge & Coleridge is the club to join if you want structured coaching rather than just company on a long run. The endurance group gets serious about track intervals in summer and cross country in winter, but the club also takes runners who simply want to get quicker at 5k. A measured lap on a proper track makes winter speed work far easier than guessing distances on dark roads.
Cambridge Half Marathon
Outdoor activity
- The 2027 race is on Sunday 14 March 2027, confirmed by the organiser
- The 2026 race sold out in record time, and the organiser says the event sells out every year
- Entries for 2027 were not yet on sale in November 2026; sign up to the organiser’s mailing list to hear when they open
- The course is flat and runs through the city centre past King’s, Trinity, St John’s and Jesus colleges, including views of the Bridge of Sighs and the Wren Library
- The middle section heads out of the city to Grantchester and the countryside around it
- The organiser describes a field of around 15,000 runners
- Charity places are offered by several charities, including the MS Trust and EACH, if you miss out on general entry
- A separate Cambridge x Oxford Half Marathon Challenge has only 500 places
Website: cambridgehalfmarathon.com
How to book: Mailing list sign-up on the organiser’s website, or a charity place through a partner charity
The Cambridge Half is the county’s biggest running day, and the city feels different when the roads close and the crowds line the college streets. The course is fast, which is why so many people use it as a spring target after winter training. The Grantchester section is the quiet middle part where you find your rhythm before the noise picks up again on the way back in. Because general entries go so quickly, a charity place is often the realistic route in. Book accommodation early if you are travelling, as Cambridge fills up that weekend.
Milton Country Park
Outdoor activity
- A country park on the northern edge of Cambridge, built around former gravel pits, which hosts both a parkrun and organised open water swimming
- Milton Country parkrun is a 5k run of two and a half laps on trail paths every Saturday morning
- The parkrun course is mud and compressed stone that drains poorly, so puddles are common in winter, and the wooded sections are uneven with tree roots
- Dogs are not allowed on the parkrun, apart from assistance dogs
- Open water swimming is run by the park and booked through NOWCA on the ACTiO app
- Winter public swims started on 3 October 2026 and run on Saturdays from 10am to 11am at Deep Pool
- An induction is needed before your first winter swim, and tow floats are mandatory, including for swimmers without wetsuits
- The gentler Mindful Swims on Fridays have finished for 2026 and return in spring 2027
Address: Cambridge Road, Milton, Cambridge CB24 6AZ
Website: miltoncountrypark.org; parkrun.org.uk/cambridge
Phone: 01223 420060
How to book: parkrun is free with your barcode; swims are booked through NOWCA (actio.nowca.org)
Milton is the one place near Cambridge where you can do a Saturday parkrun and then get in a lake without travelling anywhere else. The parkrun is a proper trail course rather than a fast tarmac one, so leave PB hopes for summer and wear shoes with grip from November. The swimming is properly organised, with inductions, tow floats and set session times, which is how lake swimming should be done. It is also a natural add-on to the river run, as the towpath from Baits Bite Lock brings you straight to the park.
Rowing on the Cam: Learn to Row
Outdoor activity
- Cambridge’s town rowing clubs teach adult beginners on the same stretch of the Cam used by the college crews
- City of Cambridge Rowing Club ran its 2026 Learn to Row course over eight sessions from 19 August to 12 September, priced at £99 including coaching, equipment and insurance
- City of Cambridge sessions ran on Wednesday evenings and Saturday late mornings, with graduates able to join the novice squad for the 2026/27 season
- Cambridge ’99 Rowing Club’s adult Learn to Row course costs £100 for four coached land sessions and four coached water sessions, starting in a small, stable boat
- Cambridge ’99 also runs a learn to cox programme and an eight-week junior course with sessions on Wednesdays and Saturdays
- Early mornings and winter outings are part of the deal, as clubs fit around daylight and river traffic
- Expect to spend time on rowing machines as well as on the water, especially in winter
Website: cityrc.co.uk; cambridge99.org
How to book: City of Cambridge through its Learn to Row page; Cambridge ’99 by getting in touch through its website
Rowing on the Cam looks like a university-only sport, but the town clubs have been teaching ordinary adults for decades. A learn to row course is one of the better fitness investments in the city, working legs, back and lungs in a way running does not. City of Cambridge’s summer course leads straight into a squad, while Cambridge ’99 mixes land and water sessions for a steadier start.
Road Cycling from Cambridge
Outdoor activity
- Cambridge Cycling Club runs club rides every Sunday all year, usually leaving at 9am from the car park to the left of the main entrance at Addenbrooke’s on Hills Road
- Groups are split by average speed, from touring at 22 to 24km/h up to the fastest group at over 30km/h
- Typical rides cover 60 to 120km with a café stop, and riders are usually back in Cambridge by 1 or 2pm
- Newcomers can join a couple of rides before deciding to become members, and the club runs introductory group rides for road riders new to riding in a bunch
- Riders under 18 must contact the club first, and full mudguards with a rear mudflap are requested over winter
- CTC Cambridge, the local Cycling UK group, runs Sunday rides of around 50 miles from Brookside, usually starting between 9am and 9:30am
- The CTC Sunday ride series runs every week through to January 2027
- Third-party liability insurance is strongly recommended, as club insurance does not cover claims against individual riders
Start point: Addenbrooke’s, Hills Road, Cambridge (Cambridge CC); Brookside, Cambridge (CTC Cambridge)
Website: cambridge-cycling-club.org.uk; ctccambridge.org.uk
How to book: Email the Cambridge CC club runs captain to be matched to a group; CTC ride details are posted on its website
The roads south of Cambridge are where the county’s cyclists find their hills, gentle as they are. Club rides head out into the villages south of the city on quiet lanes, with the occasional drag that feels steeper than it looks on the map. Joining a club ride is the safest way to learn group riding etiquette, and both clubs are used to newcomers. Cambridge CC is the quicker, more sporting option; CTC Cambridge leans towards steady touring with a proper lunch. Bring lights in winter even for a morning ride, as the lanes go dark early under hedges.
Huntingdonshire and the Great Ouse
West of Cambridge the running moves onto reservoir shores, riverside parks and the Busway path. Huntingdonshire has two strong clubs, one of the county’s most popular half marathons at St Neots and Grafham Water, which hosts more races than anywhere else in the county.
Grafham Water
Outdoor activity
- England’s third largest reservoir by area, with a shoreline circuit of about 10 miles on surfaced tracks and short road sections
- The circuit is mostly flat with a few short climbs near the dam, and you share it with cyclists and families
- Phoenix Running holds lap events here on a mainly tarmac 5.3km loop, including a timed run on Sunday 15 November 2026 and “Not The Cambridge Half” on Sunday 14 March 2027
- The March 2027 lap event offers 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon and ultra distances
- The As Keen As Mustard Grafham Water Swimrun is on Sunday 27 June 2027, with 5k, 10k and 21km solo routes and a 21km team option
- The ATW Grafham Triathlon and the Grafham Water Trail Races were both held in autumn 2026, and their 2027 dates had not been published at the time of research
- Swimming is only allowed during organised, lifeguarded sessions, which have run at weekends through the Wild app; check Anglian Water Parks for 2027 session dates
- Parking is pay on site at Marlow Park and the other shore car parks
Start point: Marlow Park, Grafham, Huntingdon PE28 0BH
Distance: About 10 miles (16km) for the full circuit
Maps: OS Explorer 225 (Huntingdon and St Ives)
Website: anglianwaterparks.co.uk (search Grafham Water)
Event note: Race days take over the car park and parts of the circuit, so check the events calendar before a solo long run
Grafham is where Huntingdonshire runners go when they need distance without traffic lights. A full lap is a good 16km long run, and the shore paths are wide enough to run side by side for a natter. The wind across the water is the real challenge, and on a blustery day one half of the lap feels twice as long as the other. The race calendar here is busy enough that you could run a different event almost every month. If you are training for the Cambridge Half, Phoenix’s lap event on the same morning is a fair consolation if you miss out on a place.
The Guided Busway Path
Outdoor activity
- A surfaced, flat, traffic-free path running beside the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway for about 16 miles between St Ives and Cambridge
- It is popular with runners training for long road races, as you can measure distance easily between bus stops and run one way before catching a bus back
- The northern section between Fenstanton Lakes and St Ives floods in wet winters; a flood closure at Fenstanton Lakes had been lifted by October 2026
- Safety fencing was being installed between Milton Road and Cambridge North station in autumn 2026, with the path open but narrower than usual while works continue
- The contractor for fencing work between Histon and St Ives had not been appointed in October 2026, so more works are likely on that stretch
- The southern section between Clay Farm and Trumpington closed for urgent repairs in October 2026, affecting both the busway and the maintenance track beside it
- Buses run fast and frequently on the track beside you, so keep headphones low and never step onto the guideway
Start point: St Ives park and ride at the northern end; Cambridge North station or Milton Road at the Cambridge end
Distance: About 16 miles (26km) one way
Maps: OS Explorer 225 (Huntingdon and St Ives) and 209 (Cambridge)
Website: cambridgeshire.gov.uk (search Guided Busway improvements)
Closure note: Fencing works near Cambridge North from autumn 2026, the Clay Farm to Trumpington section closed for repairs from October 2026, and seasonal flooding near Fenstanton and St Ives. Check the council’s works updates and social media before setting out
The Busway path is not pretty in the way the river is, but it is honest training ground. It is long, straight and flat, which makes it ideal for marathon pace work and tempo runs where you want no excuses. The stretch across the lakes near Fen Drayton and Fenstanton is the most pleasant section, with water on both sides and herons in the reeds. Our walking and cycling guide covers the path in more detail for riders. Runners should note that the works, closures and flooding all hit this route at once in winter, so check before committing to a long out and back.
Hinchingbrooke Country Park and Huntingdon parkrun
Outdoor activity
- A country park on the edge of Huntingdon with lakes, woodland and meadows, and the home of Huntingdon parkrun every Saturday morning
- The parkrun course is 5k on a mix of unsurfaced bridleway, grass and hard paths, starting and finishing on a grassy meadow
- The course heads uphill early, loops through woodland and runs two laps of a second wood, so it is one of the hillier parkruns in the county
- Trail shoes are recommended after rain, as muddy patches and puddles are common
- The park is part way through a major redevelopment by Huntingdonshire District Council, which started in April 2026 and is expected to finish in spring 2027
- Temporary toilets and a cashless café kiosk are in the car park while the works continue
- Parking at the park is limited and pay and display, with alternative parking at Hinchingbrooke Hospital about five minutes’ walk away; check parkrun news for short-term parking changes
Address: Brampton Road, Huntingdon PE29 6DB
Website: parkrun.org.uk/huntingdon; huntingdonshire.gov.uk (search Hinchingbrooke Country Park)
How to book: parkrun is free; register once online and bring your barcode
Works note: Redevelopment in progress from April 2026 to spring 2027. Check the council’s works bulletin before visiting
Huntingdon parkrun is a good antidote to the idea that Cambridgeshire is all flat. The climb out of the meadow comes early, and the woodland laps keep you honest. Outside parkrun hours, the paths around the main lake make an easy recovery run of about two miles. Arrive early on Saturdays, as the reduced parking fills quickly.
Hunts AC and the St Ives Outdoor Track
Outdoor activity
- Huntingdonshire Athletics Club, known as Hunts AC, is based at St Ives Outdoor Centre and welcomes members aged 9 and over
- Hunts AC trains on the St Ives athletics track on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6pm to 8:30pm
- BRJ Run and Tri also trains on the track on Wednesday evenings
- Outside club bookings, the track is open to the public on a pay and play basis
- The track is run by One Leisure, Huntingdonshire District Council’s leisure service, and can be hired privately
- Club members race across the region in cross country, road and track events, and the club newsletter reports results from parkruns at Huntingdon and Ferry Meadows
- The club runs a Strava group and posts updates on Instagram
Address: St Ives Outdoor Centre, California Road, St Ives PE27 6SJ
Website: oneleisure.net (track); Hunts AC club website (search Huntingdonshire Athletics Club)
How to book: Day passes on site; club membership through Hunts AC directly
Not many people outside St Ives know the town has a full athletics track, and that is a shame because the pay and play price is one of the cheapest ways to do proper interval work in the county. For runners who train alone, a session on a measured track is far easier than guessing 400 metres on a road. Hunts AC suits families, with juniors from age nine training alongside adults.
St Neots Riverside Park and Riverside Runners
Outdoor activity
- Riverside Park is about 29 hectares (72 acres) of mostly flood plain meadow, with a mile-long frontage on the Great Ouse
- The park has parking for 250 cars plus 70 more spaces off Hardwick Road, public toilets and the Ambiance café and kiosk
- Because it sits mainly in the flood plain, low paths can be wet or under water in winter
- St Neots Riverside Runners hold club runs at 6:30pm on Monday and Thursday, speedwork on Tuesday and a social run on Wednesday, with long Sunday runs arranged between members
- Juniors aged 8 to 17 train on Thursdays, and the Monday club run is set up for beginners, with experienced runners making sure nobody is left behind
- Free taster sessions are offered for anyone aged 8 and over
- The club’s St Neots Half Marathon is on Sunday 15 November 2026, a single slightly undulating lap of country roads limited to 2,000 entries
- Half marathon entry is £35 for affiliated runners or £37 for non-affiliated runners plus a booking fee, with race HQ at Ernulf School and the start on Cromwell Road
Start point: Riverside Park, St Neots (car park off Hardwick Road)
Website: huntingdonshire.gov.uk (search Riverside Park St Neots); stneotshalfmarathon.co.uk
How to book: Club tasters through the Riverside Runners Facebook page; race entries through the half marathon website
Riverside Park is where St Neots runs, and on club nights you will see groups of runners sharing the riverside paths with dog walkers. Laps of the meadows along the river make an easy, flat few miles. The half marathon is the club’s big day and usually sells out within hours of entries opening, so treat the November 2026 race as one to plan for in 2027 if you have not got a place. The club’s free tasters and beginner-friendly Monday run make it one of the easiest clubs in the county to join.
Ely, the Fens and Peterborough
North and east of Cambridge, the running is fast, flat and windy, on riverbanks, droves and the closed roads of Peterborough city centre. The Fenland clubs race each other through the winter Frostbite League, and Peterborough has its own closed-road half marathon and a bookable athletics track.
Ely Runners and the Great Ouse at Ely
Outdoor activity
- Ely Runners was formed in 1985, has more than 150 members and usually sees 20 to 35 runners at evening sessions
- The club trains from the Paradise Centre in Ely, with interval and steady groups on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, an easy social run on Friday mornings and a chatty group on Sunday mornings
- Senior training for over 18s is booked through the club’s MyClubHouse calendar
- A 10-week Beginners Programme ran from January to March 2026; check the club’s website for the next course
- The club’s New Year’s Eve 10k starts at 11am on Thursday 31 December 2026 at Little Downham, and entries are open
- Ely hosts a round of the Frostbite Friendly League at Ben’s Yard on 7 December 2026, part of a winter series that also visits St Neots, Peterborough, March, King’s Lynn and Huntingdon
- The riverside path along the Great Ouse from Ely gives flat, traffic-free miles, but it can flood or turn to deep mud in winter
Address: Paradise Centre, Ely (club meeting point)
Website: elyrunners.co.uk
How to book: Membership through the club’s online portal; races through the club’s events pages
Ely Runners is a big, friendly club in a small city, and the size shows in how many groups it runs each week. The riverside out of Ely is the obvious training ground, with the cathedral visible behind you for miles on the way back. The New Year’s Eve 10k in Little Downham is a good excuse to start a new year’s resolution a day early. The Frostbite League gives club runners a reason to keep racing through the dark months, and it is a good way for new members to get to know the other Fen clubs.
March AC and Fenland Running Club
Outdoor activity
- March AC trains from its clubhouse at 6:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with 5 or 6 mile runs near the clubhouse and summer speedwork on the playing field
- The March AC Sunday run starts at 8:30am, with half and full marathon trainees often covering 10 miles or more
- Sunday sessions are cancelled when the club has a big presence at local races, such as the Frostbite League
- March athletes raced the opening Frostbite League fixture of the 2026-27 season in October 2026 and picked up age category wins at the Sawtry 10 in September 2026
- Fenland Running Club hosted its Fen 10 road race, run in the Wisbech area, in October 2026
- The March round of the Frostbite Friendly League is on 17 January 2027
- Fen roads are flat but exposed, so winter runs are often more about the headwind than the distance
Address: March AC clubhouse, March (see the club’s listing for details)
Website: Search March AC and Fenland Running Club on fetcheveryone.com or Facebook
How to book: Contact each club directly about taster runs and membership
The Fenland clubs are small, sociable and fiercely competitive with each other, which is exactly what keeps their members turning out on cold Tuesday nights. Running in March and Wisbech means long straight roads, big open fields and wind that has had nothing to slow it down since the Wash. That makes for honest training. Local newspapers still report club results regularly, which tells you how much these clubs matter to their towns.
Ferry Meadows and Thorpe Meadows, Peterborough
Outdoor activity
- Ferry Meadows Country Park in Nene Park is Peterborough’s main running ground, with miles of level paths around the lakes and along the River Nene
- Ferry Meadows parkrun is a 5k course entirely on tarmac paths, starting outside Ferry Meadows Café and looping around Lynch Lake, Overton Lake and Gunwade Lake
- After rain, parts of the parkrun course can have mud, leaves or puddles, and low meadows by the river flood in wet winters
- Nene Park Trust’s volunteer run leaders hold free Try Running sessions, including one on 10 November 2026 from the Thorpe Wood Golf car park for new, returning or lapsed runners
- Try Running sessions are for over 18s and must be booked in advance
- Peterborough City Rowing Club is based on its own rowing lake at Thorpe Meadows, close to Nene Park
- The rowing club’s adult Learn to Row courses run for eight two-hour sessions, typically starting in April, June, August and October, for anyone aged 16 or over
- Car parking charges apply to every vehicle at Ferry Meadows, including Blue Badge holders
Address: Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre, Ham Lane, Peterborough
Website: nenepark.org.uk; parkrun.org.uk/peterborough; peterboroughcityrowing.co.uk
How to book: parkrun is free with your barcode; Try Running and rowing courses booked through Nene Park Trust and the rowing club
Ferry Meadows is where Peterborough comes to run, and the Saturday parkrun draws a big field. The tarmac course is fast, and outside parkrun the lake loops let you add distance a lap at a time. Thorpe Meadows next door is quieter, and watching the rowing club on its lake is a pleasant cool down. The Try Running sessions are a good first step for anyone nervous about turning up to a club.
Great Eastern Run and the Peterborough Embankment Track
Outdoor activity
- The Great Eastern Run is a half marathon on closed roads through Peterborough city centre, organised by Good Running Events, with a 5K fun run alongside
- The 2027 race is on Sunday 10 October 2027, and entries were open in November 2026
- The course is flat and fast, and in 2026 it started and finished on the Embankment in the city centre
- Charity places are offered through local charities, including EACH
- The Peterborough athletics track on Bishops Road is run by Vivacity, with open track sessions that must be booked in advance
- Open track sessions run on Monday to Thursday afternoons and early on Sunday mornings, cost £6 for adults and £4.50 for juniors and are free for Vivacity gym members; under 16s must be with an adult, and a 10-session pass costs £35
- The track is used by Peterborough and Nene Valley Athletic Club, whose members can no longer park inside the track arena and use the Bishops Road car park instead
- The Embankment’s long-term future, including whether the track stays in place, has been part of a wider masterplan debate, so check Vivacity before planning a regular session
Address: Peterborough athletics track, Bishops Road, Peterborough PE1 5BW
Website: greateastern.run; vivacity.org (search athletics track)
Phone: 07484 033304 (athletics track)
How to book: Race entries through the Great Eastern Run website; track sessions booked through Vivacity
The Great Eastern Run has been Peterborough’s big running day for years, and its flat closed-road course makes it a popular autumn target for runners chasing a quick half. The Embankment start puts you right by the Nene, with the cathedral close by. The track nearby gives the city a proper base for speed work, though its long-term future has been the subject of local argument. For now it is open, cheap and well used by the city’s athletics club. Combine an open track session with a cool-down along the river path and you have a proper training session in the north of the county.
Seasonal Highlights
Spring: The Cambridge Half Marathon on Sunday 14 March 2027, Phoenix Running’s “Not The Cambridge Half” lap event at Grafham Water on the same day, Mindful Swims returning at Milton Country Park in spring 2027, and the first Learn to Row courses of the year at Peterborough City Rowing Club from April.
Summer: The As Keen As Mustard Grafham Water Swimrun on Sunday 27 June 2027, long light evenings for club runs on the Cam towpath and Ely riverside, and summer Learn to Row courses on the Cam, with City of Cambridge’s 2026 course running from late August.
Autumn: The Great Eastern Run in Peterborough on Sunday 10 October 2027, the St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 15 November 2026, the Frostbite Friendly League starting in October, and winter swims at Milton Country Park from October.
Winter: Phoenix Running’s timed lap event at Grafham Water on Sunday 15 November 2026, the Frostbite League at Ely on 7 December 2026 and March on 17 January 2027, and Ely Runners’ New Year’s Eve 10k at Little Downham on 31 December 2026.
A Note From Inside Cambridge
We wrote this guide because the county’s running and fitness scene is spread across dozens of clubs, Facebook groups and race listings, and it is hard to see it all in one place. These fifteen are a starting point, and our parkrun guide will cover every Saturday 5k in the county.
If you run a club, organise a race or spot a closure we have missed, please get in touch. Race dates move and paths flood, and we would rather update a line today than send you to a locked gate tomorrow.
Before You Go
- Only enter races through the organiser’s own website or official ticket partner, and check the date there, as several listing sites show old or wrong dates
- The Cambridge Half and St Neots Half sell out quickly, so sign up to mailing lists and be ready on the day entries open
- Check the council’s Guided Busway updates before any long run on the path, as fencing works, repairs and winter flooding all affect it
- Only swim in open water during organised, lifeguarded sessions at venues such as Milton Country Park; river swimming is unsupervised, and the Sheep’s Green bathing water in Cambridge has been rated Poor
- Riverside paths on the Cam, Great Ouse and Nene can flood or become very muddy between November and March, so carry trail shoes and check before a long run
- Several clubs, including St Neots Riverside Runners, offer free taster sessions, so ask about a trial run before paying membership
- Outdoor bootcamps run in Cambridge parks, including NOVA Bootcamp at Trumpington Recreation Ground and Cherry Hinton Hall Park, which offers a free first week; sessions can be cancelled at short notice
- Wear lights and reflective kit on winter evenings, especially on unlit Fen roads and the Busway path
- Country park car parks charge at Ferry Meadows, Grafham Water and Hinchingbrooke, so budget for parking on race and parkrun days
