Burnley Canal 5km
Welcome to the InsideRRR preview of the Burnley Canal 5km route in real life! Please read on to see my thoughts on the route, course profile and images, and my own ride data.
Route Description
With two marathons to run in autumn 2021, bar any interning impossibilities in the interim, it was inevitable the InsideRRR would spend much more time being outsideRRR in 2021 - particularly while the chickens occupy the treadmill (don't ask). So this is the first of a series of outdoor trail and road routes around Burnley, and the North West of England. I may even record some for Kinomap later in the summer, and truly bring the outdoors in.
This route starts at the crossing of the Leeds - Liverpool Canal and Barden Lane in Burnley, taking the canal towpath toward Burnley. The first part of the route is very industrial, following the old canal-side mills currently occupied by SACO on the journey in toward central Burnley. After a couple of kilometres we drop off the canal down a steep path towards Thompson Park. Instead of turning right to head down to the park and town, we turn left, heading immediately back under the canal, and follow the track straight to the corner of the green, without taking any of the tracks heading left or right. The final section of the ride takes Queen Victoria Road through some of Burnley's historic back-back terracing, continuing straight over a couple of intersections before eventually arriving at the Thomas Whitham Sixth Form College on Barden Lane. There is a 400m track here, which is very exciting, though I've never worked out how to get in to use it. Turn right at the school, and head downhill, under the railway bridge, arriving back at the start.
Ordinarily for outdoor activities the weather will be variable. This is Burnley however, so the sky will be grey, on a good day it will rain lightly, and on a bad day the rain will be heavier.
I'll use stock photos for the next while, until running feels a little less slow and painful, and will come back to upgrade the images with my own in due course.
I hope that you enjoy the run - let me know what you think in the comments box below.
Route Profile
Route Images
Route Data
[table id=1 filter=“Burnley Canal 5km” /]