A huge well done to Dawn and Donna, who took on the Bristol-to-Bath trail marathon on Saturday 26 September. It was a marathon-distance challenge with a difference: a point-to-point route linking the two cities through trails and countryside, rather than returning runners to where they started.
It is always brilliant to see Carn Runners taking their running beyond Cornwall. For Dawn and Donna, this weekend’s outing meant heading to the Bristol-to-Bath course and tackling a long distance on terrain that changes as the route unfolds. Fantastic distance running from them both!
From the edge of Bristol into Bath
The Trail Escape Bristol-to-Bath event starts its marathon route at Bristol & Bath Science Park. From there, participants pick up established trails through the South Gloucestershire countryside before the route enters more demanding terrain towards the Cotswolds. The final stretch descends into Bath, with the finish at the bandstand in Royal Victoria Park.
That progression is part of what makes this more than a run between two place names. The organiser describes gentler early sections followed by a tougher final portion, so the course asks participants to cover marathon distance while adapting to the ground and the climbs along the way. Its mix of traffic-free approaches, fields, woodland and hills gives the outing a very different character from a city road marathon.
The event also offers a 25km option, but Dawn and Donna took on the marathon challenge. Both distances share the idea of leaving the city behind for the trails before arriving in central Bath. It is a distinctive setting for a big day of running—and a substantial undertaking whichever way you approach it.
Another big-distance weekend for Carn Runners
We love celebrating the range of challenges Carnies choose. Some weekends bring a local race or social run; others see members travel to take on a course they have not experienced with the club before. Dawn and Donna’s Bristol-to-Bath outing belongs firmly in that second category: an away event, not a race organised by Carn Runners, and one worth marking for the distance and terrain involved.
Readers who have been following Dawn’s longer-distance outings may also remember her appearance alongside Steve P and Zoe at The Hourglass Event. For anyone whose interest is more in the off-road side of this weekend’s challenge, our Cornwall Multi-Terrain Race Series page offers a way to explore trail racing closer to home.
Trail Escape has a 2026 results and photos page for readers who would like to follow up on the Bristol-to-Bath event. Most importantly, this is a chance to give Dawn and Donna a proper Carn Runners cheer for taking on a point-to-point trail marathon. Huge congratulations to you both!
