The inaugural Blue Castle Run, to be held around the beautiful Blue Pool near Wareham in Dorset, has proved so popular that there’s already a waiting list to take part.
The seven mile (11k) trail race starting and finishing around the iconic Purbeck beauty spot is part of a varied programme lined up at the venue for autumn and winter 2024.
Blue Castle Run organiser Carl Grice wants to share his favourite course with other runners
A wellbeing experience with friends
The run, which takes place on Sunday 3rd November 2024, will also take in trails with views of Corfe Castle to showcase the very best of Purbeck.
A seven mile route will include woodland, heath and hills, ridges and valleys, and is designed to be less of a race and more of a wellbeing experience with friends.
Numbers of athletes taking part have been capped at 330 to keep the event manageable, but the run proved to be so popular that not only did places sell out some weeks ago, there are also 150 names on a reserve list, which is still growing.
Organiser Carl Grice said he had wanted the event to be challenging enough for competitive athletes, and enjoyable for all runners, and so added a three mile route for families with all of the Blue Pool scenery included – but fewer hills.
Runners will get perfect autumn views of the National Trust’s Corfe Castle
“Share my favourite route with others”
Carl Grice said:
“As a Purbeck local, living in Furzebrook, I have run every footpath, cow trail, and deer track in all directions and weather, and of all of them, these five or so miles from the Blue Pool to Corfe Castle never failed to bring me joy.
“I had started running to improve my mental health and then just fell in love with the scenery here, but recently I started getting terrible injuries one after another to the point where my physio said I shouldn’t really run any more.
“I thought that if I couldn’t run, the next best thing would be to share my favourite route with other people. I was chatting to Matt Jones and said how cool it would be if runners could actually do a lap around the Blue Pool.
“As that conversation evolved, we decided to host the run at the Blue Pool and to start and finish the run with a lap around the pool, so my 9k route became an 11k route, around seven miles.”
Unique Blue Castle Run medals have been made for the inaugural event
Race T-shirts and medals made
The Blue Castle Run is privately organised and not an official Blue Pool event, but it will be the first time that most local runners have had the opportunity to run trails around the pool and through the Furzebrook estate.
Carl approached organisers of the Purbeck Trail series to help get his event up and running, and has had invaluable support from Denise Leslie.
Together, they hoped to attract 100 runners to take part, but as numbers continued to grow, they reinvested entry fees into having the event chip timed, then having official race T-shirts made and finally getting race medals cast.
Dorset running clubs were invited to take part, as Carl hopes that the Blue Castle Run can become an annual event and form part of the local running calendar.
The Blue Castle Run courses will take in the Furzebrook Estate, woodland, hills and valleys, with a view of Corfe Castle to boot
Vital not to disturb the local ecology
Carl Grice said:
“I would love for this to be held every year, but that is down to Matt, so we need to make sure that it goes well for the Blue Pool as well as making sure that all of our entrants enjoy themselves.
“Obviously the Blue Pool is a nature reserve, so the thing that keeps me awake at night is ensuring that we don’t leave a footprint out of place.
“The run is all on pathways, but we want to make sure there is no extra litter, no nuisance of any kind, and that dogs taking part in the canicross event are all on specific leashes and behave themselves.
“It’s really important to me that we don’t disturb the local ecology any more than if someone was out walking their dog or having a leisurely run themselves.”
The Blue Pool looks beautiful in autumn sunshine
“A beautiful time of year to run”
Carl added:
“I really fancied a winter event because everything seems to take place in the warmer months, but the Blue Pool has its illuminated event in January and February which means there will be cables around.
“But also, autumn is such a beautiful time of the year to run the trail. People don’t have to run this event quickly, the enjoyment is the course and other people enjoying it with you.
“The only time I ever ran with other people was during an event and I enjoyed the company. I want to bring that to others who may feel the same.”
Carve pumpkins and toast marshmallows during Halloween half-term at the Blue Pool
A full autumn and winter schedule
The Blue Pool is also gearing itself up to run a full schedule of autumn and winter events for families this year.
They include a ‘spooktacular’ Halloween half-term week, a festive estate trail leading up to Christmas and the dazzling Illuminate light show in the first weeks of 2025, which has now become a firm favourite in Purbeck.
Between Saturday 26th October and Thursday 31st October 2024, there will be Halloween themed activities such as pumpkin carving, arts and crafts, bushcraft sessions and a spooky trail through the eerie woodland of Furzebrook estate.
And then for Christmas, between Saturday 30th November and Monday 23rd December 2024, children can follow a festive trail leading to Santa’s grotto.
Santa will be stopping at the Blue Pool this December to meet local children
A chance to meet Santa
Sian Hedger, Blue Pool marketing manager, said:
“There will be a chance to meet Santa and receive a special gift before he heads back to Lapland for Christmas Eve, but early booking is highly recommended, as spaces are limited.
“General admission is also available at the gate, allowing visitors to explore the nature reserve and take in the crisp winter air as the vibrant woodland shifts with the season.
“We will also illuminate the terrace with festoon lights so that visitors can enjoy festive drinks on the terrace, and we will also have unique local items in our gift shop, perfect for finding special Christmas presents.”
The Blue Pool’s popular Illuminate light display will also be back in the new year between Thursday 9th January and Sunday 23rd February 2024, when more than a kilometre of professionally lit trails will light up the pool and surrounding woodland.
The Blue Pool’s Illuminate event has become an unmissable part of winters in Purbeck
Further information
- All details of the Blue Castle Run are on its website
- Check out all events at the Blue Pool nature reserve on its website
