Mote Park , Maidstone
Since medieval times , Mote Park has been the site of glorious parkland which has seen visitors pursue leisure activities within its grounds for almost 900 years . With a host of revered former owners , including the Royal Family no less , the park is now looked after by the council and an amazing team of volunteers . Spanning over 450 acres , Mote Park is now a freely accessible space for the public to enjoy and is an ideal location for the whole family . The park includes natural features such as grassland , woodland rivers and a lake , and is also home to plenty of outdoor pursuit opportunities and historical features such as Mote House and the walled garden . The vast numbers of mature trees create a beautiful , tranquil landscape offering cool shade in the summer and glorious colour in autumn . This , along with a plethora of activities , make it a wonderful place to visit all year round . Mote Park is great for running , walking and cycling with lots of paths and trails to follow throughout the park .
MOTE PARK
RUNNING EVENTS
Hever Castle Festival of Endurance , 9 July
The Festival of Endurance is returning once again to Hever Castle , combining a variety of swimming , running and cycling events . Organised by Castle Race Series , partakers are invited to swim from The Loggia with its Nymph ’ s Fountain inspired by the Trevi Fountain in Rome , cycle the beautiful Kent and Sussex countryside up through the Ashdown Forest and run through the awardwinning castle grounds and picturesque surrounding villages , not forgetting the South Downs National Park for the ultra runners . Athletes and spectators can enjoy the lovely Hever grounds and a fun-packed festival village featuring live music , shopping , food and drink , children ’ s entertainment , yoga and more .
Hermes Marathon at Bewl Water , 9 September
Join fellow runners and joggers at Bewl Water for the Hermes Marathon days . Participate in either a 10km / Half Marathon / Marathon / Ultra Marathon . All four courses follow the spectacular reservoir route and are run on a combination of undulating rural wooded trails and along some quiet country lanes , with lovely views of the lake for most of the route .
The Maverick Adidas Terrex Original , Vigo Rugby Football Club , Gravesend , 16 September
This route takes runners along the wooded trails of the Pilgrims Way , before climbing up to join the North Downs Way . Then , enjoy the sights of the Wealdway trail as you head back towards the event village at Vigo Rugby Football Club . The route is made of many beautiful woodlands and undulating hills , giving runners both a challenge and an atmospheric outdoor experience .
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