The Essex Way
Further Reading
The Essex County Council guidebook of the route details much of the routes historic highlights and is available here
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Read Peter Alymer’s lovely account of the route here
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If you have an account of walking or running the route, please do get in touch and we'd be happy to add it here!
A Brief History
The Essex Way was conceived as a result of a competition organised by the Campaign to Protect Rural England in 1972, so it has recently celebrated it's 50th anniversary! It is a truly beautiful route and one that we think deserves a stand-alone, full distance ultra event.
Since 1989, the trail has hosted the popular Essex Way Relay event for club runners on the first Sunday of September. You can find out more about that here.
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Although it is certain that many runners and walkers have completed the route in stages, our attempts to unearth the hardy folk who have completed it in one hit have yielded slim pickings.
The best indication of a fastest known time is that of Sean Ketteridge’s 13 hours and 58 minutes in 2010. In the Strava era, the FKT website has but one entry, that of Ian Brazier and his time of 17 hours 24 minutes set in 2020.
So far we haven't unearthed any times for women, but there must be some out there! Or will the first female FKT be set at the event?
Let’s find out!
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The plaque at Epping Tube Station
The plaque at Harwich High Lighthouse
