Distance: 18km
Timing: Allow at least 2 hours
I am originally from coastal Suffolk, a place of low, rolling countryside, with ancient hedges and rivers. My parents live in Martlesham near the river Deben and this is where my favourite run starts.
I try to do this run at least once a year. It has to be warm and you have to check the tides. I also don’t wear any new kit…
The first 7km take you through fields of maize, past an old airfield control tower from where Douglas Bader used to fly. Climbing out of Newbourne gives your first sight of the Deben Estuary. This is where the run gets interesting. The only way to cross the channel is to swim. To try and do this run at low tide would be impossible. The estuary mud is far too deep. This is a high tide run.
The first crossing is 100 meters. I’ve seen seals here in the past. They gave up their sunbathing and joined me in the water. I definitely felt I was being checked out.
The next section is fairly quick into the sailing village of Walderingfield. The locals give me funny looks due to my drowned rat appearance, not to mention the black mud plastered up my legs.
After Walderingfield comes the next channel to cross. It’s a quick in and out but now the run gets pretty tough as no one passes this point and there is another channel to cross after a further 2km.
Eventually you’ll come to Martlesham Creek: a large inlet from the main river. You could run along the tide wall, but I always take the opportunity to try and clean up before getting home. Once out of the creek it’s a further 2km to the finish.
This is a great run which passes through some great scenery and there’s the adventure of the swimming sections. For me there’s something about a familiarity I have with the terrain. I’ve some attachment which I find hard to explain to this countryside and particularly the river Deben.
Please do no try this run unless you understand the tides and you are a confident swimmer. Also be prepared for some very smelly kit. This mud makes Bordon smell like Bodyshop.
Dave
