Running the Wey-South Path: How to Plan and Crew a Wey-South Path Adventure

Interested in running the Wey-South Path? Here’s a handy guide to plan your adventure.

After walking the Wey-South Path three times, I encouraged my husband to run it. This is the perfect trail to use for training for an ultra, as it’s 33.7 miles (54.3 km) in length, and it’s mostly flat. It’s also really quiet in many stretches, making it great for weekend runs. But in the end, I was the one who ran the Wey-South Path, with him crewing for me. 

The Wey-South Path is a footpath that was created in the early 1970s, connecting the North Downs Way and the South Downs Way, and running mostly along the old towpaths for the Wey & Arun Canal. A number of other long distance routes cross paths with the the Wey-South Path, including the Downs Link, the Fox Way, Greensand Way, and the Sussex Border Path. It’s a unique path in that it mostly follows the old towpath of the canal, which is what makes most of the trail mostly flat and easy to run.

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Where does the Wey-South Path start and finish?

Guildford in the north and Amberley in the south. The northern start of the trail is at Millmead Lock, just a half mile from Guildford rail station, and the southern end of the trail is right at Amberley station. You can walk the trail in either direction, but I prefer it from north to south (unlike the Downs Link, which I prefer to walk in the opposite direction).

Wey-South Path route description

The name “Wey & Arun Canal” comes from the two main rivers that bookend the canal: the River Wey in the north and the River Arun in the south. Its history dates all the way back to the seventeenth century, with the first proposal to link the two rivers by canal in 1641 in an attempt to improve the transportation of goods, as the quality of the roads at the time made this very difficult. From there, it was developed in stages: the Wey Navigation was opened to Guildford in 1653, the Arun Canal was opened to Newbridge in 1787, and finally in 1816, the Wey & Arun Junction Canal—as it was called at the time—open for navigation. The canal reached peak traffic in 1839.

The Wey & Arun Canal (now known as London’s Lost Route to the Sea) closed not long after, in 1871, and even more short-lived than the Guildford-Horsham Railway, which ran along what is now the Downs Link. Interestingly, it was this very same railway that led to the demise of the canal, though the Guildford-Horsham Railway—also known as the Hundred Years Railway—eventually closed in 1965 due to the increase of transportation via motor vehicle. At that point, the movement of goods came full circle: from terrible roads to waterways to railways and then back to roadways, albeit with much improved conditions in the modern era. We now have access to these fascinating parts of history—and the gorgeous landscapes all around them—thanks to these two trails.

Which direction should you run the Wey-South Path?

Either way! I’ve walked it in both directions and I do prefer to hike it from north to south, ending my journey in Amberley. When I crewed for my husband’s run, we did it from north to south. The ending in Amberley is a quiet place to end the route, which makes it ideal to run the trail from north to south—you don’t have to worry about crowds of people near the start of the trail in Guildford. You can just rest for a bit when you get to the end.

How hard is the Wey-South Path?

Assuming you’re reasonably fit, it’s easy, and fairly flat (especially the parts that run alongside the old canal, and the northern two-thirds of the Path). Most of the trail is wide, flat, and well maintained—though there are some roads. It is, however, very well signposted, which makes navigation easy as well.

How to crew a Wey-South Path run

I split the route up into four stages, but you can combine the last two stages to make it a three-stage route. If you want to split your walk up into two stages, a great spot to meet your runner is in Loxwood near the Wey & Arun Canal Visitor Centre, which is located more or less at the halfway point for the trail at the 15.7 mile (25.3 km point) from north to south. If you notice at the end of State 1 that your runner is having difficulty, you might add that as an extra checkpoint to make sure they’re doing okay and they have what they need. Postcode for the Loxwood carpark: RH14 0RD.

Stage 1: Guildford to The Three Compasses 10.7 miles (17.3 km)

This is an easy place to wait: there’s a pub (The Three Compasses) where you can wait, and park outside, across the street.

Address: The Three Compasses, Dunsfold Rd, Cranleigh GU6 8HY

Stage 2: The Three Compasses to Newbridge 11 miles (17.6 km)

This is not so easy. There’s a layby on the A272 road near Billingshurst where the Wey-South Path crosses. This isn’t an ideal spot to stop, especially if you have to wait long, and you will have to arrive early as you may need to drive around a bit before you find the right spot. Be sure to look at this area on the map before you go: look at where the Wey-South Path (and the river) crosses the A272 road, and look at the nearby junction. In between those two places, there’s a layby. Your runner can access the layby along a little dirt path that runs alongside the road, through a little wood. 

Address: It’s near Wharf Farm, Newbridge, Billingshurst RH14 0JG (look for the layby on the A272 road just after where it crosses the B2133 road)

Stage 3: Newbridge to Pulborough 7.75 miles (12.5 km)

You could eliminate this meetup in Stopham and just go straight through to the end. But my husband and I have found that it’s nice to have one final aid station about 5 km before the end of a long run. Park on the road leading up to the White Hart Pub. There are usually plenty of spaces, and your runner will go right down this little side road. 

Address: Stopham Rd, Pulborough RH20 1DS

Stage 4: Pulborough to Amberley 4.3 miles (7 km)

The end! This is a nice, quiet spot to end the run. It’s right along the South Downs Way near the Amberley train station. Here, you can rest, rehydrate and refuel, and relax before heading home.

Address: High Titten BN18 9LZ

Before the run

Here’s what you need to know:

• How to get to the meeting points along the trail. Have addresses, post codes, and maps if needed
• Approximately what time the runner will arrive at each checkpoint
• Know the runner’s route—have the .gpx file or at least look it over so you know where they’ll be
• Review the kit list with the runner
• Look at the weather and know what the runner will need based on this (if it’s hot, more hydration; if it’s raining, waterproofs; if it’s cold, more layers)
• The runner’s goals—are they just looking to finish the route? Do they want to finish by a certain time? Are they looking to set an FKT?
• How much time the runner wants to spend at each checkpoint, so you can hurry them up if needed

Kit list

Things to have in the car to make available to the runner if needed:

• Extra batteries for head lamp
• First aid kit
• Antacid
• Painkillers
• Extra clothing: hat, mittens/gloves, socks, change of shirt, extra layers, blanket
• Food—bars, gels, and snacks
• Water and electrolyte drinks/powder
• Towel to dry off sweat at checkpoints + for the ride home
• Change of clothes for the ride home—or at least an extra top
• Warm jacket for the ride home—and for extended stops at aid stations if it’s chilly
• Silver emergency blanket

What to do

Be sure to arrive early. The first time I crewed a 40K (solo run, not a race) for my husband, we estimated when he’d arrive at each point, and both times he showed up about a half hour earlier than planned. Thankfully, I was in the area, though I had to scramble to get to the meeting point.

If you have the space, you can lay everything out on a blanket so the runner can see what’s there and grab what they need. If you’re just operating out of the trunk of your car, lay everything out as best you can.

Here are all the basic tasks you need to do:

• Separate sweet and salty foods so the runner can grab what they need
• Have a checklist of questions—and ask them (see below)
• Refill all bottles
• Replenish food supplies
• Reapply sunscreen + chafing balm
• Hand over head lamp and batteries for the later stages of the run (if the runner isn’t carrying them from the start)
• If it’s getting dark: remove sunglasses, add headlamp and extra clothing
• Know their pace: ideal pace, reasonable pace, minimum pace (this is more for a race than for a solo run)
• Keep track of their pace—did they come in sooner or later than expected? Why?
• What’s the big picture of how the run is going? Troubleshoot if needed

Questions to ask the runner

1. How are your knees/back/etc. (typical pain points will be different for each runner)?
2. How is your hydration? Did you run out of water, or do you have some left over?
3. Are you hot? Cold?
4. Do you need ice?
5. What foods do you need?
6. Do you have any hotspots or blisters? Chafing? Sunburn?
7. Do you need a change of socks?
8. Is anything wet that needs to be changed? (bring an extra shirt, socks, and other clothes)

Help

Toward the end of the trail, there’s a wetland called Amberley Wildbrooks which may be flooded if there’s been a lot of rain. It can get really muddy, and while there are wooden planks to help you across, it can sometimes be impassable (or downright miserable). If the runner reaches Amberley Wildbrooks and they find the grassland difficult or impossible to cross, they will need to return to Greatham Bridge and ask you to pick them up (postcode RH20 1QA). Greatham Bridge is at the 31 mile (50km) point, so even if your runner has to finish here, they will still have run an ultra (a small consolation for not being able to finish the entire trail).

Related reading

This book will help you plan your walk along the Wey-South Path, a 35-mile trail that links the North Downs Way to the South Downs Way, following the old towpath of the Wey & Arun Canal. The Wey-South Path is an excellent trail for a long weekend walk, or for walkers seeking to do a first long-distance trail.

More than just a walking travelogue or memoirs of a walking holiday, this book contains the author’s reflections on walking the Wey-South Path, including lessons learned and practical information to help you plan your Wey-South Path hiking adventure. It includes a suggested packing list, gear recommendations, and other useful tips, such as when to walk the trail, where to stay, and how much you’ll need to budget.

It also includes tips on how to access the trail, and how to walk it in either direction. This book will not only get you inspired to walk the Wey-South Path or any other long distance trail, it will encourage you to get outdoors more often.

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