A Run Through Southcrest Ravine

Let’s explore Southecrest Ravine in London, Ontario for the latest edition of My Visual Running Tours.

I really didn’t know what to expect when I started off on my run today. It certainly didn’t look like much on the trail map of the city I picked up last week.

There are a few different entrance points to the ravine. I started here at the end of Centre Road and was taken aback when the trail seemed to come to an end abruptly at another road.

This is what it looked like on the other side of the small creek. I wasn’t sure that it was the way to the ravine trails but I took my chances and ran down it anyway.

The trail continued straight down and came out at another side street.

I wandered down to the creek to get a shot. I was hoping this wasn’t all that there was to this trail. I’d only been running for five minutes and I’d already hit three different neighbourhood streets.

It almost looks as if they are planning on developing this area. The trail is so wide at a few points that a road could easily be put in here.

I ran to the area that you see in the top left of the above photo and found a whole series of side trails.

The trails aren’t marked at all back here. I found myself coming out at a farm, at a suburb, and someone’s backyard, but there were enough trails for me to get in a good 5 kilometer run.

We’ve had a pretty dry summer. The creek was so low that I had no trouble jumping over it a few times during my run today.

This photo doesn’t really do the trail justice. It’s hard to see that it goes downhill and then back up again. I love a running course that takes me through the woods and includes some nice slopes to run up and down.

It’s also nice to see that London, Ontario has quite a few nature trails. I think I’ve explored all of the natural ones now but there are a few multi-use trails I’ve yet to document.

More London, Ontario Trails