EVENT INFORMATION (Updated 05.10.26)

DATE: Sunday 11 October 2026

TIME: 9.00am – 3.00pm

ADDRESS: Blaise Castle Estate, 27A Kings Weston Road, Henbury, Bristol, BS10 7QT

We’re looking forward to seeing you at Black to the Trails Bristol, taking place on Sunday 11 October at the beautiful Blaise Castle Estate.

Whether this is your first ever trail event, you’re stepping up to a new distance, you’re bringing the kids along or you’re an experienced trail runner, Black to the Trails is for you.

It’s going to be a fantastic day full of music, activities, food, community and, of course, beautiful trails.

Come for the run. Stay for the fun.

Please read the following information in advance of the event to get the very best out of your experience on the day.

TIMINGS

9.00am - Event opens and free coaches arrive.

9.00am until 9.30am - Bib Pick-up and registration

10.00am – 5K START

11.30am – 1K START

12.00pm – 10K START

2.00pm – Awards Ceremony

3.00pm – Event closes and free coaches depart.

There will be a pre-race briefing for each of the distances before the start times above, as well as a fun warm-up led by the Black to the Trails team. The briefing will highlight the route markings you need to follow as well as any important points to note en route, so please make sure you are in the starting area at a good time for your race.

And don’t disappear once you’ve finished! Our Awards Ceremony takes place at 2.00pm, and we’d love you to stick around to celebrate our runners and soak up the Black to the Trails atmosphere.

ROUTE INFORMATION

We have three distances at Black to the Trails Bristol: 1K, 5K and 10K.

You can view the routes via Strava by clicking on the link above. GPX downloads will be available one week before event day.

Please note, the 10K route is two loops of the 5K route.

1K

Big trail vibes in a little package! 🖤

Our 1K is a fun, accessible introduction to the trails at Blaise Castle, with just enough ups and downs to give you a taste of what trail running is all about. At just over 1K, it’s perfect for younger runners, families, first-timers or anyone who simply fancies a shorter adventure. Run it. Walk it. Take your time. There’s no pressure here. And remember, under 16s race FREE!

5K

Your trail. Your pace. Your way. 🖤

Our 5K takes you on a beautiful loop through the trails of Blaise Castle. Expect woodland, open spaces, ups, downs and plenty of that proper trail-running feeling. New to trails? You belong here. Walk the hills, run the flats, stop for a breather. There’s no pressure and no judgement. Experienced trail runner? Get stuck in and see what you’ve got! However you move through it, come and claim your trail.

10K

Ready for more? Let’s go! 🔥

Our 10K gives you two laps of our 5K trail route, which means twice the woodland, twice the ups and downs and twice the Black to the Trails energy. Whether this is your first 10K on the trails or you’re an experienced runner ready to put your legs to the test, this is your race, your pace. Run it. Walk it. Race it. Enjoy it. The trails are for ALL of us.

REGISTRATION

No race packs will be sent out before the event.

All race bibs are to be collected on the day from 9.00am - 9.30am, when the registration desk opens in the Race Village.

The registration area will be ordered by surname, so when you arrive, simply head to the appropriate section to collect your bib.

Please allow yourself plenty of time to arrive, make your way to the Race Village, collect your bib and get ready before your race briefing and warm-up.

GETTING THERE

We strongly encourage you NOT to drive to Black to the Trails Bristol if you can avoid it.

To make getting to and from Blaise Castle as easy as possible, we are providing FREE coach transport for participants, with pick-up and return journeys from:

Bristol City Centre

Bristol Temple Meads

Coaches will pick up at 8.40am and will depart Blaise Castle for the return journey at 3.00pm, once the event has finished.

Places on the coaches are free, but you must book your seat in advance.

We’d really encourage you to take advantage of the coaches or use public transport, walk or cycle where possible. It means less traffic around Blaise Castle, less pressure on local parking and a more sustainable event for everyone.

If you are driving

Our event car park will be the overflow car park which is located next to the Blaise castle pay and display car park. Please enter the pay and display car park and make your way to the far end where you will be directed by an event volunteer into the overflow car park. To ensure a space, please arrive early. You will still need to pay for this car park.

You can also of course use the pay and display car park if you would prefer that.

The car park uses the Ringo App that can be downloaded by pressing HERE The car park identity number is: 22786. It is £3.60 to pay for a max of 5 hours. Additional hourly parking can be added.

There is limited off-street parking in the surrounding area. Please park responsibly and be considerate of local residents. Do not block driveways, access points or surrounding roads.

For full directions and further information on getting to Blaise Castle, please visit:

https://www.blacktothetrails.co.uk/bristol

Blaise Castle Estate, 27A Kings Weston Road, Henbury, Bristol, BS10 7QT

SatNav: BS10 7QT

What3Words: ///posed.shower.rounds

Please allow plenty of time for your journey. Registration runs from 9.00 - 9.30am and our first race starts at 10.00am.

DURING YOUR 1K, 5K OR 10K

All routes will be marked with Black to the Trails route markings, which you will be shown during your pre-race briefing so you know exactly what to look out for when you’re on the trails.

We’ll also have lots of brilliant marshals out on the course who will be there to direct you, keep you on track and, importantly, give you plenty of encouragement along the way! 🖤

Please pay attention to the route markings, our marshals and any additional safety signage, rather than simply following the person in front of you, who may not even be part of our event!

Your safety is our number one priority.

If you happen to go off-course, although this is unlikely, we advise you to stop and back-track towards the last Black to the Trails route marking you saw.

And please give our marshals some love as you pass them! Our volunteers give their time to help make Black to the Trails possible, and we couldn’t do it without them. 🖤

The routes are on paths and trails around Blaise Castle Estate. There are no road crossings on any of the routes.

Please follow all instructions from our marshals and any additional event signage you encounter along the route.

In case of emergency, please contact Event Control. The emergency contact number will be provided in your final pre-event email.

WATER

There will be water available at the Start/Finish area for all participants.

For our 10K runners, there will also be a mid-point water station at the Start/Finish area as you complete your first loop and before heading out on your second.

We encourage you to bring your own reusable water bottle or cup. If you would prefer to carry your own water with you around the course, please do.

Please arrive appropriately hydrated and remember that your hydration requirements will depend on the conditions on event day as well as your individual needs.

SHARING THE TRAILS

Blaise Castle Estate remains open to the public during our event.

There will be other trail users, including walkers, runners, families, dog walkers, cyclists and horse riders. We ask you to be respectful and considerate of everyone else using the trails. Please give people plenty of space when passing, particularly horses, and listen to any instructions from our marshals. The trails aren’t exclusively ours on event day. We share the trails. 🖤

LEAVE NO TRACE

We are operating on the leave no trace principle. We ask you to take any rubbish with you or use the bins provided and leave the trails and Race Village exactly as you found them.

Please do not drop gel wrappers, food packaging, bottles or any other litter on the course. We are incredibly fortunate to be able to hold Black to the Trails in this beautiful place, so let’s look after it.

FOOD

You will be able to purchase food and drinks on-site.

We encourage everyone to bring their own reusable water bottles to help us make the event as sustainable as possible.

And remember, your race finishing isn’t the end of your Black to the Trails day! Grab something to eat, cheer on other runners, enjoy the music and hang out with the community.

Come for the run. Stay for the fun.

ACTIVITIES

Black to the Trails has never just been about the running.

There will be plenty happening in the Race Village throughout the day, including our live DJ, face painting, food and refreshments and the chance to have a tour of our fire engine (kids too!), and plenty of Black to the Trails energy! Bring the kids. Bring your mates. Bring your family. Run, walk, cheer, dance, eat and hang out with us.

ADIDAS TERREX TRAIL SHOE TRIALS

Our partners adidas TERREX will be joining us at Black to the Trails Bristol, and you’ll have the opportunity to take up their offer to try a pair of adidas TERREX trail shoes while you run.

WHAT DO YOU GET?

For completing your run you will receive your very own Black to the Trails Bristol finisher medal and a goody bag.

But we hope you leave with much more than that. New friends. New memories. A brilliant day on the trails. And perhaps a completely different idea of who belongs in these spaces.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographers will be on site throughout the day and out on the trails capturing the event. Images will be available via public download following the event. We, and our event partners, may wish to use some official event photography and video after the event. If you would rather not be featured by Black to the Trails or our partners, please make yourself known to our team at bib collection on event day.

Lastly, we would like to say a HUGE thank you to all of our partners and supporters, without whom Black to the Trails Bristol would not be possible.

Black to the Trails Bristol is supported by:

• London Marathon Events

• adidas TERREX

• University of Bristol

Thank you for helping us bring Black to the Trails to Bristol. 🖤

AND FINALLY...

You will receive further emails in advance of the event, including your final pre-event information.

For now, the countdown is ON.

We are SO looking forward to welcoming you to Blaise Castle on Sunday 11 October.

Whether you’re running your first kilometre on the trails or you’ve run hundreds of them, whether you’re coming to race, walk, support, dance, eat or simply spend the day surrounded by community, there is a place for you here.

Your city. Your community. Your trails.

COME AND CLAIM YOUR TRAIL. 🖤

#RepresentationMatters

Black to the Trails Bristol