The Three Counties Trot

Join Billinge Running Club on Saturday 7th November at 11am for the exhilarating Three Counties Trot Race. 5 miles in distance and taking on the famous Sheep Hill, this is a scenic trail running event that traverses the picturesque landscapes of Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Merseyside.

The race starts at Janet Lalley Field, where runners of all experience levels gather in a vibrant and supportive atmosphere, ready to take on the challenge.

Race Information

Registration: Online preferred, limited EoD, opens Friday evening at the Smart Nav event or Saturday Morning at 9:00am
Race Start Time: Saturday 11:00am
Distance: 5 miles
Course: Fully marked and marshalled

The route packs plenty into five miles, taking in a mix of woodland trails, grass tracks and quiet country lanes. There are some proper climbs along the way, with Sheep Hill providing one of the standout sections of the course.

It’s a varied route that rewards a steady effort early on and gives you plenty to look forward to as the miles tick by. Expect a few ups, a few downs, some fast runnable sections and enough mud and uneven ground to remind you that this is a trail race.

The route crosses all three counties of Greater Manchester, West Lancashire and Merseyside with marshals positioned at key points to keep you on track and give you a bit of encouragement when the legs start to feel it. Whether you’re racing it hard or out to enjoy the trails, there’s plenty to keep you interested over the five miles.

Post-race festivities at the Delph tavern  will include refreshments, awards, and a chance to share stories with fellow runners.

And this year, the Three Counties Trot is part of a bigger weekend of running, with the action getting underway on Friday evening with our Smart Nav event.

Runners will be able to register and collect their race information on Friday evening at Smart Nav, helping make race morning as smooth as possible.

Whether you’re a seasoned trail runner or a newcomer to the sport, the Three Counties Trot promises to be an exciting challenge that highlights the best of what these three diverse counties have to offer.

BRC Smart Nav

Friday 6th November | Doors open 6:00pm

Smart Nav is a running adventure with a twist. You’ll be given a map packed with checkpoints spread across the local area, and it’s up to you to decide how you get around and how many you can find.

There’s no set route. No one telling you which way to go. You choose the controls, plan your route and see how many you can bag.

Think part trail run, part treasure hunt, part navigation challenge.

You can run it hard, take it steady, head out with friends or simply see how far you can get. The aim is simple: find as many controls as possible before your time runs out.

Your phone will track your checkpoints using GPS, giving you that satisfying ping every time you find one.

What to expect

• 🗺️ A map of the local area packed with controls
• 🏃 Your route, your choice
• 📍 Find as many checkpoints as you can
• ⏱️ A time limit to work against
• 📱 GPS punching using MapRun
• 👥 Come solo, with friends or as a group
• 🌙 A Friday night adventure to kick-start the 3CT weekend

Never tried anything like this before? Perfect.

Smart Nav is designed to be accessible to runners of all abilities. You don’t need to be an experienced orienteer — we’ll get you set up, explain how it works and get you out exploring.

So grab your trainers, charge your phone and get ready to look at Billinge in a completely different way.

How many controls can you bag?