Three Counties Trot
11:00 Sat 7th Nov 2026
Our flagship race, the Three Counties Trot, takes place every November and is a highlight of the Billinge Running Club calendar. This 5-mile route showcases the classic trails our club is known forβscenic, varied, and a little bit muddy! Itβs a fun and friendly event that welcomes both beginners and seasoned runners, offering a great mix of challenge and camaraderie. Whether you're racing for a time or just out to enjoy the atmosphere, the Three Counties Trot is not to be missed
Enter the 3 counties trot here
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.
Itβs 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 youβre racing it hard or out to enjoy the trails, thereβs 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 youβre 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. Youβll be given a map packed with checkpoints spread across the local area, and itβs up to you to decide how you get around and how many you can find.
Thereβs 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
πΊοΈ A map of the local area packed with controls
π Your route, your choice
π Find as many checkpoints as you can
β±οΈ A time limit to work against
π± GPS punching using MapRun
π₯ Come solo, with friends or as a group
π 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 donβt need to be an experienced orienteer β weβll 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?
Car Parking:
Car parking will be a short walk from the registration point.
The main car park for the event is at UPHOLLAND HIGH SCHOOL.WN5 7AL
https://w3w.co/unlocking.waddle.caring
PLEASE DO NOT PARK ON THE DELPH TAVERN CAR PARK THIS IS FOR DROP OFF ONLY AND EVENT STAFF.
The car park will open at 9:15.
All cars have to vacate the carpark at 3:00pm
Event HQ
Registration at The Delph Tavern WN5 8UN
https://w3w.co/minivans.material.migrate
Registration opens at 9:30 to allow plenty of time for any nervous pre race toilet visits.
Bag drop will be available in the Delph Tavern (The Delph Tavern and Billinge Running Club will not be responsible for belongings left in the Delph Tavern during the race)
Tea and coffee will be available in the registration area.
Registration will be closed at 10:30 to allow time to move to the start.
Race:
The race starts on the Janet Lalley fields across from Tontine park.
https://w3w.co/ensemble.revealing.entitle
Theres no toilets at the start the only toilets are at The Delph Tavern
There will be a short race briefing before the 11am start as well as a minutes silence to commemorate remembrance weekend.
Bring along your clubs flags to the event and we will put them up in the event finish
The route will be marshalled and marked with flags and signs
POST RACE:-
Everyone is welcome back to the Delph Tavern after the race for post race festivities.
Results and awards will start at 1pm