How long is the lightning bolt route in London?

The lightning bolt covers 5.3 km with 42 m of ascent and 43 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 35 minutes plus stops.

Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?

Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, elevation profile and kilometre splits on this page are free to view.

How accurate is the drawing?

The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 0.9 km east to west and 1.6 km north to south across London.

Where does the route start?

The start point is at 51.52664, -0.11495 — roughly 3.1 km north-east of the centre of London. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.

United Kingdom › London › GPS art route

Lightning bolt GPS Art Running Route in London — 5.3 km

A 5.3 km loop through London that draws a lightning bolt when you upload it to Strava. The line follows public streets and paths, climbs 42 m in total, and covers a footprint about 0.9 km wide by 1.6 km tall.

Navigate it in the app

Distance5.3 km

Elevation gain42 m

Elevation loss43 m

Estimated time35 min

DifficultyEasy

Average gradient0.8%

Route map

Start point: 51.52664, -0.11495 — about 3.1 km north-east of the centre of London. It is a closed loop, so any point on the line works as a start.

Elevation profile

Measured from the elevation data in the GPX file: 42 m of ascent and 43 m of descent across 5.3 km, an average gradient of 0.8%.

Kilometre by kilometre

Split	Heading	Elevation change	Range
km 1	Runs south-east	-1 m	11–19 m
km 2	Runs south-south-east	-8 m	6–18 m
km 3	Runs west	+10 m	5–16 m
km 4	Runs north-west	+5 m	16–21 m
km 5	Runs north-north-west	0 m	19–24 m
km 5.3	Runs north-north-east	-5 m	15–21 m

Turn-by-turn outline

The 24 direction changes below are the ones that define the drawing. Hitting them accurately matters more than pace — the shape only reads well if the corners are sharp.

0.02 km — turn right, then continue south-east.
0.16 km — turn right, then continue south-west.
0.28 km — turn left, then continue south-south-east.
0.73 km — turn sharp left, then continue west-north-west.
0.85 km — turn sharp left, then continue east-south-east.
1.01 km — turn left, then continue east-south-east.
1.50 km — turn left, then continue south-east.
1.68 km — turn right, then continue east-south-east.
2.02 km — turn right, then continue south-west.
2.38 km — turn right, then continue west.
2.67 km — turn left, then continue west-north-west.
2.79 km — turn left, then continue west-north-west.
2.94 km — turn right, then continue north-north-east.
3.07 km — turn left, then continue north-north-west.
3.28 km — turn left, then continue west-north-west.
3.41 km — turn right, then continue north-north-west.
3.57 km — turn left, then continue north-west.
3.71 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
3.89 km — turn right, then continue south-west.
4.08 km — turn right, then continue north-west.
4.22 km — turn left, then continue west-south-west.
4.41 km — turn right, then continue north-east.
4.85 km — turn right, then continue north-east.
5.03 km — turn right, then continue north-east.

Difficulty and terrain

Easy. Short and nearly flat at roughly 8 m of climb per kilometre — comfortable as an easy run or a first attempt at drawing a shape.

Surface: Mostly urban roads and mixed city surfaces.

Safety: Check route details and local traffic conditions before running GPS art routes.

Best months: Depends on city weather and season.

How to run this shape

Download the GPX file with your subscription and load it onto your watch, or open it in the ShapeMiles app.
Start anywhere on the loop — beginning near a landmark makes the finish easier to find.
Keep GPS recording continuous. Pausing mid-run leaves straight lines that cut across the drawing.
Follow the corners precisely; short detours are what blur the shape.
Upload to Strava and the lightning bolt appears on your activity map.

Questions about this route

How long is the lightning bolt route in London?: The lightning bolt covers 5.3 km with 42 m of ascent and 43 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 35 minutes plus stops.
Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?: Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, elevation profile and kilometre splits on this page are free to view.
How accurate is the drawing?: The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 0.9 km east to west and 1.6 km north to south across London.
Where does the route start?: The start point is at 51.52664, -0.11495 — roughly 3.1 km north-east of the centre of London. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.