How long is the snowflake route in London?

The snowflake covers 20.3 km with 40 m of ascent and 39 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 124 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 2.9 km east to west and 2.7 km north to south across London.

Where does the route start?

The start point is at 51.50456, -0.10906 — roughly 2.5 km 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

Snowflake GPS Art Running Route in London — 20.3 km

A 20.3 km loop through London that draws a snowflake when you upload it to Strava. The line follows public streets and paths, climbs 40 m in total, and covers a footprint about 2.9 km wide by 2.7 km tall.

Navigate it in the app

Distance20.3 km

Elevation gain40 m

Elevation loss39 m

Estimated time124 min

DifficultyModerate

Average gradient0.2%

Route map

Start point: 51.50456, -0.10906 — about 2.5 km 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: 40 m of ascent and 39 m of descent across 20.3 km, an average gradient of 0.2%.

Kilometre by kilometre

Split	Heading	Elevation change	Range
km 1	Runs east-south-east	+1 m	3–4 m
km 2	Runs east-north-east	0 m	4–5 m
km 3	Runs east-north-east	0 m	4–6 m
km 4	Runs south	-1 m	2–4 m
km 5	Runs south-south-east	0 m	2–4 m
km 6	Runs south-east	-1 m	2–4 m
km 7	Runs south	+1 m	2–3 m
km 8	Runs west-north-west	0 m	2–3 m
km 9	Runs south-south-east	0 m	2–4 m
km 10	Runs south-west	+1 m	2–3 m
km 11	Runs north	0 m	3–4 m
km 12	Runs south-south-west	0 m	2–4 m
km 13	Runs west-south-west	0 m	2–4 m
km 14	Runs north-west	+1 m	3–4 m
km 15	Runs north-east	0 m	3–4 m
km 16	Runs west-south-west	0 m	3–4 m
km 17	Runs north-west	+1 m	3–5 m
km 18	Runs north-east	-1 m	3–5 m
km 19	Runs east	0 m	3–4 m
km 20	Runs north-north-west	0 m	2–5 m
km 20.3	Runs north-east	0 m	3–3 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.

0.10 km — turn left, then continue east.
0.32 km — turn right, then continue east.
0.54 km — turn right, then continue south-south-east.
0.85 km — turn left, then continue south-east.
1.30 km — turn left, then continue north-east.
1.44 km — turn left, then continue north-north-west.
1.58 km — turn left, then continue north-west.
1.75 km — turn right, then continue north-north-east.
1.95 km — turn right, then continue east-north-east.
2.08 km — turn right, then continue south-south-east.
2.24 km — turn left, then continue east-south-east.
2.38 km — turn left, then continue north-north-east.
2.67 km — turn right, then continue east-south-east.
2.84 km — turn right, then continue south.
3.16 km — turn left, then continue east-south-east.
3.38 km — turn right, then continue south-south-east.
3.56 km — turn right, then continue south-south-west.
3.79 km — turn right, then continue west-south-west.
4.13 km — turn sharp left, then continue south-south-east.
4.59 km — turn sharp left, then continue north-north-east.
4.82 km — turn left, then continue north-north-west.
5.02 km — turn right, then continue east-north-east.
5.15 km — turn right, then continue south-south-east.
5.31 km — turn right, then continue south-south-west.

Difficulty and terrain

Moderate. Flat profile, but 20.3 km of concentration on the line. Expect the distance, not the climb, to be the limiting factor.

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 snowflake appears on your activity map.

Questions about this route

How long is the snowflake route in London?: The snowflake covers 20.3 km with 40 m of ascent and 39 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 124 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 2.9 km east to west and 2.7 km north to south across London.
Where does the route start?: The start point is at 51.50456, -0.10906 — roughly 2.5 km east of the centre of London. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.