Since 2021, I’ve been fortunate to visit Ghana a few times for work, and I’ve blogged extensively about my running experiences here. Remember my runs in the rustic town of Big Ada; my run across the famous Adomi Bridge at Atimpoku, my runs in the affluent town of Akosombo where hydroelectric power is generated and my hike in the Akwamu Gorge for the panoramic view of the lower regions of the Volta River system? If you don’t, click the links above!

Although I haven’t spent a significant amount of time in the capital – Accra, with each trip, I’ve tried to explore more and more of the city. On my first visit, I ran10km around the Airport area and got to see the Accra and Marina Malls as well as the Polo Club. On another visit, I walked 9km from Black Star Square to my airport hotel, passing several Government departments, embassies, commercial banks, the National Theatre, and the Presidential residence – Golden Jubilee House. On my most recent visit, I ran 10km in the Accra Intercity Homowo Marathon which started in the city’s financial hub and ended in the less affluent district of Jamestown which is defined by much older buildings decorated with colourful murals as well as distinct colonial structures such as Ussher Fort and Jamestown Lighthouse. On a walk after this race, I also saw a lot of the vibrant Osu District, including Osu Castle with its horrible slaving history.

However, there was one place left in Accra that came highly recommended by colleagues, friends and this running review but I hadn’t run there yet – the University of Ghana, Legon Campus. This University is the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian national public universities and was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast, and later Ghana in 1957. It gained full university status as the University of Ghana in 1961. So, the day after my race, I decided to go for an 8km ‘shake-out’ run on the campus and was very impressed.

FIVE Things I Enjoyed About Running Here

1/ The Balme Library. I had long seen this building on my searches of the university. So, when the Uber driver asked where I wanted to be dropped off, I immediately told him the Library! The Library was established in 1948 and named after David Mowbray Balme, who was the first Principal of the University of Ghana. It is the main library of the University of Ghana and also the largest within the University of Ghana Library System. I loved the unique architecture with the distinguished statues in the front. The only thing missing was a brilliant blue sky!

2/ The Other Buildings. Starting at the Library, I turned right and soon found myself going up quite a steep incline. From here, I just ran on different roads and paths, not looking for anything in particular. I was impressed with the other buildings I found – many had a similar hue and roofing style as the library with some specially dedicated to/ named after particular people.

3/ The Greenery. Having run mostly around the Airport area and in the city centre with lots of buildings and complex road systems, I absolutely loved all the greenery here. Many roads were lined with tall and well-established trees, creating much needed shade as well as good clean air.

4/ Peace and Quiet. By the time I set off, there were definitely a lot more cars on campus than I probably would have found in the earlier hours of the day; but for most of my run, I enjoyed the peace and quiet, especially in those sections which seemed to be residential areas for academic staff. Although I do enjoy some hustle and bustle, nothing quite beats running in a more serene environment and just getting lost in your thoughts.

5/ The Hills! Yes, the hills! Coming from a flat city, I did appreciate that some of the sections were quite hilly, and looked great for hill repeats, too. After my race the previous day, I had no intention to do any, but I loved that this was an option for runners, walkers and cyclists.

Apparently the Legon Botanical Gardens are quite close by and great to combine with the campus run. I will have to save that for another visit! For now, I’m just so happy I finally got to run here – and I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Accra, especially if you’re looking for a quiet, peaceful and green run. However, if you’re keen to explore the city, take a look at my previous blogs which are all linked in the relevant places above!

Have you run in Accra? Have you run on a university campus?

I’m so excited to be linking up with My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday.