Pymmes is a really easy course (just follow the path around the perimeter of the park) and there were consequently no marshals on the day. It would be very difficult to get lost, especially as you run three identical laps. Numbers of runners at this parkrun are consistently fairly low – generally around the 80 mark – and the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming, which I am sure is partly due to the small size. The entire course is on permanent paths, apart from the finish funnel which is on grass. Due to the low numbers, overtaking didn’t seem to be a problem, even though the paths were not especially wide in most places. A nice, flat course with one short hill just after you run around the lake. The Suunto Spartan Trainer did record a distance of 5.11km, but that could be down to me taking a long line.
The park is very scenic and has a children’s playground, so it’s also family-friendly, though there did not seem to be a café in the park. It would be a good course for runners with prams, with the only uneven area being the crazy-paving path around the pond. This was an enjoyable course with a nice outlook on the way around – if it weren’t for a view of some nearby high rise flats on the way round, you could almost forget you were in London. Bonus points for the number of runners congratulating each other on the way round – excellent parkrun spirit.
Nearby postcode: N18 2UG
Hills: Ascent/Descent metres 14.0
Subjective PB potential: 9/10 – great course with just one short hill per lap
Distance Displayed on Suunto Spartan Trainer: 5.11 km
See below for difficulty ranking
parkrun : Hardest & Easiest Courses in UK | course difficulty