A north London-based parkrun taking in three anticlockwise laps of Pymmes Park. The postcode provided (N18 2UG) takes you directly to Victoria Road alongside the park and that’s the side where the course starts and end. Parking was free on Victoria Road and we didn’t struggle to find a space. Although there are toilet facilities at the start/finish line, they were locked both before and after the run. I don’t know if this is a common occurrence, but I would hope not as the parkrun page does mention toilet facilities.
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.
Official Event Page: Pymmes parkrun
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
Fastest parkrun, Hardest parkrun & Easiest Courses in UK | difficulty ratings
For training plans, course guides, and the full index of UK parkruns, see the parkrun hub.
Last Updated on 27 May 2026 by the5krunner
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theparkrunner is a contributing writer covering road races, endurance events and the travel side of racing life. Reports focus on upcoming events, race destinations and what athletes need to know before they arrive.
