Gorleston Cliffs parkrun

Gorleston Cliffs parkrun is a mostly-flat, seafront run in Gorleston, Norfolk, near Great Yarmouth. Parking is free and plentiful on Marina Parade. There are free toilets and a couple of cafes on the lower prom and a children’s play area on the upper prom.

It’s a two-lap course, starting on the upper prom. You run along it for about 1.25k and although the pathway is narrow, there are wide areas of grass to the side which the parkrunners take advantage of when overtaking. At the end of the upper prom section, you will be marshalled down a steep-ish hill before returning back along the lower prom in the direction that you came from. The end of the lower prom section marks the completion of lap one, at which point you’ll be directed up a short-but-steep hill to the upper prom, back to where you started. Then you get to do it all again for lap two, except that you don’t do the uphill on the second lap, as the finish is on the lower prom where there is a bit more space. So there is a net downhill on this course, which is good (unless you particularly enjoy running uphill). The whole course is on concrete or tarmac and, with a marshal at each end at the turning points, it’s impossible to get lost.

As a seafront parkrun, Gorleston Cliffs parkrun can be extremely cold and windy. On the flipside, if you go on a hot, sunny day, you might find it too hot because there is no shade whatsoever. So a visit in Spring or Autumn is probably about right. Though if you do go in summery weather, you will get to take advantage of the absolutely stunning beach, which was vast, sandy and clean. The course itself does not go onto the beach, but does run alongside it and it is really lovely. I can recommend the café which you run past at about the 2km point – the breakfasts were very nice and there were bowls of water out for the dogs. Speaking of which, this would be a good course for both runners with dogs and those with prams.

Official Event Page: Gorleston Cliffs parkrun

Nearby postcode: None provided – use ‘Marine Parade, Gorleston’ in your SatNav

Hills: Ascent/Descent metres 18.3

Subjective PB potential: 9/10 – mostly flat but has one short-but-steep uphill

For training plans, course guides, and the full index of UK parkruns, see the parkrun hub.

Last Updated on 27 May 2026 by tfk the5krunner

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theparkrunner

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.