The parkrunner embarks on a neverending quest to become the ultimate parkrun tourist. Here is a write-up of the courses we meet along the way.
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…
Wycombe Rye parkrun Wycombe Rye parkrun is based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The main pay-and-display car park was very easy to find with the postcode provided (HP11 1QX, however the car park will very likely be full by 8.45am, at which point your options are the nearby residential streets (free parking) or the other…
Montsouris parkrun (France) This week we went to Montsouris parkrun, in Paris, France. Located in the 14th arrondissement, the park is several km south of the main tourist spots of Paris. The postcode provided (75014) doesn’t quite get you to the start, so I would use Parc Montsouris in your SatNav or use the…
Clacton Seafront parkrun Clacton Seafront parkrun is based on the Essex coast. There is plenty of free car parking on Marine Parade and public toilets on the lower prom, which were free and open before parkrun . The start and finish is by the Toby Carvery, but I wouldn’t advise parking there during parkrun,…
Harcourt Hill parkrun Harcourt Hill parkrun is based in Oxford, at one of the Oxford Brookes University campuses. The start and finish is just behind the Brookes Sport building and there is free parking (until 10am) for over 100 cars. The postcode provided (OX2 9AT) took us to Harcourt Hill, but not quite to the…
Haverhill parkrun Haverhill parkrun is in Suffolk, but very near the border with Cambridgeshire. The start and finish is next to Cleves Road, but the course page asks runners not to park there (technically, it says Cleves Way, but they do mean Cleves Road) and the reason why became apparent when we drove down…
Penrose parkrun This week we’re off to Penrose parkrun in Cornwall – currently the most south-westerly parkrun in mainland UK. Using postcode TR13 0RA, the satnav took us directly to the large, free carpark near the start (the car park entrance is next to Flora Motors). It can accommodate over 100 cars so I…
Queen Elizabeth parkrun Queen Elizabeth parkrun is a two-lap, hilly trail run around the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, about 15 miles north of Portsmouth. No postcode is provided on the parkrun page, but PO8 0QE is a nearby postcode and then you need to follow the brown signs for the Country Park. The car…
Holkham parkrun Holkham parkrun is a completely stunning one-lapper around the grounds of Holkham Hall in Norfolk. If driving, use postcode NR23 1RH – this will get you to the entrance gates of the property, in Park Road. Drive in towards the Hall and you should be met by a member of staff who…
Those are pictures from one of the first parkruns and one of the most recent parkruns at Bushy Park where parkrun started in 2004 (2 October). Today was parkrun’s 14th Birthday. Before: Here is a link to the first ever, ever, ever parkrun results http://www.parkrun.org.uk/bushy/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=1 with the mens ‘event’ won by Chris Owens (Ranelagh…
Jersey parkrun Jersey parkrun is currently the only parkrun in Jersey and is based in the area of St Brelade, which is only a 20 minute walk from the airport and a further 20 minute walk to the coast. Those wishing to do Jersey parkrun as part of a day trip to Jersey could easily…
Dartford Heath parkrun Situated in south east London / Kent, not far from the M25, Dartford Heath parkrun is a lovely two-lap course, entirely on flat trail paths. The nearest car park to the start line, on Heath Lane, is very small and will probably be full by 8.30am. Car parking is a bit of…
Rutland Water parkrun Based in the East Midlands, Rutland Water parkrun is a straightforward out-and-back along the scenic reservoir. There is a very large car park so there should be space for everyone, though the SatNav will not quite get you there, so I would suggest using “Rutland Water car park” on Normanton Road in…
Black Combe parkrun A bit of an unusual one this week, as we visited HMP Haverigg, in Cumbria, for the first parkrun to be introduced within a prison. There was a little more planning involved this time, as we had to liaise with the Run Director in advance about requirements and availability. It was…
Brighton and Hove parkrun Brighton and Hove parkrun is based in Hove Park, East Sussex. The parkrun page doesn’t provide a postcode but you could enter ‘Hove Park’ or ‘Goldstone Crescent, Hove’ in your SatNav to get you there. Parking was free for up to three hours on the streets surrounding the park and…
Ally Pally parkrun To north London this week, where we take on Ally Pally parkrun around Alexandra Park. Ally Pally parkrun has been around since 2011, but in spite of this the runner numbers still tend to hover around the 300 mark. We drove there (use postcode N22 7AX) and easily found on-street parking…
South Norwood parkrun Based in south east London, South Norwood parkrun is two-and-a-bit clockwise laps of South Norwood Country Park. Parking is available at the adjacent Croydon Sports Arena, though we parked for free in one of the nearby residential roads. There are toilets at the start line, but no café. The whole course…
Croxteth Hall parkrun Based in Liverpool, Croxteth Hall parkrun (or “Crocky”, to the locals) is a one lap course around Croxteth Hall Country Park. The postcode provided (L11 1EH) will get you to the nearest roundabout where you’ll see the grand, gated entrance to the Country Park. Drive through and you’ll find a large,…
Catford parkrun Sandwiched between Catford and Hither Green, Catford parkrun is the new kid on the block in South East London. Based in Mountsfield Park, it’s easy to find (post code SE6 1AN) and parking was free and plentiful on Stainton Road. Or it’s a 10-minute walk from Hither Green train station. It’s a…
Sheringham parkrun is run around the stunning grounds of Sheringham Park, a National Trust property in Norfolk. Usually, parking is available for parkrunners for free until 10.30am at the visitor’s centre, near the start line. However, the car park was not in use on the day we ran, due to muddy conditions, but the parkrun…
