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.
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…
This week we’re off to the West Midlands town of Solihull – more specifically, to Brueton Park. There is a small car park (Malvern Car Park) at Brueton Park itself, but spaces are limited so you’d need to get there early. The other alternative, as mentioned on the course page, is the car park at…
A two-lap course around War Memorial Park in Coventry, West Midlands. The postcode provided (CV3 6PT) got us to the Kenilworth Road but not directly to the large, free Park-and-Ride car park next to War Memorial Park, but the car park was well signposted and easy to find nonetheless. The walk to the start line is…
A completely flat run along the seafront at Hove, East Sussex. The postcode provided (BN3 2FR) is actually for the café near the start line, but the SatNav will get you as close as possible and then it’s easy to find parking on one of the streets nearby – though this may be a different…
Eastville parkrun is a 10-minute drive from Bristol city centre. Car parking is available in the nearby Tesco (post code BS5 6XB) and it’s around a 10-minute walk from there to the start line – go through the underpass and up the hill of the park. There is a toilet block near the start line…
Newtown parkrun Newtown parkrun is based in east Wales, close to the border with England. There’s an enormous car park at the start, so no need to get there early if you’re driving. There are also public toilets which were open before and after the run. Parking is via pay-and-display and we paid £1.30 for…
Stretford parkrun Manchester-based Stretford parkrun begins and ends in Longford Park Stadium and comprises one lap of the track, two clockwise laps of Longford Park and one further lap of the track to finish. The stadium was really easy to find (use postcode M21 9TA) and the car park was free. The car park was…
Mount Edgcumbe parkrun Mount Edgcumbe parkrun, in Cornwall, is a very scenic one-lap course around the grounds of Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park. There is a pay-and-display car park on site (use postcode PL10 1HZ) which cost 70p for up to one hour or £2.70 for 1-4 hours (March 2018). Another way…
South Oxhey parkrun This week we’re off to Watford, to the South Oxhey Playing Fields. Plenty of parking is available in the Pavilion Pub, off Green Lane (post code WD19 4LT) and the start line is a 30 second walk away. There is a disabled toilet between the car park and the start line…
Norwich parkrun Norwich parkrun, in Norfolk, is one of (currently) five parkruns in and around Norwich. Norwich parkrun was the first of the five, and is also the most centrally located to the city (only a 10-minute drive away, if you fancy visiting after parkrun). The course page states that there is limited parking at…
Haverfordwest parkrun As of February 2018, Haverfordwest is the most westerly of parkruns in Wales. It’s still quite a new parkrun and the numbers seem to have levelled out to fewer than 60 each week, so it had a very friendly vibe when we went. Based at Haverfordwest Racecourse, the start and finish is…
Bexley parkrun A long-established parkrun based in Bexleyheath, Kent, though classed as Greater London on the parkrun site. The course is two anti-clockwise laps of Danson Park, running around the lake and past the Grade I listed Danson House – though the house is only open to the public on Sundays. The course page suggests…
Kings Lynn parkrun A really nice, flat parkrun around The Walks park in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. The start line is a few minutes’ walk from Kings Lynn train station and there is also free parking on surrounding roads. The postcode provided (PE30 5QX) takes you to Goodwins Road, which is where we parked, and it’s…
