A guide to London Parkruns: course, elevation, terrain... everything you need to know!
Whether you love a pan-flat course, a 5k on the trails or tarmac only, there is a London Parkrun for you! I thought I’d tell you about the Parkruns I’ve been to and I hope it will help you decide which one you should try next weekend. I’ll be updating this blog post every time I visit a different Parkrun in London.
This post currently covers:
Ally Pally Parkrun
Beckenham Place Parkrun
Bromley Parkrun
Clapham Common Parkrun
Crystal Palace Parkrun
Dulwich Parkrun
Finsbury Park Parkrun
Hackney Marshes Parkrun
Hampstead Heath Parkrun
Highbury Fields Parkrun
Hilly Fields Parkrun
Mile End Parkrun
Peckham Rye Parkrun
Raphael Parkrun
Valentines Parkrun
Victoria Dock Parkrun
Wanstead Flats Parkrun
Ally Pally Parkrun
Ally Pally Parkrun takes place in the park surrounding Alexandra Palace, North London. It is one of the hilliest parkruns in London and it makes you feel like you’re on countryside trails, not in the capital.
Sadly I didn’t officially complete this parkrun because I went the wrong way and arrived on the opposite side of the finish line, ooops!
Ally Pally Parkrun details
Course: It’s an anti-clockwise 2-lap course with and out and back section on the main path. It can be quite confusing, and I was sent to do a third lap instead of being directed to the finish. I would advise studying the course beforehand.
Terrain: This Parkrun gets you to run on tarmac, trail-like paths and a little bit of grass. There are many narrow paths where overtaking is difficult. This isn’t one for a PB, but a great parkrun to escape the city views!
Elevation: With over 60m elevation gain, hilly sections are not a walk in the park but the views are worth it.
You can see what Ally Pally Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Beckenham Place Parkrun
Beckenham Place Parkrun in run entirely inside Beckenham Place Park, which is the largest park in the London Borough of Lewisham (South London).
Beckenham Place Parkrun details
Course: It’s a single lap covering a wide area of the park. The finish isn’t where the start is, but the volunteers have some sort of trolley for jackets that they carry to the finish.
Terrain: The course has some tarmac paths but mostly gravel paths and grass. It can get really muddy and slippery if it’s been raining.
It’s a lovely Parkrun to take part in, as long as the weather is dry! It’s also quite uneven in some sections and trail running shoes are recommended.
Elevation: It’s not flat but the elevation isn’t too challenging. There are a couple hilly sections, but also a really nice downhill one on the second km.
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Beckenham Place Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Bromley Parkrun
Bromley Parkrun takes place in Norman Park, South London. It’s not the most scenic, but it’s a fast, flat and very popular parkrun with 415 finishers per week on average but it can be even busier.
We were 576 parkrunners when I did this parkrun for the first time. It also attracts a lot of speedy people.
Bromley Parkrun details
Course: It’s two and a half laps of Norman park. The path is wide but it can get a little congested, between sharing the park with dog walkers and lapping runners towards the end.
Terrain: Bromley parkrun is run pretty much entirely on tarmac. The finish funnel is on grass but it’s just a few steps.
Elevation: Norman Park is flat, which makes Bromley Parkrun a great location if you want to run a fast 5k or get a Parkrun PB! I ran my fastest 5k to date (19:01) when I did Bromley parkrun for the second time. Check out the video here.
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Bromley Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Clapham Common Parkrun
Located in South London, Clapham Common parkrun is one of the most popular London locations, possibly the second busiest after Bushy Park. The average number of finishers is 572 and on the day I went, we were 682 parkrunners.
Clapham Common Parkrun details
Course: It’s a circular, 2-lap clockwise course around Clapham Common. Despite being a busy parkrun, there are only a few narrow sections were taking over runners might be tricky.
Terrain: Expect a mix of trail paths (gravel and compact dirt), footpaths and grass. I would recommend wearing shoes with a good grip (I was glad I went with my trail shoes) especially it’s been a rainy week as you’ll encounter muddy/slippery patches.
Elevation: It’s a very flat course with only 14m of elevation gain.
Note: the parkrun website mentions that Clapham Common parkrun is not suitable for buggies
You can check the course and all the details on Strava here and see what Clapham Common Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Crystal Palace Parkrun
Crystal Palace Parkrun takes place in Crystal Palace Park, South London. It’s not the flattest out there, but it’s a lovely course and there’s a nice coffee shop by the start and finish for a post-parkrun brekkie.
There are about 200 finishers per week on average.
Crystal Palace Parkrun details
Course: It starts and finishes pretty much at the same spot, near the cafe by Thicket Road car park. It’s a 2 lap course, with the second lap being slightly shorter.
Terrain: The course is run on gravel paths and tarmac. Some sections will get rather muddy on rainy days, but if it’s been dry all week you can get away with road running shoes.
Elevation: The most part of the first 1.5km of each lap is uphill (going from 61m to 103m elevation according to Strava). It’s not very steep but it can be challenging. The good thing is, you can make some time back on the downhill sections.
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Crystal Palace Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Dulwich Parkrun
Dulwich Parkrun takes place in Dulwich Park, South London. It’s fast, flat and the wide path makes it a very suitable parkrun for wheelchair users and buggy runners. There are about 280 finishers on average but some weeks are busier than others, when I took part in Dulwich parkrun we were 547 parkrunners.
It attracts a lot of very fast runners, when I went there the first male finisher had a time of 15:52 and the first female finished in 17:35. The male course record holder is triathlete and Olympian Alex Yee, with a time of 13:57!
Dulwich is the parkrun that gave me the biggest “race vibes” so far. I felt like I was at the start line of a 5k race, with a bigger proportion of people treating it as a race than at other parkruns.
Dulwich Parkrun details
Course: It’s almost 3 full laps of the main carriageway in an anti-clockwise direction. The path is very wide so although the parkrun can be busy, you’ll have plenty of space.
Terrain: The course is entirely run on smooth tarmac.
Elevation: There is a slight incline at the start of each lap but it won’t slow you down. Other than that it’s very flat.
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Dulwich Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Finsbury Park Parkrun
Finsbury Park is the very first Parkrun I went to, and it is still my go-to one. It is often a busy parkrun, we were once 652 parkrunners!
Finsbury Parkrun details
Course: It is 2 anti-clockwise laps around the park with a nice downhill start. The path is quite wide for the most part.
Terrain: This Parkrun is almost entirely on tarmac. You’ll only run on grass for less than 100m to get to the finish line.
Elevation: The elevation gain is 64m. There is one steep climb that is particularly challenging at the 1.5k mark and you come across it again at around 4.2k.
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Finsbury Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Hackney Marshes Parkrun
Hackney Marshes Parkrun takes place around the Marshes, not so far from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London. It is well-known for being flat and an excellent location for a PB attempt.
Hackney Marshes Parkrun details
Course: It’s an out and back around the Marshes. You start by doing a clockwise loop round the East Marsh then heave over to the bridge and turn right on the path. Then a sharp left, turn more grass running, over the bridge the other way and a final anti-clockwise loop around the marsh to finish where you started.
Terrain: Most of it is grass, with a couple sections on tarmac. I wouldn’t recommend this one on a rainy week as it will most likely be muddy.
Elevation: It’s really flat!
You can check the course of the course on Strava here and see what Hackney Marshes Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Hampstead Heath Parkrun
Hampstead Heath is a great parkrun for those who want to feel like they escape the buzzing city and go into the trails. It is a challenging but very enjoyable Parkrun to do! There’s an average of 230 parkrunners each week but on the day I went it was the 500th edition and nearly 400 people took part!
Hampstead Heath Parkrun details
Course: Hampstead Heath parkrun consists of 2 clockwise laps through the woodlands and up through Parliament Hill Fields. There are 2 different courses, which they name course A and B and are slightly different laps.
Terrain: It is a mix of gravel, concrete and compact dirt. The last section to get to the finish line is on grass. I wouldn’t recommend this parkrun on a rainy day, it could get very muddy and slippery.
Elevation: The total elevation gain is 113m or 370 feet. It undulating all the way and you basically have to tackle hilly sections at every km. The uphill finish is challenging!
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Hampstead Heath Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Highbury Fields Parkrun
Highbury Fields is another central parkrun and a good choice if you’re around Islington. There are about 200 parkrunners on average each week.
Highbury Fields Parkrun details
Course: It is an anti-clockwise 5-lap course that goes around the bottom part of the park. I personally found that 5 laps make for a quite repetitive experience. This parkrun is also not exactly 5km long. Everyone seems to clock 4.9km.
Terrain: This Parkrun is almost entirely on tarmac. You’ll only run on grass for about 200m at the start and 200m to get to the finish line.
Elevation: The total elevation gain is 44m. The elevation itself isn’t too challenging, but it feels harder at every lap and you definitely feel it in your legs.
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Highbury Fields Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Hilly Fields Parkrun
Hilly Fields parkrun is, you guessed it… hilly! It’s one of the most challenging parkruns in London and the toughest one I’ve done to date. With less than 200 finishers per week on average, this isn’t a really busy one.
Hilly Fields Parkrun details
Course: It’s a 3 lap course starting by the cafe. The first and final laps are slightly different, I’d recommend listening to the first timers briefing as it can be a little confusing!
Terrain: The course is run on mixed terrains. I’d say that half the course is on grass, the rest on tarmac and trail paths. It can get muddy if it’s been raining. Trail shoes recommended!
Elevation: 94m/308ft elevation gain according to Strava. It’s undulating all the way but the most challenging section is the big grassy hill at the end of each lap.
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Hilly Fields Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Mile End Parkrun
Mile End Parkrun takes place in Mile End park. It’s a lovely course but the path is quite narrow especially on the section by the canal. Thankfully it’s not the busiest London parkrun, with an average of 220 finishers per week.
Mile End Parkrun details
Course: It’s a 2 identical lap course which starts and finishes in front of Mile End Stadium (big yellow and blue building).
Terrain: The course is entirely run on tarmac and towpaths. The finish is on grass but it’s just as you enter the funnel.
Elevation: Expect an undulating course with 56m elevation gain. Nothing too steep, but still challenging especially when you’re on the second lap!
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Mile End Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Peckham Rye Parkrun
Peckham Rye Parkrun takes place in Peckham Rye Park & Common in the London borough of Southwark. It is apparently where poet William Blake had his famous visions of trees filled with angels as a child. There are about 208 finishers on average.
Peckham Rye Parkrun details
Course: It’s a 3 lap course (anti-clockwise). The start & finish are by the Colyton Road entrance.
Terrain: The course is entirely run on tarmac. Some sections are very narrow (you go over 2 bridges), overtaking can be a little tricky (it gets busy at the end when you’re lapping runners) and there are sharp turns, but you can still aim for a fast time! I unexpectedly got a new parkrun PB there.
Elevation: It is mostly flat with one incline section at the end of each lap (going from 52 to 62m elevation).
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Peckham Rye Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Raphael Parkrun
Raphael Parkrun takes place in Raphael Park in Romford, East London. It attracts around 230-240 runners each week. The path is quite narrow with runners going both ways in some sections, good thing this Parkrun is not too crowded.
Raphael Parkrun details
Course: 2 big laps and 1 small lap around the park. There are clear instructions and signs on the course indicating where to turn based on how many laps you’ve done so far. It starts and finishes close to the bandstand.
Terrain: This Parkrun is entirely on tarmac.
Elevation: It is slightly undulating, with a steep-ish incline that might might make you slow down, but it’s only a few meters long so you get over it quickly.
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Raphael Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Valentines Parkrun
Valentines Parkrun takes place in Ilford, a town in East London. I have really good memories of this parkrun as for the very first time (and probably the last) I finished first female there.
Valentines Parkrun details
Course: 2 anti-clockwise laps around Valentines park with nice views of the boating lake. The path is quite wide for the most part.
Terrain: This Parkrun is entirely on tarmac.
Elevation: It is almost as flat as it gets, a great one if you’re attempting a PB!
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Valentines Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Victoria Dock Parkrun
Victoria Dock Parkrun is a pretty unique parkrun that I’d definitely recommend visiting! It’s not in a park, but on the dockside path of Royal Victoria Docks, with cable cars above your head!
It’s a fast and flat course with great PB potential. It’s also not extremely busy, with an average of 154 parkrunners per week.
Victoria Dock Parkrun details
Course: It’s a double out and back starting and finishing by the city hall.
Terrain: This Parkrun is entirely run on the dockside path. A few sections are cobbled, otherwise it’s pretty smooth tarmac surface.
Elevation: Pan flat!
You can check the course and elevation on Strava here and see what Victoria Dock Parkrun is like in this vlog:
Wanstead Flats Parkrun
Wanstead Flats is the most southern part of the Epping Forest. It’s mainly run on trail paths, but with a course record of 15:07 for men and 17:32 for women, it has potential to be a fast one.
Wanstead Flats Parkrun details
Course: It’s a 2 lap course in the west part of the Playing Fields. It’s not particularly scenic but still very enjoyable and it makes you escape the city views of London.
Terrain: It is mainly run on trail paths (compact dirt) and grass. It can be sometimes uneven and it would be a muddy experience on a rainy day.
Elevation: as flat as it gets!
You can see what Wanstead Flats Parkrun is like in this vlog:
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