Facilities

This parkrun on the south side of Cork city is accessible by public transport from the city centre and although there is a sizeable car park at the park public transport is always advised. That or cycling which is always a great option. There are toilets on site but no changing facilities.

Course

The course is made up if one loop around the perimeter of the park done twice. It is a broad open path so plenty of room for other park users, and it is almost entirely paved. The park doesn’t have any gardens but at the top of the hill in the middle of the park there is a good view over the city. There is also a fairly unusual feature at the amenity centre in the park. A teddy bear walk, which essentially consists of many old teddy bears hanging on the fence and watching you as you walk/run by. A sweet or a scary concept depending on your point of view

Coffee

I unfortunately didn’t have time to check the coffee scene after this run but I believe the park connects to Douglas village where there are many cafés to be found.

X Factor

This parkrun has an interesting history, having been set up very early in the life of parkrun in Ireland it was quickly cancelled due to traffic problems I understand. Six long years later after much negotiations with the local council and the event is back up and running again. This shows the great tenacity of the organisers and parkrun enthusiasts thank them for bringing back the event which is also a great facility for the local people who don’t have a lot of alternative parkruns nearby.