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Facilities

There is a small car park available at this parkrun, but it fills up quickly before the run so I would recommend getting to the run via other means. Public transport is a great option, with many local buses including the Glider bus service. Toilets are available in the community centre next to the car park, but no changing facilities.

Course

There’s no sugar coating that this is a very tough course. It is very hilly with many undulations throughout the run; but that just adds to the fun. The entire route is paved, and this being a forest park is very sheltered also. There are lots of different paths in the park but in order to keep on the route just follow the yellow arrows, and importantly, remember to do two laps of the pond, not just one. You’ll see when you get there. The park is almost entirely woodland, meaning it is quite enclosed. I like this as it means seeing something new every time you turn a corner.

Coffee

Coffee is had in the community centre after the run, a good opportunity to catch your breath and have a chat after the run.

X Factor

There is a lot of signage around the park which gives a good history of the place. This park was totally transformed by a huge community effort in the 90s I believe, from a wasteground to the thriving woodland it is today. It is now a fantastic resource for people of the area with many activities available there.

Facilities

This parkrun takes place in an urban setting in the town of Bangor. There is no one big car park here, but there is a small car park and lots of street parking around the park. If not driving though, there is a local bus service and the train station is a ten minute walk from the park, so easily accessible. There are toilets available next to the start line but no changing facilities.

Course

This run is entirely paved and is mostly flat, though there are a few small climbs. It might therefore be a good place to attempt a PB, but there are some sharp corners that will slow you down. The sharp corners are a result of the shape of the run, which I think might best be described as a flower with three petals, where you start in the middle, go out on one loop and get back to the middle, go out on another loop, and then a third. This needs to be done three times. It’s a bit difficult to follow the first time round but there are marshals on hand to guide you. The park itself is very nice, being well maintained and having lots of nice features and points of interest, like the pond and a German u-boat cannon.

Coffee

The parkrun volunteers put on a great spread in the bowling pavilion for the runners when they finish the run.

X Factor

This run is a great example of two organisations sharing their facilities and making best use of them for the good of the community.

Facilities

Parking is available at the quayside near the start of this parkrun. It is, however, an urban setting so I imagine that this is paid parking. There is, however, a retail park a few hundred yards downstream from the start line where parking is free. If not driving, this run can be accessed by the city bus services, or by bicycle. There are no toilet or changing facilities available.

Course

This is an out and back course along the banks of the Foyle, starting on the west side of the Foyle and crossing the Peace Bridge to the east side and back again. The entire route is paved. The route is mostly flat but there is a bit of climbing to do to get up onto the bridge from the far side. There is plenty to admire on this run, with a great view of the Derry quays, an attractive wooded area at the far end of the course, and of course the spectacular Peace Bridge.

Coffee

There is a cafe near the start/finish line where parkrunners can enjoy a post run coffee.

X Factor

Derry, the Walled City, has a long and complicated history making it a very interesting place to visit. The standout feature of this run is the Peace Bridge, which is not only very beautiful, but a great symbol of reconciliation after a long history of division in this city.

Facilities

There is a huge car park available next to the start line for this parkrun, so there should be no problem getting parking at this time of the year at least. It is right next to a popular beach however, so during summertime it may be busier. Public transport isn’t really a viable option as far as I am aware. There are toilets available close to the start line, but no changing facilities

Course

This is a simple course to follow, being just a straightforward out and back along the shoreline of Portrush beach. Of course the surface is sand all the way, which can make for a hard run, but if the tide is out the sand near the water can be quite compact and easier to run on. The run is flat but is open to the elements, so wrap up if the weather is less than ideal. The scenery along the run is spectacular with the north Antrim coast in full view. The sound of crashing waves also adds to the atmosphere.

Coffee

Every week parkrunnners enjoy post  run coffee in a nearby cafe.

X Factor

This parkrun is one of a rare breed of beach runs and this reason alone makes it a special parkrun.

Facilities

There is a small car park available next to this park just north of Cork city centre. If this car park is full up there are two larger car parks available a few minutes away. Being in the city though, bus may be a better option to get to this parkrun. Toilets are available in the resource centre close to the start line, but no changing facilities.

Course

This run is made up of a three lap course, the first being a shorter lap and the next two being longer loops. There is a contra flow in operation at the far end of the bigger lap, so keep to the left. The surface is a mixture between paving and gravel. The topography of the park is fairly dramatic, as the river through the centre of the park has cut a deep valley in the landscape. This means that there is a good bit of climbing to do at this run as you go from the riverside to the top of the valley. There are lots of mature trees and greenery in the park, and given the layout it is quite peaceful in the centre of the park, with little noise contamination from the surrounding city.

Coffee

Parkrunnners enjoy coffee at the resource centre after the run

X Factor

This is the first parkrun to operate in Cork city for a long time and it is great to see it spread to the real capital. For fans of the Young Offenders it is a lot of fun to be in the north city and try to decipher what the locals are saying through their lyrical accents.

Facilities

There is a small car park on site at this rural parkrun, but cars are sometimes parked on the grass, meaning there should be enough room to park if you travel by car. Public transport is not really an option. There are no toilets or changing facilities.

Course

This run is made up of three undulating laps around the outside of the park, which altogether means that there is plenty of climbing to be done at this parkrun. The surface is mostly light gravel. Distance markers along the route let you know how far you have gone. The park itself is quite open, and being in such a rural location is very quiet and peaceful.

Coffee

Coffee is had in a cabin near the finish line where you can discuss your run with your fellow parkrunners

X Factor

Seeing new parkruns being set up in small communities is testament to the enduring popularity of the parkrun organisation and the volunteers that make these events happen.

 

Facilities

There is a small car park available at this parkrun, so public transport may be a better option to travel here. The run is located at the edge of Dublin but is a well populated area and has a regular bus service, and can be easily reached on foot by local residents. If you are driving to this parkrun however, just a slight note on directions if using Google maps: better to aim for the GAA club as aiming for the Community centre will bring you to the wrong side of the community centre where there is no parking.

Course

The course is made up of three laps around the park, with a short spur at the end to the finish line. The course is easy to follow, with just two non-obvious turns which are either signposted or marshalled. The route is almost entirely flat with just a very short pinch at the far end of the lap, and is all paved, so this would be a great parkrun to attempt a PB. The park itself is open, with a nice pond at the far end.

Coffee

After the run parkrunners go for a coffee in the community centre.

X Factor

Tyrrelstown is a new suburb of Dublin, which is evident in the large purpose built  community facilities and the densely built houses. It is interesting to compare this area to the older parts of Dublin.

Facilities

There is great connectivity to this parkrun by public transport, with the park located right next to the town train station and with a good local bus service. There is not a lot of parking available at the park, and spaces get taken up quickly as other park users gather. I didn’t see any toilet or changing facilities at the park.

Course

This event is made up of three big laps and one small lap around the park. You start off on the small lap but don’t complete it until after completing the three big laps. The route is paved throughout. There is a hill in the park which you come across on the big lap, and since you do this three times there is a fair bit of climbing here. There is lots of activity in the park, with people coming to use the football pitches, playgrounds and the cricket pitch in summer time.

Coffee

The parkrun volunteers supply post run coffee at the bandstand near the finish line.

X Factor

The value of a good park is plain to be seen at this event with so much going on. It was great to see so many people out and active early on a Saturday morning.

Facilities

There are lots of local bus services around Omagh town and the Intercity bus from Dublin to Letterkenny gets in on time for parkrun, so there is no excuse not to take public transport to this event. The run location is a short distance from the bus stop. If public transport is not an option however, it is possible to drive, and there are plenty of spaces available. Toilets are available at the leisure centre next to the start line, but there are no changing facilities.

Course

The run is made up of two laps of the course, with the course being kind of shaped like a figure of eight, but with three loops, if you know what I mean. There is a fair amount of climbing to do, with one quite steep pinch which must be covered twice. The route is mostly paved. The park is a tranquil place, secluded from sounding roads, and with many mature trees, shrubbery, open fields and with a river running alongside the park.

Coffee

Post run coffee is had in the leisure centre next to the start line.

X Factor

There is a fairly unusual running track at this parkrun. I’m not quite sure what the surface was made out of, but it’s worth having a look. Omagh is also the site of one of the worst atrocities of the Troubles. Those events are important to remember as they provide a good perspective for the magnificent progress made by the peace process in Northern Ireland.

 

Facilities

There is ample parking available at this parkrun event, located just south of the town centre in Comber. Given its central location though it is also easily accessible for town residents and would be very easy to walk or run to rather than driving to. There are good bus services in the area that will drop you off in the town centre and the run is s short walk from there. Toilets are available in a local clubhouse close to the start line, I did not see any changing facilities however.

Course

This is a four lap event of a figure of eight course. The route is entirely paved, is well sheltered, and is very flat, making this an excellent place for a PB attempt. There is one hairpin turn, which of course must be covered four times, but there is plenty of room around the turn making it possible to take it at a wide berth. At the cross-over point of the figure of eight, the path is very narrow and there is a contra flow of runners at this point, which may possibly slow you down if you encounter any traffic. The park itself is pleasant, being secluded from surrounding traffic, and having lots of mature trees around the park.

Coffee

After the run the parkrunners gather in the local clubhouse where they enjoy coffee, tea and donated treats and have a chat after the run.

X Factor

One of the best things about parkrun is that it is for everyone, and one of the most striking elements of this is the inter-generational quality of the participants. At the run in Comber I overheard an older runner in his late thirties talk to a younger runner in his teens as they discussed their times. The teenager had just achieved a PB, though was still slower than the older man. To see how that relationship would evolve over time, as the teenager gets faster and the older man gets slower, would be an interesting study in the passage of time and the way in which one generation passes the mantle on to the next.