parkrun¹ is an organisation that runs free, weekly, 5K (3 mile) long timed runs. These events are held all around the world every Saturday and are open to everyone equally, regardless of whether participants are able to run or wish to walk. There are over 1,200 events, in 17 different countries around the world, over 500 of which are in the UK. The first parkrun was held in Bushy Park in London in 2004. Other parks in London and nationwide joined in 2007, with parkrun spreading internationally in 2009.

Runners' times are recorded by using a personal barcode that can be printed out once runners have registered on the parkrun website. The parkrun events are run by volunteers and runners are encouraged to volunteer at least three times a year to help keep them going.

Visiting a parkrun outside your home run is considered parkrun tourism, and runners who visit at least 20 different parkruns in the UK can earn the title of 'tourist'. At present (2020) with one held on the Isle of Wight and 20 in Hampshire, you can earn the title of 'tourist' purely within this area. Those parkrunners who enjoy tourism like to set themselves weird and wonderful challenges. These include the challenge to become an Alphabeteer, which is completing a parkrun beginning with every letter of the alphabet². Although many challenges are based on the first letter of the parkrun's name, the Compass challenge involves completing parkruns with 'North', 'East', 'South' and 'West' in their name. Another popular challenge is to become a Regionnaire, which is to complete every parkrun in an official parkrun region. The Isle of Wight and Hampshire are both classed as part of the UK's South West Region, along with Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

Key

The courses are described in tables below. Here is a brief explanation of the information included. There is a more detailed glossary at the bottom of the Entry.

Surface

What are you running on?

Gradient

How hilly is the course? Out of 500 courses in the UK, the higher the number the hillier the course. Of course how hilly the course is is only one measure of difficulty.

Average SSS & Difficulty

Introduced by Run Britain, the SSS rates the difficulty of parkruns. The lower the score, the easier the run. How the parkrun compares to the 513 parkruns in the UK is also listed. The higher the number, the more difficult the course.

Type of Run

Are you running loops, laps or out-and-back?

Inaugural Run

When was the first parkrun at this location?

Attendance

Average attendance and record attendance to date (2018).

Location

Where is it?

Railway Station

Which (if any) train station is nearby?

Neighbouring Area

What is the area around like? What else is there for tourists to do?

Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight's only parkrun is unusual in that it frequently moves location. Although normally based at Seaclose Park in Newport, in the very centre of the Island, during the summer and when events such as the Isle of Wight Festival are being held there the run is located at a different town on the Island, often Appley in Ryde (PO33 1ND)³. Other locations have included Gurnard near Cowes, Dodnor outside Newport for the cycle path to Cowes and Shanklin seafront. Even when the run is held at Seaclose Park the route often changes, either using the sports field and arboretum or the riverside footpath.

Runners are strongly advised to check the Medina parkrun news page and/or facebook page to double-check they know where it will be held.

Medina I.O.W.

Hampshire

Hampshire is not a part of the Isle of Wight but is in fact a separate county on the Mainland.

Alice Holt

A twisty-turny course through woodland, so the paths are fairly narrow. The course passes Gruffalo statues. Alice Holt parkrun is held in Forestry Commission land within the South Downs National Park. The surrounding area is very picturesque and there are numerous woodland walks and play trails.

Andover

A fast, flat course with a nice wide start on grass before the path narrows for the tarmac section. There is a short contraflow section.

Basingstoke

National Cycle Route 23 runs through War Memorial Park. Basingstoke counts towards the Stayin' Alive challenge - to complete this, you must run at three parkruns beginning with B and three beginning with G, as the Bee Gees sang 'Stayin' Alive'.

Brockenhurst

Brockenhurst is unusual in having two courses: a summer course held in the town, and a winter course held in Wilverley Inclosure in the New Forest. The Wilverley Inclosure course is a jewel in the crown in England's parkruns, but unfortunately the Forestry Commission does not allow access in the summer. In the summer runners instead run around a playing field several times.

This course also counts towards the Stayin' Alive challenge. As the Winter Course is in the heart of the New Forest along gravel paths, look out for wandering ponies. There is a steep hill near the end – it is an unwritten almost-rule that steep hills at parkruns are nicknamed 'Heartbreak Hill'. One Researcher described his experience at Brockenhurst with the words:

When I went there I was told by the guy doing the briefing that the course 'is shaped like a bra - you go down the right shoulder strap, then turn right to go round the first cup in a big circle, then turn left for another big circle, up the left shoulder strap to the end of the inclosure, turn around back down the strap and then across the top, up 'Heartbreak Hill' back to the right shoulder strap to run the finish.

Eastleigh

Eastleigh counts as part of the Compass challenge. The course is all on grass, and there are three laps. Since several trees were chopped down the course has frequently suffered from being waterlogged and runs have been cancelled following prolonged periods of heavy rain. National Cycle Route 23 runs by, and National Cycle Route 24 runs through Fleming Park.

Fareham

An out-and-back, probably the narrowest. This makes overtaking difficult and may result in a very slow start. Quite twisty and turny with lots of little inclines.

Havant

A picturesque run with a real cross-country feel.

Hogmoor Inclosure

The site used to be owned by the Ministry of Defence as part of the 4,410 acres of the Bordon and Longmoor Military Camp. Home of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers until December 2015, it was used as a tank training ground/assault course. This means there are nice, wide paths that tanks can get through, but there are also lumps of tank-teeth concrete everywhere. As the garrison has been relocated and the area is in the London commuter belt, an area the size of a medium town is now a housing development, with the Inclosure in the middle being kept as a nature reserve.

Itchen Valley Country

The course is reasonably flat but with a short, steep hill. Please be aware that the route can get very waterlogged and muddy in winter especially as most of the course is on grass.

Lee-on-the-Solent

Very flat with a short gravel section. Lee-on-the-Solent is usually pronounced Lee-on-Solent. National Cycle Route 2 runs by the promenade.

Lymington Woodside

Lymington parkrun uses slightly different routes at the same location in winter and summer.

Mountbatten School

As the course is around the school's playing field, this is often busy - drivers are recommended to park in the nearby Luzborough House pub. Due to the narrowness of parts of the course and the camber, Mountbatten School is unsuitable for prams and buggies. The school also does not allow dogs on site.

Netley Abbey

Netley Abbey is essentially a three-lap course at Royal Victoria Country Park, the site of an old Victorian military hospital. National Cycle Route 2 runs through Riverside Park.

Portsmouth Lakeside

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth is the hilliest course in Hampshire and one of the hilliest in the UK, located in the heart of the South Downs National Park.

Rushmoor

This parkrun counts towards the Pirate challenge - to complete this challenge you must run seven Cs and an R.

Southampton

Southampton counts towards the Compass challenge.

Southsea

Southsea also counts towards the Compass challenge. The route runs parallel to the road along the finish for the Great South Run. Although Southsea is the flattest parkrun in the country, it is notorious for its surprisingly strong sea breeze. National Cycle Route 2 runs along the prom.

Whiteley

Located next to one of Hampshire's largest shopping complexes, Whiteley is a narrow, three lap course. As the path is narrow the start is likely to be slow.

Winchester

Though the course is flat, the park gets very waterlogged and muddy in winter. Most of the course is on grass.

Glossary of Terminology

Here are descriptions of the words used in the table:

Camber

Uneven and angled running surface.

Contraflow

Section in which runners may encounter runners coming in the opposite direction, so you need to stick to your side of the path.

Dogleg

In loop or lap courses, a dogleg is a short, straight section that leads outside the loop, often at the start or end.

Inclosure

A forestry plantation fenced off to prevent large animals from entering.

Lap

Running the same short course 2, 3, 4 or possibly more times.

Loop

Instead of running the same route more than once as laps, a loop involves running different routes, such as a 2k loop followed by a 3k loop.

National Park

There are two National Parks in Hampshire: the New Forest and the South Downs.

Out-and-back

A run in which you head out, turn around and head back.

Playing Field

A run around a sports playing field. These tend to be flat and so potentially fast, but are far less interesting than other parkruns.

Promrun

A seaside run along an esplanade/promenade.

Trail

A dirt path, unpaved.

U-Turn

Sudden 180° turn to head back the way you came.

Undulating

Not flat, with lots of little up-and-downs rather than a hill.

Finally

parkrun is not about the course but about the people. It all comes down to the community.
- Paul Sinton-Hewitt, founder of parkrun