North East parkruns: The full list of 5k runs you can try in 2023

Whether it be a way to maintain fitness or starting out on an entirely new health journey, parkruns are a brilliant, community-led way to get running.

The premise is simple – parkruns offer a safe, free way to run, jog or walk 5k. Registration only needs to be completed once and anyone can get involved.

There are currently over 1,000 weekly events across the UK with events starting at 9am on Saturday mornings. Anyone who doesn’t want to run can still get involved through a volunteering scheme.

For anyone looking for a competitive edge to their Saturday morning runs, there is an age grading system, so any runner can compare their time and result with other people of the same age and gender. Participants get a text or email with their time after the race.

Where are the parkruns taking place in the North East?

Wearside runners are flocking to Silksworth Sports Centre and Herrington Country Park events, with a parkrun also on at Riverside Park in Chester-le-Street.

The Silksworth Parkrun sees runners start near the dry ski slope at the site before heading up the northern edge of the complex, around one of the site’s lakes twice before heading back, while the Herrington Country Park event sees runners take two laps of the main part of the park, one loop being smaller than the other. The Chester le Street route, also known as Riverside Parkrun, consists of three laps around Riverside Park.

Further south, there are also weekly events at Cotsford Fields near Peterlee and The Cliff at Seaton Carew near Hartlepool, which is a fairly flat route along the coast to Hartlepool and back.

The South Shields Parkrun is mapped out from Sandhaven Beach, up to Marsden Beach before following the Coast Road back towards the town.

Closer to Gateshead, there are events at Windy Nook Nature Park and Saltwell Park, while Newcastle has weekly events at Jesmond Dene, Leazes Park and Town Moor.

All course maps and further information can be found on the Parkrun website, with each individual course having its own Facebook page for runners to keep up to date.