Seven 'best' parkruns to visit this weekend in County Durham

With several routes taking place in County Durham, runners far and wide flock to their nearest parkrun, eager to cross the finish line and maybe hit a new PB.

We put together a list of the seven best parkrun events in the region:

 South Park, Darlington

Taking place in the picturesque South Park, the five kilometres of this run take you past some wonderful scenery around the entire perimeter of the area.

Past the sensory gardens and rounding the lake, there are a couple of longer straights. Three laps of this route will get your heart pumping and the endorphins flowing. 

When the run ends, a post-workout coffee and bacon roll is often shared by runners at the park cafe.

 Ushaw Historic House

The newest addition to County Durham’s Parkrun family, Ushaw Historic House offers a ‘picturesque’ two-lap course through historic grounds and landscaped gardens.

With its Gothic Revival architecture and 500-acre estate, many runners flock to this route for its beautiful scenery.

The opening week in October saw 639 people flock to Durham to complete the course, and 49 volunteers took part to cheer on the runners.

After completing the route, runners often stay for coffee at the on-site café, making it a perfect community hub.

Durham

Located along the River Wear, this flat and scenic route is ideal for beginners and seasoned runners alike.

It starts at the corner of the athletics track at Durham University's Maiden Castle sports facility, and continues along the path before crossing the wooden bridge to the other side of the river.

Finishing by the racecourse bandstand, it’s one of the most popular Parkruns in the region.

Coffee is often consumed after the run at Graham Sports Centre Cafe.

Demesnes, Barnard Castle

Another new addition to the Parkrun family - located in the historic market town. Parkrun combines riverside paths with views of the iconic castle ruins.

It’s a scenic route that attracts both locals and visitors looking for a bit more of a challenging run with stunning surroundings.

Since launching in October, the new route has attracted people from all over the region, including mums with double buggies and retirees getting new PBs.

 Hamsterley Forest

For trail lovers, Hamsterley Forest is a runner's dream come true.

This course features a level trail alongside Bedburn Beck and the terrain on Windy Bank is short and steep through beautiful mixed woodland high above the valley floor.

It rejoins the Bedburn Beck and continues on forest tracks and trails.

There are some inclines and protruding roots, rocks and stones on the trails.

Trail shoes with good grip are recommended for this particular route.

Coffee after the run is shared at the Hamsterley Forest cafe.

Blackhill, Consett

A challenging, hilly course through Blackhill and Consett Park, this route is ideal for runners who love a tough workout.

Parkrun describe the course as 'challenging', because Blackhill is aptly named due to the sheer amount of inclines in the village.

The run starts near the bandstand and winds through the park, then veers out of the main park area to circle some football pitches before a climb back to the park.

Runners can grab a post-run coffee at the Bowling Club in the park.

 Hardwick Park, Sedgefield

The much-loved Parkrun course features a two-lap scenic route through the park's picturesque landscapes.

Participants start at the visitor centre and run along the path heading right towards the Temple field.

Runners then follow the path, turning left in the Temple field before heading clockwise along the lakeside.

The finish is on the grassed area next to the visitors’ centre and runners like to share a coffee at Hardwick Park Visitors' Centre after finishing the five-kilometre route.