Pints & Parkruns: Northallerton

It might be Yorkshire, but it’s not ‘Yorkshire flat’. No, Northallerton parkrun is genuinely flat. Save for one short climb on each lap, there’s almost no elevation gain at all. Strava reckons 7m, which feels about right.

So that makes for an easy, PB-friendly course, right? Well, yes and no. The devil is in the detail – specifically the varied terrain on this route. The course snakes around the grounds of Northallerton’s Leisure Centre (which is well-signposted from approaches to the town) and you’ll find yourself on everything from footpaths to woodland trail. But mostly grass. Lots and lots of grass. Which, on a fairly dry weekend, is fine. But after a bit of rain, it’s another story. Likewise, if the mower hasn’t been round for a bit it can be as sapping as the Wembley turf late in the second half of the cup finals of childhood memory (you know, the ones that were the major TV event of the day; not the current pound-shop version shunted into an awkward slot on the margins of the Premier League season).

That’s why you shouldn’t necessarily expect a blistering time around this course. But you should look forward to other good things. Northallerton is one of those runs that thrives on its local community. Tourists are in a minority here – the big draw locally is Fountains Abbey and its spectacular route around the ruins. That means more regulars, and a stronger sense of renewed friendships each Saturday morning. Don’t interpret this as a clique; enjoy a parkrun that helps to give more people a chance to get out for some exercise each week.

And the satisfaction is not limited to that smug sense of doing some good. Although the course rarely gets a mention among the more memorable routes, it’s a rewarding circuit. Three laps take in varied terrain, a couple of bridges and a pleasantly rustic stretch alongside the beck. Birdsong might mingle with the chug of passing trains on the East Coast Mainline (in the prime of the railways, Northallerton was a significant enough rail junction to be included on the Luftwaffe’s list of potential targets). And the sound effects vary at different points on the course as the thumping stampede of runners on tarmac is abruptly muted by a switch to grass.

Practicalities: usually, it’s fine in regular running shoes, although trail shoes might help after bad weather. The FB page often advises based on conditions that week. There’s plentiful parking at the leisure centre, which also has toilets, showers and changing rooms available for those who need them. Strangely, the gym overlooks the pre-parkrun gather point, which begs the question why so many people opt to slog away on their treadmills rather than stepping outside to run in the fresh air (naturally, in bad weather, that question could easily be reversed).

The Pint

The local brewery in these parts has been running since 2021. Established by a former Major in the army, there’s a hint of military branding at Bayonet Brewing. More importantly, there’s a string of easy-drinking ales, led by the Delta Lima Six pale. It’s a smooth, quaffable session ale dedicated to its home town and regularly available in the lively and friendly Stumble Inn micropub. That’s the kind of venue dedicated to good beer and good conversation – not for nothing is the spoof WiFi code ‘g0soMewHerEElse’: expect a chat, not digital nomad territory. Another popular brew, Inside the Wire, was brewed specially for The Koop, Northallerton’s self-styled home of chicken and beer.

First visit: Nov. 2024; time 26:19

Thanks for reading. For more Pints & Parkruns, check out my website.