Pints & Parkruns: Tyne Green, Hexham

On paper, Tyne Green looks like an easy option. A flat out and back along the riverbank in Hexham, it’s the kind of event that has people thinking about PBs.

Unless, of course, there’s a back story. I spent the week walking the Hadrian’s Wall path and, after starting on the Solway, I’d stumbled into a B&B on Friday night footsore and struggling with aching shoulders after lugging a hefty backpack along with me. A 30k epic across the hills on Thursday took its toll and it was already clear that this was not going to be a memorably fast time. Moreover, once parkrun was done, there was the little matter of a further hike to Newburn, right on the edge of Newcastle.

Is this a mad idea? Perhaps, although when I ran Denton Dene earlier this year (a course that actually incorporates part of the Hadrian’s Wall national trail) I met an intrepid trio who were combining their hike with a parkrun. A committed parkrun tourist might even consider stretching the walk across a full week and including Carlisle or Talkin Tarn on the other side of the Pennines.

But any commitment might waver as creaking muscles protest their way through a warm-up. Arriving with a hefty backpack ensured a friendly welcome from a friendly team beside the Tyne but kind words alone can’t always overcome aches and pains. Happily, out on a leafy, tree-lined course, the old running rhythm came back far better than expected: after a cautious start, I was pleasantly surprised how comfortable it felt in the end.

Away from the run itself, Hexham is a great place for a day out. Although it’s not on the wall itself, it carries hints of Roman heritage. During my visit, the abbey – which boasts its own Roman tomb, pilfered from Hadrian’s legacy – was showing two Heartwood prints. These were created by Shona Brannigan to commemorate the famous sycamore tree, often described as England’s most photographed before it was deliberately chopped down in Sep. 2023.

And, apart from the café next door to the parkrun, visitors might consider brunch at the Hextol Tans. It’s a vegetarian and vegan place that exists to give work placements to people with learning difficulties – including an ardent parkrunner and star of today’s first-timer briefing. Coffee, good food and good deeds? Count me in.

Practicalities: as mentioned, there’s a café more or less on site thanks to the local golf course. The Tyne Green park also has toilets and extensive parking. If you’re daft enough to combine it with a hike, there’s a bus from Chollerford, something of a hub for walkers, that gets you to the railway station by 8:30. There’s rarely any need for trail shoes on a course that is largely gravel and tarmac, but hiking boots probably wouldn’t be a good choice!

The pint

The local beer comes from the Hexhamshire Brewery, and it’s worth looking out for. However, the top brews in the area are surely Twice Brewed’s selection. Based within sight of some of the most dramatic wall scenery in the wild heart of Northumberland, there’s a strong Roman accent to tipples like Ale Caesar, while the Steel Rigg porter, Vindolanda IPA and Sycamore Gap pale all take inspiration from the immediate landscape. There are beery legends dating back to Hadrian’s time (the village of Once Brewed allegedly got its name after a local landlord tried to skimp on the production process and was sent back to do it twice) but this is a thoroughly contemporary operation. And, as a lifelong Red Dwarf fan, I can’t resist a mango juice pale called Shipwrecked and Comatose.

First visit: Aug. 2024. PB: 26:36

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