Wimbledon Common Parkrun takes place in the north east corner of Wimbledon Common, starting near the Windmill. This large park on the outskirts of London was made famous by the Wombles.

Getting There

It’s easy to reach from central London. The 93 bus from Putney Bridge stops a few minutes walk from the start (Parkside Hospital stop). We travelled by bus, which was convenient, although I’m not sure the bus driver appreciated our muddy state on the return journey.

By car, the start is just off the A3.

Parking

There is a free car park close to the start, although it can fill up quickly.

Toilets

There are toilets near the Windmill, which also has a café.

Course

The course consists of two laps. Two points to note:

• The start and finish are in different places.
• Following the briefing, the run starts in the opposite direction to the direction you are facing. If, like me, you are slow and stand at the back, all of a sudden you are at the front of the race being trampled by fast people. And vice versa.

Terrain

The event is all on trails, which can be rather muddy in winter.

Shoes

Probably trail, especially if it has been raining.

Difficulty

Run Britain rankings for UK parkruns places Wimbledon Common as 457th fastest out of 706. It has a total elevation of 6 metres.

Fun Factor

Wimbledon Common is a large, well established parkrun with around 400 finishers a week and almost 800 events run. This gives it a nice atmosphere. It’s also very scenic running round the common, through the woods with the occasional glimpse of windmill. As mentioned above, it can get a bit muddy, so not the event for those who like a pristine trainer.

Nearby Attractions

Wimbledon Common is a nice area to explore. A mile away is the All England Club, where you can visit Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum and take a peek at Centre Court.