Every Saturday at 9am, several hundred people run 5km together across Hampstead Heath for free. Here is what you need to know before joining them.
The Hampstead Heath parkrun is one of London's most beloved and scenic 5K events, a free, weekly, timed run held every Saturday morning across the beautiful, challenging terrain of Hampstead Heath. Open to all, from first-time joggers to seasoned racers, it is a wonderful way to experience the Heath and join a welcoming running community. This is the complete guide.
- parkrun is a free, weekly, timed 5K held every Saturday morning
- The Hampstead Heath course is scenic but genuinely hilly and challenging
- Free to take part, just register once online and bring your barcode
- All abilities welcome, including walkers; volunteers and dogs (on leads) too
- Starts at 9am; arrive early to find the start and warm up
- Combine with a post-run coffee and a Heath walk
What Is parkrun?
parkrun is a global phenomenon: free, weekly, timed 5K runs held in parks and open spaces every Saturday morning. There are no winners and no entry fees, the ethos is participation, community, and personal achievement. Runners register once online, receive a personal barcode, and can then take part at any parkrun in the world, with their time recorded and emailed afterwards.
The Hampstead Heath parkrun brings this brilliant concept to one of London's finest landscapes. Every Saturday at 9am, hundreds of runners of all abilities gather to run, jog, or walk the 5K course across the Heath.
The Course
The Hampstead Heath parkrun course is widely regarded as one of the more challenging in London, and one of the most scenic. The Heath's hilly terrain means the route involves real climbs and descents, rewarding runners with beautiful views and varied surfaces but demanding genuine effort.
Key features of the course:
- Hills: The Heath's topography means significant ascents, this is not a flat, fast course. Parliament Hill's slopes feature in the challenge.
- Varied terrain: Grass, paths, and trails, which can be muddy in winter and after rain.
- Scenery: Woodland, open grassland, ponds, and Heath views throughout.
The hilliness makes it a poor course for a personal best but an excellent one for a satisfying, scenic workout. Trail or off-road shoes are advisable, especially in wet weather.
Sarah Okafor ran her first ever parkrun at Hampstead Heath in 2023, having "never run further than for a bus." "I nearly cried at the top of the first hill," she laughed, "but the people around me were so encouraging, total strangers shouting 'keep going!' I walked half of it that first week. A year later I run the whole thing. The hills are brutal but the community carries you. Every Saturday morning, whatever's going on in my life, I'm on the Heath at nine with a few hundred people who just want everyone to make it round. It changed my life, honestly."
How to Take Part
Register First
Before your first parkrun anywhere, register once online at the parkrun website. You will receive a personal barcode, print it or save it on your phone. This same barcode works at every parkrun worldwide, so you only register once.
On the Day
- Arrive early: The run starts at 9am sharp. Arrive by 8:45am to find the start, hear the briefing, and warm up.
- Bring your barcode: No barcode, no time, it is essential for your result to be recorded.
- Listen to the briefing: A volunteer gives a short briefing before the start, including any course notes.
- Run, jog, or walk: All paces are welcome. There is always a "tail walker" at the back, so no one finishes last alone.
- Get scanned: At the finish, you receive a finish token; have it and your barcode scanned to record your time.
Afterwards
Your time is emailed to you and appears on your profile. Many runners head for a post-run coffee, a key part of the parkrun social tradition.
parkrun's greatest strength is its community. The Hampstead Heath event is run entirely by volunteers, and the atmosphere is welcoming and inclusive. Newcomers, returning runners, families, older participants, and walkers are all equally part of it. Dogs (on short leads) and buggies are welcome.
Volunteering is central to parkrun, without volunteers, the event cannot happen. If you cannot run, or want to give back, volunteering (marshalling, timekeeping, scanning) is a rewarding way to take part. For a deeper look at running on the Heath, see the Heath running routes guide.
Tips for the Hampstead Heath parkrun
- Respect the hills: Don't go out too fast; the climbs come and they bite. Pace yourself.
- Wear trail shoes: The terrain is uneven and often muddy; grippy shoes help enormously.
- Dress for the weather: The Heath is exposed; layer for cold mornings, and expect mud in winter.
- Don't chase a PB: This is a course to enjoy, not to race the clock. Embrace the challenge and the scenery.
- Stay for coffee: The post-run coffee is half the point, a great way to meet the community.
Combining with a Heath Morning
A Saturday parkrun is the perfect start to a day on the Heath:
1. 9am: Run (or walk) the 5K parkrun
2. Post-run: Coffee at a Heath café, Parliament Hill or the Lakeside Café
3. Mid-morning: A gentle walk to cool down, the ponds, Kenwood, or Parliament Hill for the view
Practical Information
- When: Every Saturday, 9am
- Cost: Completely free
- Registration: Once, online, before your first run, bring your barcode
- Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)
- Course: Hilly, scenic, off-road, trail shoes recommended
- Suitable for: All abilities, including walkers; dogs on leads and buggies welcome
- Getting there: Hampstead Heath or Gospel Oak Overground
The Hampstead Heath parkrun is a wonderful institution, a free, friendly, weekly celebration of running, community, and one of London's most beautiful green spaces. The course will test your legs and lungs, but the welcome is warm, the scenery is glorious, and the sense of achievement at the finish is real. Whether you run it flat out, jog it gently, or walk every step, Saturday morning on the Heath is one of the best free things London offers.
