Aberdare junior parkrun

Please note there is currently no public transport available that arrives in time for the start.

From train station: Come out of the train station and cross over the bypass by means of the pedestrian crossing. You will now be by the bus station.

From bus stop location: Go straight across the road to Market Street passing Aberdare market on your left. At the end of the street turn right (with the Boot Hotel on your right) and follow the road through town passing Lloyds Bank and Burtons on your right. At the end of the street follow the road around to the right by the Constitutional Club and follow the road to the roundabout. At the roundabout cross over and continue straight on. Follow this road for half a mile and you will arrive at the bottom gates of the park on the other side of the road.

From Coliseum car park: Walk out of the car park to the side of the Coliseum. Turn left. Head up to the main road B4275 & the park is in front of you. You can enter either at the bottom of the park or the middle gates opposite Aberdare Park Primary School.

From St John the Baptist School head back down Glan Road under 300 yards and enter via the side gate by the tennis courts/bowls greens.

If using SatNav, the postcode is CF44 8BN.

From Aberdare town centre - follow the B4275 Gadlys Road.

From the A470 (Cardiff) follow signs to Aberdare A4059, then A4233 followed by the B4275 / Gadlys Road to Penywaun.

From Merthyr follow the A465 followed by the B4275 to Aberdare.

We politely ask people to park in the Coliseum Theatre car park or the St John the Baptist School car park and NOT in the parking spots immediately adjacent to the park. The postcode of the Coliseum car park is CF44 8NG and the postcode for St John the Baptist School is CF44 8BW.

Every week we grab a post-parkrun coffee: Aberdare Park Café. Please come and join us!

Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee at Aberdare Park Café - please come and join us!

Aberdare junior parkrun is a fun, free event organised by volunteers for the benefit of everyone. To make the event as safe as possible, participants, spectators and volunteers are asked to take note of the following rules and guidelines:

• Whilst parkrun fully accepts its duty of care and will do everything it can to minimise risk of injury and harm to all participants whilst at parkrun events, it is parent/guardians who ultimately have responsibility for the welfare of their children.
• It is not mandatory for a parent/guardian to participate in junior parkruns, but children under the age of 11 must be accompanied to/from the event by a responsible adult, and the responsible adult must remain in attendance for the duration of the event.
• junior events are open and inclusive. Disabled people may participate wherever it is safe for them to do so. The event team can provide disabled participants with course information in order that the participant (or their parent/guardian) can make an informed decision about their safe participation.
• Whilst more competitive children can use junior parkruns to test themselves against their own time, and against others, participation should ultimately be for fun, and we urge all parents/guardians/volunteers not to put children under undue pressure to perform.
• junior parkruns are running, jogging and walking events, and the use of children’s scooters, balance bikes, trikes or cycles is prohibited.
• Slower runners are encouraged to seed themselves, by starting towards the back of the group especially if an adult is accompanying them.
• junior parkruns are timed events. Only those aged between 4 to 14 years old completing the course themselves will be given a result. ​
• Exceptions to this rule are subject to the discretion of parkrun head office. Examples include those over 14 with special educational needs (SEN) or those with a registered disability, for whom social interaction and physical activity may be difficult but important.
• A strict ‘no barcode no result’ policy will be enforced.
• Buggies are allowed, subject to course conditions, but only if the adult pushing the buggy is accompanying a junior parkrunner. Adults with buggies are urged to position themselves appropriately for the safety and enjoyment of all.
• With the exception of assistance dogs, dogs are not allowed to accompany walkers, joggers, runners or volunteers at junior parkrun events.
• Take care on uneven surfaces – whether on grass or on tarmac. Watch out for cyclists, other participants, pedestrians, children, dogs, wildlife, park animals, vehicles, park maintenance work, falling branches, bollards, posts and other obstacles around the course.
• Spectators should keep clear of participants on the course and keep control of any children and dogs.
• Participants should take care near roads and car parks, congregate away from the cars and be careful if driving to/from the event.
• Photography or filming is likely to take place at junior parkrun events. Please see our photos page for more details.
• Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks. Consider protecting yourself by wearing repellent when at parkrun events in grassy or wooded areas. See lymediseaseuk.com for further details.

Please consider helping the event by volunteering - this event survives only because of your generosity. Please visit the volunteer page for more information.

All parkrun events are organised by volunteers - email aberdarejuniors@parkrun.com to help.

parkrun is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk. For our full safeguarding processes and policies please see our Safeguarding Hub.

To report a safeguarding concern please email safeguarding@parkrun.com.