Going ahead this Saturday
No cancellation listed for Saturday 31 October.
- Also cancelled Saturday 7 November: Venue unavailable
Parkrun
Wakefield Thornes parkrun
A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it's up to you! Nearby Sunday 2k junior parkrun events for 4 to 14 year olds and their families can be found here.
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United Kingdom
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England
- 5 kilometres
- Thornes Park
Meeting point: 53.67249, -1.50968. The interactive map loads with JavaScript. Open the same point in OpenStreetMap.
Coordinates 53.67249, -1.50968.
The course
Course description
The course is contained within the three parks; Clarence, Holmfield and Thornes Parks. The course itself is not entirely flat; the highest point is the top of the hill, just above the changing rooms, opposite The Penny Appeal campus. The lowest is the southern boundary of the parks which runs parallel to Thornes and Denby Dale Roads.
The start is just above the skate park, to the right hand side of the main drive from the Horbury Road entrance, opposite the children’s play area and behind the stadium. Participants will go up the path away from the skate park then turn left and follow the path around the edge of the playing fields and down towards the Aviary. Turn left around the aviary, heading along the side of the duck pond towards Stork Lodge Café, then past the tennis courts and on to the Games Pavilion. Turn right at far end of the Games Pavilion, left at the Rhubarb statue and then take the path, sharp left to double back to Stork Lodge Café. The car park adjacent to Stork Lodge Café will be in use and therefore be aware particularly of moving cars and stick to the marked course. Turn right and head uphill on the main driveway, as the driveway approaches The Penny Appeal buildings, turn right and head down the main drive towards the changing rooms. At the changing rooms turn right and head “cross country” across the playing fields toward the tree line. Take the major gap through the treeline to come out onto Chestnut Walk just above Chestnut House and head right along Chestnut Walk down to where it meets Denby Dale Road, turning left to run parallel to Denby Dale Road and then west parallel to Park Avenue completing an anticlockwise loop of Clarence Arena. Pass Chestnut House on your right and follow the path down past the football pitches with the tree line on your right. At the miniature railway turn left along the path to the playground. Just before reaching the access road turn left and head along the edge of the playing fields with the tree line to your right. At the top of the field you will be directed onto the tarmac of the main drive to head back to the top of the hill. Participants will go over the hill and part way down the drive then taking the sharp right onto the walkway. Following the walkway along until it turns left, where participants will be directed right to run around the edge of the playing fields and back to the start/finish line.
Please remember that the parkrun uses shared paths. For the continued success of the event, please give way to other park users and follow the instructions of the marshals. This won't hurt your time, it won't stop you from getting a PB and it will make sure everyone continues to enjoy the event.
On the course
The course is 5k long. The course is in Thornes Park, Wakefield. The course is run on a mixture of tarmac paths, trail paths and grass. Some sections of the course may accumulate mud, leaves and puddles after rain. Dependent on availability, marshals will be at key sections of the course, or signs will be in place.
Please remember that the parkrun uses shared paths. For the continued success of the event, please give way to other park users. This won't hurt your time, it won't stop you from getting a PB and it will make sure everyone continues to enjoy the event.
Please, wherever possible walk, jog, cycle or use public transport when attending the event. If you do have to drive, please consider car-sharing to reduce our impact on both the environment and other park users. Please also watch out for other park users when arriving and leaving. Parking may be limited so try to arrive early.
Facilities
Free car parking, public toilets inc. disabled toilet (at stadium), bike lockers (at stadium), café.
More details
Public transport
Bus: 107/108/109 Wakefield-Calder Grove-Crigglestone-Hall Green, Every 30 minutes
119/120 Wakefield-Thornes-Horbury-Ossett-Batley, Hourly
126/127 Wakefield-Horbury-Ossett-Dewsbury, Every 10 minutes
128/A Dewsbury-Thornhill-Horbury-Wakefield, Hourly
231/232 Wakefield-Horbury-Netherton (231)-Overton (232)-Flockton-Lepton-Huddersfield, Every hour
435 Wakefield-Calder Grove-Skelmanthorpe-Denby Dale-Holmfirth, Every 2 hours
436 Wakefield-Calder Grove-Clayton West-Skelmanthorpe-Denby Dale-Holmfirth, Every 2 hours
Wakefield Free City Bus links the city’s Westgate and Kirkgate train and bus stations. Buses run every ten minutes from 8:30am to 5:00pm on Saturdays. Stops 7 (Charlesworth Way), 10 (Westgate Retail and Leisure park) and 11 (Westgate) are the closest to Thornes Park.
Visit the Metro website for the very latest public transport updates and news including timetables, tickets and journey planner.
On foot
15 minute walk or short taxi journey south-west from both Westgate and Kirkgate stations.
By road
If using SATNAV, the nearest postcode is WF2 8TY.
From M1 Northbound:
- Leave the M1 at junction 39 and join the A636 towards Wakefield.
- Turn left after the second roundabout onto the B6475, Thornes Road.
- Turn right into Gill Sike Road.
- Turn right onto the A642, Horbury Road.
- Then take the first right into Thornes Park.
From M1 Southbound:
- Leave the M1 at junction 40 and join the A638 towards Wakefield.
- Turn right onto the B6475, George-a-Green Road.
- At the end of the road turn left towards the town centre on the A642, Horbury Road.
- Thornes Park is the second turn on the right.
The stadium car park is on the left hand side of the access road as you enter the site. Participants may also park in the Penny Appeal (former Wakefield College Thornes Park Campus) carpark further up the access road on the right hand side.
Coffee
Every week we grab a post-parkrun coffee: a local cafe. Please come and join us!
We're friendly
Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee at a local cafe - please come and join us!
Course safety
Wakefield Thornes parkrun is a fun, free event organised by volunteers for the benefit of everyone. We wish to make the event as safe as possible, so participants, spectators and helpers are asked to take care about the following:
- Please be considerate to the park and other park users at all times.
- Children under the age of eleven must be accompanied (within arm's reach) throughout the event by a parent, guardian or appropriate adult of the parent's choice.
- Please arrive by foot, by pedal-power or by public transport if you can - your efforts help to reduce our impact on the park and the planet.
- We invite everyone to consider volunteering at parkrun. Your support helps your parkrun events remain sustainable and free for all in your community, and it’s also a wonderful way to improve your own health and happiness. Please visit the volunteer page for more information.
- Take care near roads and car parks – some vehicles drive very quickly. Please congregate away from the cars and be careful in particular if you have children. If you’re driving to the event, please drive carefully.
- 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.
- Please ensure that you are fit enough to walk, jog, run 5k (3.1 miles) with us.
- If you see someone with a serious problem, please stop to help them out and get help as soon as possible.
- If you’re watching, keep clear of participants on the course, and look after any children and dogs you may have with you.
- It is not permitted to run with a pushchair and a dog at the same time.
- 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.
- You are welcome to take part with one dog by your side, within reach at all times, on a short, handheld, non-extendable lead. The use of waist harnesses is prohibited. Please also see this Support Site entry for further details about parkrunning with dogs.
- parkrunners pushing buggies are welcome, but please take care of others around you and do your best to start at an appropriate place in the field for your pace.
We hope these tips help to ensure that Wakefield Thornes parkrun is fun and safe for everyone.
Age grading
All parkrun events use Age Grading to help parkrunners compare results.
parkrun events use Age Grading to help parkrunners see progress and compare results.
For more information, please see our Support page.
Volunteering
All parkrun events are organised by volunteers - email wakefieldthornes@parkrun.com to help.
Safeguarding
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.
Event stats
- 521
- Events
- 18,980
- Finishers
- 130,316
- Finishes
- 1,325
- Volunteers
- 19,473
- Personal bests
- 941
- Groups
- 00:30:38
- Average finish time
Nearby parkruns
- Wakefield Thornes junior parkrun Thornes Park · 0.4 km
- Nostell parkrun Nostell Priory · 8.8 km
- Rothwell parkrun Springhead Park · 8.9 km
- Dewsbury parkrun Crow Nest Park, Dewsbury · 9.2 km
- Dewsbury junior parkrun Crow Nest Park · 9.2 km
- Middleton Woods parkrun Middleton Park · 9.4 km
- Wilton Park junior parkrun Wilton Park · 11 km
- Cross Flatts parkrun Cross Flatts Park · 12 km
Challenges this parkrun helps with
- Alphabeteer Challenge Starts with W
- UK Postcode Areas Postcode area WF
- Periodic Table Matches symbols: W
Parkrun Planner
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Bushy parkrun
High quality prints
Get your parkrun achievements in stunning detail. Choose from digital downloads to print yourself, or opt for our premium professional printing service featuring high-quality glossy paper with deep, vibrant inks for exceptional color depth and clarity.
Available in both A4 and A3 sizes, perfect for framing and displaying your running accomplishments. Every print is crafted with precision to showcase your milestones, challenges, and legends in the finest quality.
Check out our awardsPark5K is not affiliated with parkrun. - last updated 26 October 2026