Thames Path, Woolwich parkrun and The Great Harry

We were down in London for the weekend so we needed a parkrun that fitted around a theatre trip and a few Merlin attractions. Thames Path, Woolwich was the obvious pick - close to where we were staying and we’d heard good things about it from friends and family.

The course

It’s an out and back along the river and mostly very flat with wide paths that are a mix of tarmac and trails. The exception is Gallions Hill in the middle. It’s only 78 feet but you definitely notice it on a course this flat. The path spirals up and back down again and the best part is what it does to your Strava map afterwards - it comes out looking like a curly wurly.

Not to be confused with the other curly wurly in parkrun circles, at Somerdale Pavilion down in the South West.

The run

It was warm but it was an enjoyable run. I came home in 21:01, my second fastest 5k ever. Frustrating to be one second off going under 21 minutes but I’ll take that on a warm morning on a course I’d never run before.

My parkrun profile has the full history if you’re interested.

Obligatory photo at the banner afterwards with Nicola, Ada and Arthur.

Breakfast at The Great Harry

Then the important bit. The Great Harry is on Wellington Street in Woolwich, about a mile from the finish by road, and it opens at 8am - so it’s well underway by the time you’ve finished and walked over. It’s the only Wetherspoons in Woolwich as far as I can tell.

We went for our usual Breakfast Muffin, hash brown and a hot drink with free refills. Lovely. Ada and Arthur had the same, with a pint of orange and lemonade instead of a hot drink, although they stole my hot chocolate pouch towards the end (as usual).

The rest of the weekend

Quick shower back at the accommodation and then out again for a mooch around Borough Market. Then My Neighbour Totoro at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in the evening, which was as good as everyone says it is.

On Sunday, we visited no fewer than 4 Merlin attractions in one day. This started with Madame Tussauds in the morning, where I couldn’t walk past Mo Farah without doing the Mobot.

Shrek Adventure, Sealife and the London Eye followed, and it was a good day overall.

Worth knowing if you’re heading there

The start is at SE28 0GL, on the Thamesmead side.
Flat out and back, with Gallions Hill the only real interruption. Good for a fast time if the wind behaves.
The Great Harry opens at 8am, seven days a week.
It’s one of 26 London parkruns with a Wetherspoons within a mile of the start, so there’s plenty to go at if you’re down for a weekend.

Overall, a really good morning. Fast course with one interesting bit in the middle, a decent time and a proper breakfast a mile down the road. Would definitely go back.

If you’re planning your own, put your postcode into parkspoons and it’ll pair the parkruns near you with their closest Spoons, including ones on your route home rather than next to the finish.