Park Sonsbeek is to the North of Arnhem, cutting into the city with its tip pretty close to the centre. It’s also uphill from there, and is proud to be a parkrun in The Netherlands with an actual hill. It’s toward the end of the lap, so there’s a lovely swooping downhill as you head towards the last section.

For a change, I was staying near enough to walk to the start, and so could enjoy the dark red leaves on the trees and gathered on the ground that give the park a particular look at this time of year. I’ve not seen anything quite like it.

The meeting point is on the NW side of the pavilion, which is pretty easy to find (though there are some wending and winding paths in the middle of the park, in which I had got nicely entangled the day before). The start is just along one of the paths there, but everyone walks there together after the briefing.

The route takes in the main sights in the park; a small waterfall, those leaves, plenty of trees, then up the hill through trees, swoop down past a big house off to the right (Stadsvilla Sonsbeek), over a little bridge and back to the start. It is very pretty, the surface is always good with occasional spots of mud to watch for and there are some undulations to keep you concentrating. Marvellous.

After the event, those of us who’d stayed headed to a nearby cafe, shown below, for breakfast. In a sense, it was just as well we did, as more or less everything in The Netherlands was closed on the next day. The event director had tipped us off that further Covid measures were expected, though was mostly thinking about them closing secondary schools early (primary had already closed). Others had guessed at wider restrictions, though, given that a couple of restaurants with outdoor seating were absolutely full that afternoon. At any rate, the food was good and the chat healthy.

This is a lovely event, the hill isn’t particularly steep so is worth attacking if you’re in the mood, and you’re well-placed for a visit to Arnhem afterwards. With around 20 finishers (21 this day) at the moment, it isn’t in any way crowded, but there’s plenty of space for more people as it grows. I’ll leave you with a few more views from the course.

Results from Sonsbeek parkrun, event 17, 18/12/2021.

On a cold morning, as I scraped ice off my car and the chill seeped through gloves to my fingers, only at the last minute did I think I ought to check the event page to see if it was going ahead. Too late now, I reasoned, with no other options in the area, and so drove into Groningen. That was thanks to a wrong turn, so I drove back out of Groningen and took the correct turning, into the park. Parking is free and plentiful, at various places in the park; along the South edge, a small potentially muddy spot by the football pitches (nearest the parkrun) and a larger one toward the city.

From the South, it’s actually easier to drive into the park than to walk, I’d found yesterday, as they are currently working on the main entrance – you can drive in as normal, but cannot walk/run that way (unless, I suppose, it’s quiet and no-one’s looking). On foot, you have to head West beside the main road until you reach the corner, then you can get in. Not a problem if you come from town, which is to the Northeast, or if you’re on a bike, as it’s not that far, but it gave me pause at the time.

I walked past busy football pitches to the parkrun flag I could see flying, next to signs and cones. Past there I spotted the start sign, and then the finish. But no actual people. They weren’t far away, just beyond the finish, overlooking a part-frozen lake, but as I stopped to take pictures and considered staying at the start, it seemed a longish time without seeing anyone. The ice frosting the tips of the trees only added to the sense that this was the ghost of a parkrun, perhaps there to trap the unwary. Although any actual parkrun generally means I don’t drink on a Friday night, get up early on a Saturday and then run 5k, so there probably isn’t much a ghostrun would do that could intimidate. Add a soundtrack of “wooooo”? Present us all with a view of parkrun past (my past self seems so quick, now), present (not so much) and future (oh dear)?

I was the first participant to turn up, and received a very warm welcome from two English-speaking volunteers. One of them is English, in fact, and the other had daughters living within a few miles of two different places I’ve lived in England, so we immediately found common ground. Others soon joined us and even with only 17 finishers, we had space for Russian, Latvian and Irish runners, to join Dutch and English.

I had walked the park yesterday, with no real idea of where the course would be, so I hadn’t realised how tucked away in the NW corner it is. It’s a very pretty route, avoiding the roads in the South of the park and the petting zoo in the NE. I just followed the signs, which was very simple, and enjoyed running up a small hill at the back of each lap. It really isn’t a big hill, but seeing as I keep banging on about the total elevation for the run, I’ll record that this one took me up to a new high total for The Netherlands of 8m.

The run is on a good surface, though there are a few parts with a bit of mud on the course. This week that had firmed into ice in a few places, but that was fine with a bit of care. I took it easy on the right turn after coming down the hill (the hill!) which is a reasonably sharp turn, but probably a nice one to race round if you’re fit.

As we finished, people helped themselves to coffee and tea which was provided, dancing about if necessary to stay warm. I grabbed a mince pie and Dutch biscuit (name forgotten) and talked about all and any subjects with the international crowd. As the sun came up it was just about warm enough to stand around in a coat, without teeth chattering.

After the event I went, as I had been told I must by one runner, into town (under 2 miles) and found the Forum. As promised, the views from the top were grand, and I figured I’d come back in the week for the ’50 years of video games’ exhibition. Instead, I sat in the comfortable library, used the free wifi and spent longer taking in some views from lower, but warmer. The market was nearby and I enjoyed the smells and atmosphere in town before finding food and wandering the lanes. It’s a pretty city, and a generally more relaxed place than cities further South.

Results from Stadspark event 20, 11/4/21.

The first parkrun in December and I visited my current local, Kagerzoom, near Leiden. It’s named for the golf club around which you run – it is entirely contained within the smaller loop, above, so not the biggest course around, though it has a swanky driving range.

December 5th is gift-giving day for Sinterklaas in The Netherlands and so that had to be the theme for the day, with the run director in the outfit and hats chalked at start and finish.

It was a cold, grey day, if dry, and I’d done something to my knee that made walking difficult, but after a couple of days mostly on the couch, I was at least able to jog round. Concentrating on that meant I could pay a bit more attention to my surroundings than I sometimes do, and I took in the golf course on the inside of the loop, water stretching away on one side of the course and a large windmill at the junction of the two laps (straight on the first time, right turn the second).

This was a slightly more undulating course than the others I’ve done in The Netherlands – that still only adds up to a total of 5m elevation from the GPS, but there were a couple of distinct inclines to keep it interesting. It’s a good course to run fast, though, with a wide path that’s solid all round, and just a few puddles from recent rain.

Before today, Kagerzoom had only once had more than 40 runners since their first event’s record attendance of 65, but today there were 52, perhaps buoyed by promises of chocolate in the cafe afterwards.

The event was easy to find, and I parked just outside the golf course. I saw the “Near de parkrun” sign, but at a glance thought it was saying ‘not for parkrun’ and meant not to park there. It didn’t, and I could have passed through the gate and parked right by the start, but other parking places are also close. There are several other businesses on the site, along with just a few houses, some looking slightly out of place on a mostly business area (though there are some bigger ones by the water looked pretty nice). But depending on opening times, you might be able to go for a haircut, some trampolining or, er, monkeying around at Monkey Town, the indoor playground.

I settled for a walk/limp around the local streets and then my easy journey back ‘home’. The park is well-used by other runners and walkers, so there were plenty more people to say hello to before I wiggled my car through the narrow streets and back to the dunes of Noordwijkerhout.

Results from Kagerzoom parkrun event 18, 4/12/21.

I know of Rotterdam because of its famous marathon, as well as it being one of the many places The Beautiful South sang about. More recently, it was the site of unrest the night before but it dawned peaceful and dry. I rolled up around a quarter to nine to find the course laid out and volunteers chatting before the start. I parked in the street to the South of the start, Plaszoom, as that was slightly easier to reach than the car park by the restaurant, De Schone Lei. That restaurant is on the route, and you pass it on the way out and back, though I didn’t notice it till the way back. The Plaszoom is marked by a couple of windmills, for an early morning distinctive Dutch feeling.

The pre-run briefing was in Dutch. Three of us there were English speaking, but hadn’t made ourselves known, and could follow along well enough in any case. I even caught on to the “give way to cyclists” that was added in a postscript – this is thinking particularly of the spot where the route comes back onto the lakeside, as it crosses a bike path (and bear in mind that here those aren’t narrow afterthoughts, but two-lane bike freeways).

The start is straight, and then there are a couple of tight-ish turns to get over the bridge, as shown below. There are no signs here on the way back, so just remember to make the turn right after the bridge, rather than run down the cycle path (though I’m sure you can still finish if you go that way).

The lake is 5k all around, but the parkrun decided they couldn’t use that route because there are a few crossings. Instead, it heads into the forest for around half the route, before heading down towards the lake and making a left turn to follow the lakeside path all the way back to the finish.

With Autumn turning the leaves many shades of orange and yellow, running through the forest is a delight. There is just one marshal out on course, by the lake (and that bike path crossing), so the rest is done by signs. There are just enough of those, with the course otherwise relying on you following your nose. If there’s no sign to say turn, then keep heading in your direction till the next sign. It worked for me, and I’m far from the best at following routes.

After the briefing we moved along to the start with no delay. That shows a certain relaxed approach from the run director, as he didn’t have a timer at that point – as we got to the start, the timer rode up, hopped off his bike and was ready within seconds, which amused everyone. A just-in-time timer!

According to my GPS this had *double* the elevation of last week’s run in Amsterdam. That still only amounted to 2m, and I was never conscious of going uphill. Blah, blah, Netherlands flat, etc.

There were plenty of other people exercising in the woods, so I was conscious of the need only to try and follow the people actually in the event. As it happened, that soon became irrelevant, as I latched briefly onto a group, ran past them and then lost sight of the runner ahead, despite thinking that now I might work on getting closer to him (he ended up over two minutes ahead of me). I just had to trust that I was on the right route, but the general “proceed until told to change direction” principle worked well.

I’ve run in a few countries while parkrun was new, and found it relatively untroubled by the faster local runners. That is not the case here, with each run I’ve been at having a few quicker runners at the front. Today, two runners completing their first parkruns set the 4th and 6th quickest times yet seen here, and it was great to see them yomping off into the distance. I was also pleased that it wasn’t a course with laps, so I wouldn’t be lapped!

After the event they head for “De Nachtegaal” for coffee etc. I didn’t take a camera on the run, though, so went for a wander to get some pictures instead. Anyone fitter than me and wanting a cool-down run is spoiled for choice – experience the woods again? Head all the way round the lake? Explore a bit more of Rotterdam? There is loads to see, and Kralingen Lake is a great start.

Results from Kralingse Bos parkrun, event 19, 20/11/21.

Turfed out of my accommodation early because of a fire (minor, almost sorted out before I had to leave), I was wide awake for Amsterdam. I suspect the loveliness of the Autumn leaves on huge trees would have sorted out bleary eyes in any case, but I took them in in all their glory.

Parking is apparently free on a Saturday, and is available in the top right of the route map above, next to the rowing lake. You still have to take a ticket, (which meant undoing a seat belt for me in my right-hand drive car) but then the barrier just opened at the end. Some of the car parks further down have a couple of hours free parking, and I would have been inside that, but given the pay stations were all closed up, I am sure I could have stayed longer.

The run director started talking in Dutch, but was just asking the Dutch speakers present whether she could do the rest in English, rather than both languages, so all the international crowd were well catered for. In fact, I didn’t hear anyone involved with the event speaking in Dutch, and many were English, as were the participants. That meant people happily addressed each other in English without checking, and that just worked – I was even asked “are those your kids?” by a lady whose son was playing football with them, and enjoyed the double-assumption.

The morning had been rainy, but that cleared towards 9:00 leaving mist over the water and puddles on the course. A few longer steps or leaps took most of us over the puddles, but there may have been a few damp feet by the end. That’s all you’d get, though, as it’s a solid surface all round, and just the occasional bike to watch for and avoid; no mud.

There’s also barely any elevation, which I’m sure I’ll write on every Dutch parkrun. This one did feel as though it had a couple of different inclines, and it is distinctly uphill towards the finish, but all of that barely registered on the GPS record of the route: it’s been true of everywhere so far, as I ended up walking 25,000 steps in the day, and only just hit the watch’s target of going up the equivalent of 10 flights of stairs. And most of those were probably done on actual flights of stairs, rather than outside on hills.

It’s a lovely area, and a lovely run. I’d hope that all those tall trees would given some serious shade in the summer, and today they were a dramatic backdrop. Attendance varies, somewhere under 100 for now and 70 today, after a mammoth 257 at the first event back in 2020 (after which they had a very long gap before no.2, which was on 28/8/21).

The course page says that the toilets in the Cafe Bosbaan aren’t available till 9, and those in the Boswinkel not till 10, but there didn’t seem to be an agitated crowd at the start, so they’d either come from nearby, or there are other options to find.

Afterwards a very international crowd stood around chatting, while I smiled at those kids playing and was thought to be their father, and the sun poked out to warm the day up a little. Lovely run, on a lovely day, and simple enough to get to – the park is accessible via public transport from the city and may well be walkable, especially if you stay S-SW of the Rijksmuseum.

Results from Amsterdamse Bos parkrun, event 13, 13/11/2021.