June 2021 challenge: park runs
I spent June running 48.8 miles through 79 Edinburgh parks.
Fundraising for JCWI in 2021
This is the 6th recap post of my 2021 monthly running challenges. These challenges are part of my fundraiser for the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI).
Recapping the horrors of UK immigration each month
As part of my fundraising efforts, I am also raising awareness about what's happening in the world of UK immigration each month.
I want people to understand just how much awfulness happens in 28 to 31 days. My recaps will be over on my Medium site.
Why park runs
The idea just came to me one day to run through as many parks in Edinburgh as I could. It sounded cool. So I did it.
Planning the runs
I decided I would do it by doing 4 separate runs through east, west, north and south Edinburgh.
I mapped out routes for each direction passing through every park I could squeeze in.
For my first run (east), I relied on Google Maps to find parks. It's doesn't actually list some of the smaller parks around, so I ended up finding a few more unexpected parks along the way.
For the next 3 runs, I used the MyParkScotland website to plan my routes. Very handily, a website with such a name has a map listing (almost) every park in Edinburgh.
Because there are so many parks, I decided to only run through places with 'park' in the name. So if something was just called 'gardens' or by another name, I didn't add it to the list.
East Edinburgh parks
Total running distance: 9.7 miles
Total parks: 19
I had originally mapped out 13 parks, but ended up finding 6 more along the way.
It was the hottest day of the year (at that point) with the sun shining and me forgetting to put on sunblock before I left.
The greatest thing I did, though, was finally make use of the hydration pack in my running backpack. Having what seemed like an endless supply of water made running in the heat so much more tolerable.
Craigmillar Castle Park
I felt the need to take a picture of the castle from a different angle from my April challenge post.
Little France Park
The 1st unexpected park.
Greendykes North Park
The 2nd unexpected park. I think this play area is so cool-looking.
Hunter's Hall Public Park
Some drama with this park. I was running through a neighborhood right next to it and trying to find an entrance into the park grounds.
I ran over to what looked like an entrance and was met with an overly-littered bit of the woods, complete with an overturned shopping cart.
I questioned whether this really was an entrance into the park when I saw my way in was through a narrow rectangle of a metal fence.
I couldn't help but be reminded of the times I got lost in the woods during some of my 2019 10k running trips. Here I was getting myself into trouble again.
Luckily, this narrow entrance did take me into the park.
Hays Park
The 3rd unexpected park. It was very tiny.
Jewel Park
Bingham Park
Its grass was getting cut when I passed through.
Joppa Quarry Park
This was a nice park to be in on a clear day. Lovely view of the Firth of Forth when I got to the entrance.
Abercorn Park
It's a block from the beach.
**Beach stop**
Not a park, but worth a mention.
Part of the reason I chose east Edinburgh for my 1st run was because it was such a sunny day. I wanted to run to Portobello Beach, especially as a haar over the city the day before canceled my plans to cycle there.
When I finally got to the beach, I decided to take my shoes off and stand in the water for a bit. I went up to where the water touched my knees.
It felt absolutely brilliant. Like a few minutes of feeling like I was on holiday and not still living through a pandemic.
Once I got out of the water, I ran barefoot along the beach while my feet dried off. After clearing away the excess sand, I put my sneakers back on and continued to the next parks.
Straiton Place Park
This is right along the beach and was very busy with tiny children.
Brighton Park
Rosefield Park
Treverlen Park
Mainly a skate park. Also the 4th unexpected park.
Figgate Park
While it has some pretty bits with a pond and wooden walkway, it was also pretty swampy and humid.
Baronscourt Park
Meadowfield Park
Best park of the run. Just an incredible bit of land at the east edge of Holyrood Park with amazing views of the Firth of Forth. If you check out any park from this run, make it Meadowfield Park.
Cairntows Park
The 5th unexpected park.
Holyrood Park (from a distance)
This is kinda cheating because I didn't go into Holyrood Park, just took a picture of it from Peffermill Playing Fields.
But it was lunchtime and it would have added another few miles just to take a photo in the heat. I prioritized lunch instead.
Inch Park
Technically south Edinburgh but it was too nearby not to sneak it in at the end. While I know of this park, it was the 6th unexpected one of the run.
West Edinburgh parks
Total running distance: 11.5 miles
Total parks: 20
Braidburn Valley Park
I originally had this on my south parks run route, but it was so close to my starting point, I nipped in to make it part of the west route.
Of course, nipping in meant I got the least interesting photo of an otherwise spectacular-looking park.
Redhall Park
The start of many parks with kids playing football.
Hailes Quarry Park
What an interesting find. First, it has the greatest entrance sign. It looked like something from a 1970s game show set.
Literally every other park uses the same green sign, or silver letters in the gate. But no, Hailes Quarry is doing its own thing.
Second, it also has a wetland area. You could walk onto this wooden path and deck area to check out all the, you know, nature.
It wasn't a sit-down park. No one is mowing this grass.
Whinhill Park
Broomhill Community Park
Wasn't on my original list. Based on the tiny gate to in, this seemed to be very much aimed at small children.
Sighthill Public Park
There were even some trails to run through. A bit litter-filled, though.
Gyle Park
Lots of sporting going on at Gyle Park. It was quite massive, but only popped into it, not wanting to add more mileage to an already long run.
St Margaret's Park
This had beautiful hilly views in the distance.
Union Park
**Train and tram crossing**
Not a park, obviously, but wasn't expecting these on my route.
Stenhouse Place East Park
Originally ran past the entrance and had to turn back around to find it.
Saughton Park
This was the most amazing park of the route, and I can't believe I had never heard of it.
It's in 2 parts: there's the sports fields and playground.
Then there's the walled garden.
The garden was incredibly beautiful. Lots of pretty, flower-filled paths to walk through. How has no one ever mentioned this place?! It puts the Botanical Gardens to shame.
Like the beach stop in the east route, I took the time to stop and meander here.
Glendevon Park
If you didn't know about the existence of this park, you would never find it. Only one entrance in off a residential street.
No one was in. There was a swing set. I love swings. I stopped to go on the swings.
Balgreen Park
Similar (and close to) Glendevon. One entrance in (and almost didn't find it). Same playground equipment, just a bit more land.
Roseburn Park
This is right between Murrayfield Stadium and the Water of Leith.
So in the park I saw people playing cricket.
And on the other side there were lovely views of the Water of Leith, where I saw a grey heron just chilling.
Murieston Park
The first park I've been in where the gate in has lock you have to slide horizontally to get in.
It was a really beautiful spot on such a sunny day.
Gorgie/Dalry Community Park
It was weirdly shaped on a very narrow bit of land, but managed to fit in a basketball court and playground.
White Park
Harrison Park
There are technically 2 parks.
Harrison Park West.
Harrison Park East (right next to the Union Canal).
Meadowspot Park
This was quite unexciting. Just a bit of land.
There was a hilly trail going off of it that I attempted to run before I realized I was going the wrong way.
Morningside Park
There's a grassy bit on a slope, then a tennis court, then a playground.
Not gonna lie, I expected a little something extra from a park in Morningside.
North Edinburgh parks
Total running miles: 13.6
Total parks: 22 (not counting 1 repeat park)
There was also a total of 9 miles of cycling to and from my start/end point. Needless to say, my legs were very tired when I got home and I fell asleep quite early.
Regent Road Park
My start and end point for the run.
Lochend Park
Never been before but quite a nice spot with the little loch in the middle.
Which had lots of ducks around it.
Dalmeny Street Park
Pilrig Park
Redbraes Park
St Mark's Park
It was after St Mark's that I got onto the 1st of many cycle/pedestrian paths. I didn't realize just how many paths were about in the north of the city.
This included part of the Water of Leith path.
Henderson Gardens Park
You can see an H in the gate to get in.
Mill Lane Park
Coalie Park (is it a park?)
This wasn't on the MyParkScotland website, but it was on OpenStreetMap. I didn't see a sign for it, so not really sure it is a park.
Doesn't really look like a park. Just a bit of grass next to the Water of Leith.
Keddie Park
Just one of those parks with absolutely nobody in it.
Victoria Park
Starbank Park
Wow. The highlight of the run. This park was beautiful from the second I walked in and saw pretty flowers with a backdrop of the Firth of Forth behind it.
There's an upper part which is the gardeny bit. There was a fairytale theme going on with all the trees lining it. They had these little doors all around them.
There were beautiful floral arrangements everywhere.
From the upper bit, you can walk down to the lower bit and are treated to some incredible water views.
Guess who was happy to be by the water?
If you zoom in, you can see in fact that Starbank does in fact have a star landscaped into it.
Happy Water Lauren also had to stop by Wardie Bay Beach.
And take another selfie, of course.
Granton Crescent Park
You could see the Firth once you got to the top.
East Pilton Park
Just a lot of land.
West Pilton Park
Oh look, more land.
Muirhouse Linear Park
As the name suggests, it's basically shaped like a narrow line.
Silverknowes Park
It is on MyParkScotland, but again, I don't really think it's much of a park. Just a really big field.
Davidson's Main Park
This wasn't on my original route because I didn't want to go this far, but then the little competitive voice in me told me I could just add on another 2 miles to my route, right?
I'm actually glad I did because I thought this was quite nice. Very slopey but not too hilly.
There were also trails around it, which, if I had more time, I would have loved to run through.
East Drylaw Park
Orchard Park North
Inverleith Park
I entered through the south bit which has a little pond.
I also discovered the Sundial Garden within it which I never knew about.
Got back on the Water of Leith after I exited the park.
King George V park
This is a weirdly-shaped park. Also my worst photo because it was small with a lot of people in it, and I didn't want to be the creeper taking photos of them all.
Holyrood Park (again, from a distance)
Again, I didn't go in it even though I was so closer this time than with the east parks run. My legs weren't going any further after a half marathon of park running.
But I couldn't not take this picture.
South Edinburgh parks
Total running miles: 14 (my longest run to date!)
Total parks: 18 (not counting 1 repeat park)
Moredun Park
Ferniehill Community Park
It did have some nice flower arrangements going on.
Drum Park
Mainly just a really big field.
Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park
Feels weird to call it a park. It's more like a long trail with a lot of different bits.
I ran through 2 bits, including the one with the purple skatepark.
Mortonhall Community Park
It's this very narrow rectangular piece of land.
By this part of the run, the overcast skies had turned to sun and I regretted not wearing my sunglasses.
It was also incredibly humid, and despite this being the coolest run temperature-wise, it was feeling the most uncomfortable.
I also saw a coo scratching itself against a tree in Mortonhall.
Buckstone Park and Woods
Bellrock Park
This was an unexpected park I came across on OpenStreetMap.
Fairemilehead Park
Oxgangs Brae Park
Another one I unexpectedly found through OpenStreetMap.
It was after this park that the heavens opened, so I stayed under a bus shelter for a while to let the heaviest of the rain pass.
I don't mind running in the rain, but I had another 8 miles of running to go, and I didn't want to spend that absolutely drenched.
Spylaw Park
As a park itself, Spylaw isn't that interesting.
But its location is right under a bridge and along the Water of Leith.
Campbell Park
I thought there were be an entrance to the park the route I took to get there. But there ended up being a fence, so I just had to peer through at people playing cricket.
Curriemuirend Park
This was the further west I went. I kept running into the park waiting to see whatever the main event of this park was, but rain was starting again, so I snapped a pic where I was and ran out again.
Dovecot Park
Colinton Mains Park
Some pretty stunning views of the Pentlands from this park.
Braidburn Valley Park (again)
This time from the opposite end of the park.
On the way to the next park, I passed some horses cheering me on. Felt like I was running in a race with supporters on the sides.
Seven Acres Park
I've been here many times, so I knew it was going to be the prettiest park of them all. The view into Holyrood Park from here is gorgeous.
Here's a picture of that same view on a sunnier day.
Got a pretty good playground, too.
Also the only selfie of the run. Can you tell I was 12.5 miles in and had run through rain?
Liberton Park
Not as nice as Seven Acres, but also beautiful views into Holyrood Park.
St Katherine's Park
Gracemount Community Park
It's not a nice park as you can tell from the dead grass lying around.
Running reflections
Less running, more orienteering
While this was a running challenge, it felt more like orienteering. I basically had my phone out the whole time, both to keep taking pictures of the parks and then to look at a map to find out where I was running next.
So there was a lot of stopping and walking around. Each run took between 3 and 4 and a half hours, which is not how long it would take to run these distances if I was just running.
Ready for marathon training
This run/walk approach was a good method to get me ready for marathon training which started 3 days after the south parks run.
I hadn't run a half marathon since December, so this challenge let me ease into running longer distances, which is soon to become my new normal for Sunday long runs.
It's not just distance; it's also time. I'm not used to being out that long for a run, so 4 and half hours navigating parks is preparing my marathon mindset.
Being an overachiever is annoying sometimes
Yes, this has all been good marathon training prep, but man, it's annoying being an overachiever.
When I scheduled the east run, I was quite informal about planning the route, just checking Google maps for parks. I didn't care about hitting every single park. Just enough to cover a 10 mile-ish route.
But when I used the MyParkScotland website to plan the other routes, I felt compelled to run EVERY PARK I saw on the map.
When planning the north route, I first decided not to put Davidson's Main Park on it because it would add an extra 2 miles to an already long route. But on the day, when I got to Silverknowes Park, I had this feeling of, well, I'm already this close, might as well extend the route.
When I was going over my south route the night before I ran it, I realized there were other parks nearby that I hadn't included. So that route got extended by another mile.
To be fair, I'm ultimately glad I ran what I ran, but considering how exhausted I was (especially after the north route with the post-run cycle), I just have to wonder what makes me do the things I do sometimes.
Of course, what's ultimately driving me to do these running challenges is raising money for a cause that's important to me.
So if you're at all impressed with my ability to run 48.8 miles and cover 79 parks, please consider donating to JCWI.
July running challenge
7 hills of Edinburgh
While this is normally a 1-day challenge runners can do, I'm going to spread covering Edinburgh's 7 hills over a couple of runs in July.
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