Running Whitekirk Hill parkrun. A Hilly, Tough, Trail Run the Day Before the Edinburgh Marathon!

This is an awesome parkrun! It has a beautiful setting with fantastic views, plentiful free parking, a wonderful café (with toilets open before parkrun) and there is even fantastic accommodation on-site if you're looking for a parkrun tourist trip away!
It is definitely a tough course, so if you're looking for a parkrun PB then you'll need to head elsewhere. But if you're looking for a glorious trail run with a challenging hill and sea views then this parkrun is perfect for you.
Huge thanks to Jeremy and his team for being so friendly and making us feel so welcome. We absolutely loved our visit here!
If you would like to contribute to the channel then you can visit:
www.buymeacoffee.com/nicolaruns
or follow me on Instagram:
nicolaforwood
nicola.runs
Some useful links are below.
Happy running,
Nicola :)
www.parkrun.org.uk/whitekirkhill/
www.whitekirkhill.co.uk/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Rock
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Berwick_Law

[@emmarunyeard6832]

This would my parkrun heaven... How perfect x

[@NicolaRuns]

Isn't it gorgeous?! 😍

[@bennevis21]

Everything I enjoy about running, Grass, tracks, trails, woods, hills and views. A lovely narrated post of your run.

[@NicolaRuns]

Thanks, this is exactly my take on running! The less tarmac the better! 😃😃😃

[@FrugalMrB]

What a gorgeous parkrun - I enjoyed watching this video. Thanks for sharing your experience. Andrew.

[@NicolaRuns]

Thanks 😊 It was such a beautiful place to run 😍

[@barnabynorman157]

That looked great. Agree with you on your favourite of the trees - I really liked the look of the tree hill, so beautiful especially as i was not running up it (you could see its pitch). Thank you for sharing.

[@NicolaRuns]

Oh good! I'm pleased you could tell because it was like this 👉🏻⛰️😜🤣

[@andybrook9518]

Brilliant video of a parkrun I'd never heard of. Looks absolutely beautiful though and great fun...(I'm not quick so I actually love a hilly one!)

[@NicolaRuns]

Thanks 🤗 It's relatively new so that could be why you haven't heard of it 🙃 I have a love hate relationship with hills depending on how quickly I want to run 🤣

[@mattmiller8139]

I’ve only just got round to watching this one, Nicola. It looks a lovely course. Our posh facilities at Squerryes Winery are a fine dining restaurant (which I still have to try out) & a farm shop with expensive goods. I was glad today that parkrun HQ had introduced the Event Day Course Check as we had two combine harvesters in one of the fields at Squerryes ! They had to wait for the runners to go round before they could finish their harvesting. Fortunately, no runners were turned into weetabix ! 🙂

[@NicolaRuns]

🤣🤣🤣 phew! Nobody wants that 🤣🤣🤣

[@emmarunyeard6832]

How gorgeous to see a park run which is solely about getting round a 5k rather than the sometimes (and understandable) pb chasers belting round in race mode.. Gosh that sounds ranty.. Its not meant to be but just sometimes when a course is narrow and out n back, the 'energy' of the competitive front runners can be a little overwhelming. 😂 (I get it, I really do but one of the things I love about your park run vlogs is that you have shown me how to calm down 'it's not a race' and smell the roses) xx

[@NicolaRuns]

Awwww thanks Emma, that's exactly what I'm about. It's movement for enjoying movement and exploring new and beautiful places rather than racing. Don't get me wrong I love a race but you're right that it's a totally different energy! 🙃

[@eddiegaul1903]

That was such a pretty run and I could definitely tell that hill was steep. You are right it is hard to convey on film. Trail reminded me of some the routes in the Midwest of the US. The trails where I live now are all brown, semi rocky, and very hilly (Salt Lake). I definitely want to go back to Scotland. I got a little taste of it when I did a British Isle cruise and got to briefly see Edinburgh and st Andrews. As always, I love your content and your sense of adventure.

[@NicolaRuns]

Thanks Eddie, ooh I adore Scotland! I really want to go and run more in the mountains there 😍😍😍

[@miriamsalo7123]

Wow, that looks tough and I found Jesmond Dene tough. The runners behind you on the first lap on the hill gave enough perspective how steep it is.

[@NicolaRuns]

Oh yay! I feel like you can never see how big a hill is on camera! It's not an easy parkrun but I absolutely loved it! 😃😃😃 Jesmond Dene is definitely not an easy parkrun either! I totally agree with you there! ⛰️

[@richsullivan1950]

Great video Nicola, hilly doesn't even cover it. Those cakes look immense, hope they made up for the 'Scottish weather'

[@NicolaRuns]

Thanks 🤗 The weather wasn't too Scottish! Although the following day at the Edinburgh Marathon was a different story! 🤣🤣🤣🤦🏻‍♀️🌧️

[@geoffh2560]

Hilly, tough, trail run? Good timing seeing your video Nicola as I did Whinlatter Forest parkrun today and the description would fit both parkruns!

[@NicolaRuns]

Those views out across the Lake District are just 😍😍😍 I loved Whinlatter 😃

[@TheHutchRuns]

Great video Nicola, hope you got to the marathon start okay?

[@NicolaRuns]

Awww thanks, yes, the very lovely Run Director from Whitekirk Hill parkrun, Jeremy, gave me a lift as he was taking his son to the half marathon 🤗🎉

[@AlastairCunningham-g4z]

I knew you’d enjoy that hill 😂

[@NicolaRuns]

🤣🤣🤣 Loved it! 😉 I adored this parkrun so much and the hill was definitely worth the views 😍

[@lewisfensome8133]

Stunning run, well done with those hills! You mentioned you have a podcast, whats it called and where can I find it!?

[@NicolaRuns]

Thanks my lovely. The pod is called With Me Now 😊 It's a parkrun podcast and is on iTunes or Spotify or wherever you usually listen to podcasts 🤗

[@richardbuck1729]

"How Not to Taper" by Nicola Forwood 😉 You have the strength of an ox climbing the biggest peak in England & Wales, bookended by two marathons! Had a lovely day forest bathing in Hamsterley yesterday. Particularly appreciated the Wellbeing trail. Spent the previous day at Beamish, which is about the closest you can get to travelling back in time. One place out this way I'm sure you and Poppy would adore, in the unlikely event you haven't been yet, is Forbidden Corner in Wensleydale.

[@NicolaRuns]

Oh my goodness that would definitely be the title of my book 🤣🤣🤣 How not to taper 🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for the recommendation, Poppy adores Forbidden Corner! 🤗

[@mattgarner2414]

Another great video! Glad that goofy bloke didn't take up too much screen time.

[@NicolaRuns]

🤣🤣🤣 I loved his company 🤗

[@MichaelTinker-dt1rp]

great video today i did Chadderton hall park run in 24 mins 38 came 5th out of 66 and was 1st in my age group tommorrow Lindley 10k and i will run it in my parkrun T-shirt

[@NicolaRuns]

Good luck 🤞😊

[@MichaelTinker-dt1rp]

@@NicolaRuns got 48 mins today finishing 111 out of 458 runners watched the fun run before main race some of them where so small running it everyone supported these runners of the future

[@corneliatuite6774]

Would definitely not be able for that parkrun 😂

[@NicolaRuns]

You'd be fine, loads of people just walked the hills 🤗🤗🤗

[@BillyBobJoeSnr]

Watching you in bed (sounds bad but..) and wondering what you're doing? Don't get me wrong camera work great, narration humorous, course looks idyllic and the weather was fabulous but hunny your little legs and the van going to need a rest. A very hilly parkrun before the Edinburgh marathon and you squeezed in Snowdon, you're relentless. What is amazing is the disparate nature of the parkruns; Fountains Abbey vs Woodhouse vs Whtekirk Hill. Some are just parks to run in and others almost demand you walk round as the scenery is so stunning. The site facilities seem impressive and selection of cakes too. I also noticed a less than subtle hint re ideal weekend away destination; for birthdays, etc... maybe book a treatment then make a day of it. As they say; if you never ask you'll never get...

[@NicolaRuns]

I know... You're right, I'm terrible at resting! And yes isn't that the great thing about parkrunworld. Variety is the spice of life! 😃 Lol it wasn't a hint, I try not to repeat parkruns that are far from home as there's too many I've not been to that I can't wait to explore. It was just a suggestion for anyone who fancies visiting as it'd make such a lovely parkrun present! 🤗🎁

[@davidirwin9017]

Please stop doing these videos there are only so many parkruns that I can keep adding to my bucket list……🫣

[@NicolaRuns]

Lol... I'm so sorry 🙈 parkrunworld is too beautiful isn't it?! 🙃🤩😍