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The Course

The course is 5000m (5K) long. This has been accurately measured by us with a professional measuring wheel. You'll find us at the top of Riddlesdown, on the Riddlesdown to Whyteleafe Countryside Area, in between Warlingham School and Riddlesdown School. The course encompasses a mixture of grass, gravel and stony paths, although some sections do accumulate mud, leaves and puddles after rain. Dependent on availability, marshals will be at key sections of the course, or temporary signs 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 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 is limited so try to arrive early.

Course Safety

The Riddlesdown parkrun is a fun, free event organised by volunteers for the benefit of everyone. We wish to make the run as safe as possible, so runners, spectators and helpers are asked to take care about the following:

  • Please be considerate to the park and other park users at all times.
  • 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.
  • Please consider volunteering to help occasionally - this event survives only because of your generosity - please vist 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 run, please drive carefully even if you’re late!
  • When running, take care on uneven surfaces - whether on grass or on tarmac. Watch out for cyclists, other runners, pedestrians, children, deer, dogs, vehicles, park maintenance work, falling branches, bollards, posts and other obstacles around the course.
  • Runners with dogs are welcome, but please keep dogs on a short lead or harness and under control throughout the event.
  • Runners pushing buggies are also welcome, but please take extreme care of other runners around you. If possible start from the back of the field and try to keep to one side of the main body of runners.
  • Please make sure you’re fit enough to run 5k (3.1 miles). Health advice about running can be found at the excellent Runners' Medical Resource website.
  • Remember to warm up before the run.
  • If you see a runner with a serious problem, please stop to help them out and get help as soon as possible.
  • If you’re watching, keep clear of runners on the course, and look after any children and dogs you may have with you.
  • While rare, Lyme Disease is present in areas where deer live, and occasionally passed to human’s through infected ticks. See NHS Choices website for more about Lyme Disease, and how to deal with ticks.
  • This is a free training event, so all run and attend at their own risk.

We hope these tips help to ensure that Riddlesdown parkrun is fun and safe for everyone.

Age Grading

All parkrun events use Age Grading to help athletes compare results.

Age Grading takes your time and uses the world record time for your sex and age group to produce a score (a percentage). This score allows you to compare your personal performance against other people's performances even though they might be a different age and a different sex to you - the higher the score the better the performance. The scores can also be compared across different run distances - to allow you to, for example, compare a 5km time against a marathon.

For more information, please see the Running For Fitness website.

Course Map


View Riddlesdown parkrun in a larger map

Course Description

The course is run in a clockwise direction, and covers nearly two laps of the flat area at the top of Riddlesdown. It starts by the green fencing around the old chalk quarry and finishes near the Tithe Pit Shaw Lane entrance to the Downs.

Whilst largely flat, Riddlesdown parkrun is a cross-country run and covers a mixed terrain with grass, gravel and stony paths. Runners are asked to keep to the paths and off of the long grass, in order to avoid disturbing the nesting sites of Skylarks, a protected species of birds resident on Riddlesdown.

Getting There

Location of Start

The start is roughly equidistant from the entrances to the Downs from Honister Heights and Tithe Pit Shaw Lane. It is next to the tall green fencing which runs across the top of the old chalk quarry.

Getting There by Public Transport

By Train : the nearest stations are Whyteleafe and Upper Warlingham

By Bus : The 407 runs from Sutton, Purley and Caterham to Whyteleafe. The 403 runs from Croydon and Sanderstand to Hamsey Green.

Getting There on Foot

From Whyteleafe Roundabout : under the railway bridge, along Hillbury Road, turn left onto Tithe Pit Shaw Lane, up the hill, past Warlingham School on the right to the sharp corner at the top. The entrance to the Downs is on the left. (20 minute brisk walk)

From Hamsey Green : 5 minute walk along Tithe Pit Shaw Lane, the entrance to the Downs is straight ahead, at the point of the sharp bend.

Getting There by Road

Car parking for the event is the front car park at Warlingham School, CR6 9YB. The school is at the top of Tithe Pit Shaw Lane, and runners are requested to park only in the front carparks, opposite the school fields and the Astroturf.

Post Run Coffee

Please join us for a post run coffee at The Good Companions on Limpsfield Road at Tithe Pit Shaw Lane.