Hampstead Heath

• THERE have been complaints about Parkrun on Hampstead Heath.

I am not a runner, but this Saturday morning event takes place in somewhat less than an hour, is just once a week, and is, in the very best sense, a community effort involving old and young, serious athletes and those wishing to get some exercise.

And in any case, avoiding it is easy – either by coming before 9am or after 10am, or by walking away from the course – vast areas of the Heath are not used by Parkrun at all.

Parkrun as an organisation and, I think obviously, the majority of runners are courteous and considerate. At each run everyone is reminded the Heath is shared by all.

I have to say there are some dog walkers – and I am a dog owner – who do “own the road” and seem almost to be making the “I have a perfect right to be here” point rather militantly.

Others do also regard the Heath as their own special reserve, which I sympathise with, but it just isn’t, you know. It is for everyone.

There could be a little more give and take here. Certainly aggressive runners exist and sometimes they attend Parkrun, but they are almost always tourists rather than regulars and in any case they’d be out there anyway, even if there was no Parkrun.

Other Parkrunners don’t like them either! And this tiny minority is to be found in all walks of life. Yes, pedestrians, motorists and dogwalkers, too!

T KYLE
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