Fountains Abbey parkrun

30/05/2026

Fountains Abbey parkrun #543 30.5.2026 - Report by Claire Attrill

It was a beautiful sunny morning to be a parkrun tourist at Fountains Abbey. My husband and I travelled from Sheffield (my local parkrun is Hillsborough) to celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary. We chose Fountains Abbey as so many parkrun tourists say what a beautiful run it is - and they were all right!

Tourists came from Norwich, Manchester, Dorset, Middlesbrough, Stroud, Gainsborough, Horncastle, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Sheffield and even San Francisco!! There were a few first timers (including one doing parkrun to celebrate his eightieth birthday!) What a great day and place to do your first parkrun. I hope you get as much joy from parkrunning as I do.

Things to look for:- the Abbey, the Temple - and the cobbles in front of it, mummy swan and her four cygnets, a coot on a nest, goose poo on the path, low branches and my absolute favourite and first time ever .....running across a long narrow wooden bridge over a lake.

Things to listen out for: volunteers clapping and encouraging, wrens singing, lovely encouraging Yorkshire folk including "come on lad - nearly there" to a young lad walking just past the Temple and thanks to Louise who said "speed up to the finish" to me when I thought I had much further to go. Thanks Louise, I did speed up.

As always, a huge thanks to all the amazing volunteers who mean this event happens. Your time is much appreciated.

And now for the official summary -
Fountains Abbey parkrun
Event number 543
30th May 2026

This week 714 people ran, jogged and walked the course, of whom 204 were first timers and 67 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 78 different clubs took part.

The event was made possible by 45 volunteers:
Mathew CHAPLIN • Laura SWEETING • Karen MADDISON • Nigel MORGAN • Chris BROWN • Jon HANCOCK • Simon MCCUDDEN • Andrew ARCHER • Emma OATES • Steve OATES • John SKINNER • Jackie KERR • Paul BRAZIER • Sharon BRAZIER • Colin PHILPOTT • Clare ATTRILL • Katie OATES • Adam PATRICK • Sally COWLING • Jay SWAINE • Stephanie SCOTT • Karen LENNOX • Justin FIELDER • Robin HARRISON • Mike HODGES • Kerry MORGAN • David SLATER • Hilary PHILPOTT • Lenny LENNOX • Paul MARTIN • Benjamin RUSHWORTH • Clare SLATOR • Tim ASKEW • Sara TREWHITT • Ruth DODSWORTH • Helen RUSHWORTH • Helen DUTTON • Edgar BUHL • Lynne CHARLESWORTH • Brian CHARLESWORTH • Stephen ASCOTT • Andrew BURNINGHAM • James BURNINGHAM • Emma CALLAGHAN • Paul TOLLIDAY

Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Fountains Abbey parkrun Results Page. https://www.parkrun.org.uk/fountainsabbey/results/2026-05-30/

Fountains Abbey parkrun started on 1st March 2014. Since then 39,489 participants have completed 196,517 parkruns covering a total distance of 982,585 km, including 27,013 new Personal Bests. A total of 1,931 individuals have volunteered 14,360 times.

29/05/2026

We are looking forward to welcoming you to Fountains Abbey parkrun tomorrow (Saturday) - an opportunity to run or walk around this historic National Trust property.
The weather forecast is good - we are expecting sunny, dry conditions with temperatures around 17C.
The volunteer rota is looking good and we are all set for another super Saturday morning experience.
Please make sure you arrive in plenty of time - it takes 10-15 mins to walk to the start from the Visitor Centre carpark and the gate at the top will close at 0900. Our timings are as follows -
O845 First Timers’ Briefing
0855 Run Director’s Briefing
0900 Start
We hope to see you tomorrow and don’t forget that we congregate afterwards in the NT Cafe for a coffee.

Colin

Run Director on behalf of Fountains Abbey parkrun team

24/05/2026

Yesterday was Parkrun number 542 at Fountains where we had 542 participants, how’s that for a coincidence?
It was a beautiful morning with lots of visitors including someone from Nashville and also Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (thank you copy and paste!)
Happy birthday today to Dave Sebine who did his 100th run yesterday. Also Paul Simpson on 350, John O’Kane on 100 and John Crosby on 500.
Many thanks to all those who marshalled, paced and scanned, you were amazing.
See you all again soon down at the Abbey.
Aileen x

23/05/2026

Thanks to all those who took part in this morning’s run.
Unfortunately we have a problem with the results system and are doing our best to rectify the situation.
Please bear with us while we sort this out.
Regards
Aileen

17/05/2026

Our run report this week is from Katy Gallantry of Conyngham Hall parkrun - thank you Katy

Fountains Abbey parkrun no 535 16 May 2026 Posted on May 17, 2026 by fountainsabbeyoffice Our run report is from Katy Gallantry of Conyngham Hall parkrun. It turns out to be almost 2 and a half years since my first participation at Fountains. So stunning to see it looking verdant in the spring sun s...

16/05/2026

Stunning weather at FAbbey today! 461 runners and walkers enjoyed a wonderful morning. We welcomed visitors from far and wide including New Zealand 🇳🇿 and Australia 🇦🇺 😁.
Huge thanks to all our volunteers including the big set up crew !

15/05/2026

Saturday 16th May
We are looking forward to welcoming you to FAbbey tomorrow morning. We have a full roster of volunteers and are ready to go!

Please note the top gate from the visitor centre down to the Abbey is CLOSED at 9am for all runners, walkers and supporters.

Please aim to be parked by 8.25am at the latest - it is a 15 minute walk from the car park to the start by the Abbey and the tourist/first timers briefing is at 8.45am.

8.45am Tourist/First timers briefing
8.55am Run Director briefing
9.00am Go !!
9.00am Top Gate CLOSED to everyone

After the event we enjoy coffee, cakes, bacon sandwiches etc in the National Trust cafe at the visitor centre - we hope you will join us.

11/05/2026

This week our run report was written by Darren West of Harrogate Harriers. Over to you Darren...

https://www.parkrun.org.uk/fountainsabbey/news/2026/05/11/run-report-fountains-abbey-parkrun-540-09-may-2026/

For the past 15 years I’ve been a compulsive runner and a member of the Harrogate Harriers just as long. I’ve pretty much tried every discipline - half marathons, marathons, Ultra-marathons. I love a challenge, running 52 half marathons in 2014, run every day of September equal in miles - 1st = 1 miles etc. As you can image this is no mean feat when you start to get to day 15 onwards. But the 10k is now my go to distance, a distance I love and I will cover later in this report.

Well Fountains Abbey Parkrun, what can I say, we love you. Probably the best park run in the country. It offers everything: stunning scenery, historic buildings, wide tarmac walkways, coffee and cake restaurant, toilet facilities, free parking for everyone, easy access to all - a place where a growing community of fellow exercisers love to come, and we are fortunate and extremely grateful to the National Trust for allowing parkrun to take place here, championed by our fellow Harrogate Harrier and founder of FAbbey - Adam Prentis.

Today’s event started slightly overcast with a light sprinkling of rain. That didn’t put anyone off with plenty of keen early morning exercisers turning out for a good stretch on the 5k course- 509 to be exact supported by 53 volunteers - and I have the pleasure to report todays event was supported by my own club Harrogate Harriers aiding and encourage runners, joggers, walkers of all ages and abilities around the course. Working alongside the regular Pink Brigade of Parkrun Marshalls (thank you!), Harrogate Harriers provided this weeks marshals, a full complement of pacers, run co-ordinators, time checkers and ticket collectors. Also a big thank you to Dougie Scott for organising the Harriers and making it all possible.

First male runner home was Adam STANLEY in 16:42 of Harrogate Harriers (a time most of us only dream of!). First Lady was Maxine TUNLEY of Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton Harriers in 19:31. Our highest age graded runner was Hilary PHILPOTT of Ripon Runners with an outstanding 88.90% - congratulations to her. Followed by all the other wonderful people who helped create a great sense of community, encouragement and commitment to a better way of life. Well done to everyone.

The park run 5k has given so many people access to enjoying the pleasures and pains running has to offer but what if you want just that little bit extra - then why not join the Harrogate Harriers this year by entering the Harmony Energy Run Harrogate 10k taking place on the 28th June. A scenic multi terrain ( mostly road ) undulating course to provide runners with a next step up from 5k to 10k. It’s a fantastic multi terrain course starting and finishing in the Crimple Valley, Harrogate. There are plenty of prizes including age category winners, plus a fun run for the kids making it a superb family day out. If you’re really keen why not get in touch with the Harrogate Harriers and join a club. We are here to help, coach, improve or just enjoy the love of running. You’ll find our website online at www.harrogate-harriers.co.uk

Today the following people celebrated parkrun milestones:

Dougie SCOTT - 100 volunteer
Ruth DODSWORTH - 100 volunteer
Selina JONES - 100 volunteer
Candice WILSON - 25
Abigail JONES - 25
Lizzie TURNER - 25
Paul KEHOE - 50
Graham SHAWCROSS - 50
Bev NICHOLAIDES - 100
Emma HAYES - 100

congratulations to all of you

And now the official bit:
This week 509 people ran, jogged and walked the course, of whom 111 were first timers and 66 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 58 different clubs took part.

The event was made possible by 53 volunteers:

Steven CLOSE • Adam PRENTIS • Martin UMPLEBY • Nick MAHONEY • Patrick Thomas O'BRIEN • Mark WALKER • Angela CHARLETON • Geoffrey HIRST • Simon WATSON • Tracy Louise ILES • Dan ATKINSON • Sue MOUL • Steve WOOLLVEN • Martin SHAW • Paul RICHARDSON • Douglas SCOTT • Nathan SMITH • Darren WEST • Tom BORROWDALE • Chris BROWN • Fiona SANDS • Cameron WILLIAMS • Heather TAYLOR • Steve OATES • James STRUTT • Lucy OLDROYD • Selina JONES • Jackie KERR • Patrick HASLAM • Michael NOONAN • Lizzie TURNER • Katie OATES • Michael COWLING • Gary WILKINSON • Jenny MACNAIR • Mike HODGES • Lenny LENNOX • Sarah GILL • Courtney SMITH • Dave REEVES • Ruth DODSWORTH • Lynne CHARLESWORTH • Brian CHARLESWORTH • Andrew FLEISHER • Ben HORNSEY • Sarah GILL • Michael CLAYDON • Tom MAHER • Michael GILL • Jacqueline HOOLE • Chris MCDERMOTT • Ruth TOMPSETT • Sidney MCDERMOTT

Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Fountains Abbey parkrun Results Page.

Fountains Abbey parkrun started on 1st March 2014. Since then 39,037 participants have completed 194,800 parkruns covering a total distance of 974,000 km, including 26,836 new Personal Bests. A total of 1,922 individuals have volunteered 14,234 times.

09/05/2026

Two cards have been found today and handed in at the entrance to Fountains Abbey.

One is a National Trust membership card belonging to Phil Lloyd and the other is a Santander debit card.

Please contact the National Trust at Fountains Abbey to arrange collection.

09/05/2026

Event #540 was brilliant. 509 people enjoyed a FAbbey start to their weekend, thanks to the National Trust and our amazing volunteers.

Thanks to all of you for making it all possible and many congratulations to the fabulous folk achieving milestones, including Dougie Scott, Ruth Dodsworth and Selina Jones, celebrating 100 volunteer and Bev Nicholaides celebrating 100 parkruns.

Congratulations all of you.