How hard can a parkrun be? It's only 5K and a run, not a race. Yet not all parkruns are born equal. Some are flat and fast – others are the complete opposite! So which parkrun is the toughest in the UK, and the world?

A recent review of the topic on BBC Countryfile caught the eye of runABC reporter Alan Newman. According to their research, Great Yarmouth North Beach parkrun (average finish time 38:33) is considered to be the hardest in the UK due to it being held entirely on soft sand and shingle at the edge of The Dunes – a protected habitat for flora and fauna.

Countryfile ranks Woolacombe Dunes parkrun (average 33:37) second in the UK's toughest list with its route being mostly on sand, including a switchback section through the dunes on National Trust land within the North Devon AONB.

The dubious title of the bronze medal for lack of speed goes to Britain's hilliest parkrun at Whinlatter Forest in the Lake District (average 32:53) where more than 200m elevation is gained on the figure of eight course with stunning views of Grisedale Pike, Skiddaw, and Bassenthwaite Lake.

There is also an honorary mention for Durleston Country Park parkrun (average 35:59) near Swanage in Dorset. This dizzying course has three distinct sections, five loops, and many steep hills affording magnificent views of the Jurassic coastline stretching to Portland in the west, Poole and Bournemouth in the east, and south to the Isle of Wight.

According to the same source, the hardest parkrun in the rest of the world is Dunedin parkrun (average 33:19) on the South Island of New Zealand. Dunedin is nicknamed the 'Edinburgh of the South' due to its high percentage of Scottish settlers. The course comprises four laps of the Dunedin Botanic Garden, split between the Lower Garden and Upper Garden, with steps to negotiate the steepest sections! Well worth a visit if you are down under to enjoy breakfast at the brilliantly named Croque-O-Dile Café!

However, the gold medal for the world's slowest average time (46:43) goes to the Thousand Hills parkrun at Botha's Hill in Durban, South Africa. The single-lap trail course through the bush and forest looks like a bored child's doodle on the map! Participants are warned they may encounter 'livestock' as they climb and descend more than 200m! An extra punishment is the earlier start time of 8:00am every Saturday – ouch!

Photo courtesy of Great Yarmouth North Beach parkrun on Flickr