Hyde Park 5km

The Hyde Park 5km run route uses Woodhouse Moor park as a base to explore some of the most popular streets in the Hyde Park neighbourhood.

This run is a great one for picking up pace and getting into a rhythm. You can do this on several of the long straights, the best being Victoria Road.

Wanting to find your way to the start of the route? Here is a link for a Google Maps Directions page.

This route has a distance of 4.81km and an elevation gain of 82m.

The largest non-stop incline begins in the second third of of the route, and has a distance of 360m and an elevation gain of 25m. You can see this on the above elevation chart in red.

The largest continual decline is 161m long with an elevation drop of 9m which starts in the first third of the route. This is shown on the chart as green.

Route Highlights

Running past the Grade II listed Hyde Park Picture House with its iconic external box office. It’s one of the oldest and cosiest cinemas in Leeds!

Best Time To Run

The best time to run the Hyde Park 5km is in spring or summer. The paths of Woodhouse Moor are lined with trees. As beautiful as they are when they are shedding leaves in the autumn, the run can be on the slippy side.

Starting just below Hyde Park Corner near the skate park you will take two lefts in quick succession onto Woodhouse Lane and then Victoria Road. We love opening up on the straight of Victoria all the way until the end. Next turn left onto Cardigan Road.

At this point you can recover on the small downhill towards Royal Park Road. Run left onto Royal Park and head into the student area, moving past the iconic Hyde Park Picture House at the Queen’s Road junction. Take a right here past the infamous Brudenell Social Club.

After passing the Queen’s Road junction you’ll hit the biggest hill on this run all the way to the top by the Woodhouse Moor allotments. This is a chance to test yourself on the best incline of the run. Once at the top circumnavigate the park anti-clockwise until you re-join Woodhouse Lane. Straight after the Library Pub turn left into the park, saluting the statue of Queen Vic.

On the final section you’ll do an anti-clockwise route of the bottom end of the park. But, before making it a full square (back to Queen V) you’ll turn left by the statue of Duke Wellington (near Leeds Business School) and run diagonally back to the start. Happy running!

This route crosses two of the busiest road junctions off Headingley Lane-Victoria Road and Cardigan Road-Royal Park Road. If you’re running with music in your ears take extra care when running these crossings.

 

Hyde Park is the student hub of Leeds. The bricks are red and the housing from the late Victorian period. The area is home to some great independent shops and eateries. With  the cultural gems like Hyde Park Picture House and the Brudenell Social club, putting Leeds on the map in the art house cinema and underground music scenes.

The park has rubbish bins on the main footpaths and benches to take the weight off your feet after a run. For the nearest toilet head 50-yards up the road from the route finish to the collection of independent shops and cafes on Hyde Park corner.

There is free residential parking available at the southern end of Woodhouse Moor park. Try Clarendon Road or Moorland Road but be sure to keep an eye on the clock as the parking spots are on a timer limit.

Head straight to Hyde Park corner (50 yards away) for your food and drink fill after this run.

If you’re finishing your run around brunch-lunch-dinner with the latter making a very late lunch acceptable, then the LS6 Clock Café is your perfect choice. These guys have been dishing up some top quality breakfasts for decades. Expect a proper post-run refuel.

Yet, not everyone wants to indulge in a big bite to eat after their run so our next best selection, particularly if you’re a coffee fan, is a trip to Coffee on the Crescent for a specialty cup of joe and some artisan snacks to nibble on.