By Rachael Grealish And Emma Ryan

Muncaster Castle has become the latest host of the ever-growing Parkrun venues in Cumbria as hundreds attended inaugural event.

Although the Lake District is often synonymous with fell running, hundreds gathered at the castle on Saturday, September 16, as the Pennington family home was opened to runners for Muncaster’s very first Parkrun.

For those unfamiliar with Parkrun, it’s an international gathering of local communities, offering a timed 5k run, walk, jog, or even just a catch-up with friends. With a social afterwards – complete with bacon butties (and veggie alternatives).

Although most Parkrun venues choose to keep their start date a closely guarded secret, Muncaster released their start date in advance in order to get the word out to as many people as possible.

At 8.45am run director, Dave Allery gave the first-ever run brief to the runners as they prepared for the start at 9am. For 35 participants it was even their very first parkrun.

The route starts and ends just inside the castle gateway and has runners, joggers and walkers, swooping down the driveway, before a right turn off the drive takes participants onto the gravel track with woodland on either side before the castle comes into view on your left.

Runners get to loop around the castle with Scafell providing stunning views, before going past the Hawk and Owl Centre and back up the drive, before completing two more laps for the full 5k distance.

Underfoot is a mixture of terrain, switching from tarmac to gravel path and back again. Dogs are permitted on a short lead and the course is suitable for pushchairs.

Parkrun is open to all ages and abilities and although not a race John Heneghan and Karen Smith were the first man and woman to cross the finish line, respectively, setting the very first course records of 16.32 and 20.16 respectively.

This is the only Parkrun in Cumbria to be held on the grounds of a castle and brings the total number of Parkruns in the county to 16.