This event no longer takes place.

Where do you start with Heartwood Forest, what a brilliant idea of converting old farmland into a brand new forest, for the wildlife to thrive and the public to enjoy, wow!!!

The thought of running through this 347-hectare forest in the making is quite inspirational! Now owned by the Woodland Trust they have already planted 500,000 trees and this all links together with existing pockets of established Bluebell woods and hedgerows!

Also it was my pleasure to attend Scott Clarke and David Llewellyn 100th parkrun different event celebration with them now entering the exclusive Cowell club of park runners on the most events list, brilliant work guys!

May I say David you looked very fetching in cow costume by the way mate 🙂

To celebrate this feat quite rightly there was a large gathering of fellow tourist to honour this milestone! Amongst the fold it was great to be reunited with tourists I have met on my Capital Challenge including Dave Thomas from Oak Hill, Mike Bristow who was the run director at Wanstead Flats, not forgetting Paul Bliss and Daniel Pudner for being at my Lon-done final event!

Group Tourist shot

with two Dave Thomas

With Mike Bristow

With Roderick Hoffman & Andrew Chilcraft

I have to give a special mention to Chris Cowell who graced this event as he was the first person to reach the hollowed 100 parkrun events milestone back in August 2012, it was all my pleasure to meet you and have a chat with you sir!

Course

So to the course it comprises of just under 2 undulating anticlockwise laps of Heartwood Forest that surface comprises of both grass and gravel paths!

Points to note

• The start is halfway up the main slope
• There is a section that you run on a bridal way, so be weary!
• Brilliant to run between newly planted woodland section
• In winter or after prolong rain it may be wise to run in trail shoes
• Finally great to finish with a long steady downslope

Time 35:43 not to bad on my road back to fitness that seems slowly to be coming back!

Facilities

There is parking next to the start, but due to the limited number of spaces the preferred free car park is just five minutes walk away at the Sandridge village hall plus there is a public toilet located on that site!

With a stunning view over Sandridge village it is great to take your family for a walk along one of the forest specially designed routes from Wildlife Wander to Heartwood Hike, you have been told!

For the post run coffee they go into the local pub The Queens Head in Sandridge Village.

Final Verdict

I would like to thank Fraser McCullum and his team of volunteers for making us feel all extremely welcome. Top professional job from a parkrun that is only 8 weeks old!

So would I recommend Heartwood Forest most definitely, with stunning views and being privileged to see the work they are doing to create this beautiful forest, this is just another reason why I love parkrun!

Event 60 Daventry 30-09-2017

Extra News

This Sunday 24th September I run the Hitchin 5K Town Centre race with a good few of my club Stopsley Strider friends! A great little 2 lap anticlockwise course that takes in the picturesque parts of the town! I would like to thank Hitchin Hares for putting on a very well organised race!

Time for this was 34:34 getting ever better and I would like to my work colleagues Martin Thurlow & Dave Green who came along to cheer me on 🙂