So I had my first actual chance to run at the beautiful Weald Country Park, Brentwood, Essex as last time I visited back in March the event was cancelled! I am glad that I made the decision to come back and challenge myself!

So Weald Country Park is over 500 acres of stunning grass meadow land, forest and a lake for the family to explore and enjoy! This park is famed for its wildlife, so look out for fallow deer, cattle and a variety of birds including herons, mallard ducks and other water fowl!

Thank You

I would like to thank Martin Jones for giving me advanced warning that my planned parkrun event for this week was cancelled and inviting me back to rerun Brentwood, and it was all my pleasure to meet you again sir!!!!

Course

Brentwood course is a tough undulating single lap in the shape of a figure of eight, it uses the natural landscape and is a cross-country style course run on both grass and earth paths!

Points to note

• Tough steady long incline after 1km marker
• Exposed tree roots need to be respected in the woodland section
• I understand the course can get very boggy in places especially in the winter
• In wet underfoot conditions definitely recommend using trail shoes
• Final Heartache Hill is a challenge at the end of this parkrun

My time was 37:32 and I can live with that as I did run walk the two main inclines and thanks Martin for supporting me on the run in to the finish!!!

Facilities

There is paid park available inside this park at £3.30 for up to 2 hours Sat Nav CM14 5QS and public toilets block were open before the start of the parkrun that is always a bonus!

For the post run coffee we retired to Wigley Bush Cafe that is located inside the parks visitor centre and lovely it was too!

Other Facilities include

• Trail walks – including Stick Man play trail
• Horse Riding
• Cycling
• Picnics
• Fishing

Final Verdict

I would like to thank Run Director Rob McLean and the whole team of volunteers at Brentwood for their very friendly welcome I received as soon as I arrived to the moment I left, top stuff guys!!!!!

So it you like a cross-country style challenge to your parkrun tourism then running at beautiful Weald Country Park is definitely the event for you, very highly recommended!!!

Best

Mark aka Silent Runner

Extra News

I would like to congratulate my very good friend Kathy Sadler on reaching her 100 parkrun milestone this weekend at Luton, Wardown where she is also a run director!

Top running Kathy and the cake looked delicous 🙂