📍 Brierley Forest Parkrun Review

Location: Brierley Forest, Huthwaite
Visited: 30/11/2024
Event #: 341
My Time: 28m 23s

First Impressions

Brierley Forest is another parkrun within a good vicinity to where I live and another one I've visited several times over the years. The venue is based at Huthwaite and is easy enough to find using the postcode NG17 2PL.

Parking is plentiful, as they open the overflow car park adjacent to the main car park on parkrun days, so finding a space has never been a problem. Parking is free, which is always a bonus.

There is a great café onsite with toilets, and both are open from 08:30 on parkrun days, which is very useful. It's also only a very short walk from the café and parking area to the start.

The Course

Brierley Forest is a two-lap course with what I would describe as gently undulating terrain, on a mixture of compact gravel and some muddy paths. Most of the course is gravel, with only parts becoming muddy depending on the conditions.

The gently rolling nature of the course means that although you have some uphill sections, you get the benefit of going back downhill afterwards, which makes it an enjoyable course rather than one that feels relentlessly hilly.

One thing to be aware of is the start. It's relatively narrow and can bottleneck in the early stages, so if you want to get into your own rhythm, it's worth positioning yourself towards the front. There are opportunities to overtake from around a quarter of a mile into the run, once the course opens up a little.

For footwear, road shoes are perfectly fine in dry conditions. After heavy rain or during wintery conditions, I'd be more inclined to wear trail shoes, although you could probably still get away with road shoes if you're prepared for some muddy sections.

It's not a course I'd class as a PB course, but that's not what I come here for. For me, the scenery, woodland setting and overall experience more than make up for the lack of PB potential.

Atmosphere

The volunteers at Brierley Forest are awesome and the event is always very well organised. The Race Director is always great, and I particularly like the fact that they mix this role up from week to week, giving other people the opportunity to take on the role.

There is plenty of encouragement from the volunteers around the course, which adds to the atmosphere.

The other runners are friendly enough and the spectators are great. I'd say it's probably about a 50/50 split between people who head off after finishing and those who hang around afterwards.

The café definitely helps create a good post-parkrun atmosphere, with plenty of people staying for a coffee, something to eat and a chat.

My Experience

Brierley Forest is a parkrun I really enjoy and one I've returned to several times over the years.

For me, it's the combination of the course, scenery and forest feel that makes it stand out. I really like the woodland setting and the fact that it feels like you're running through a proper forest rather than simply doing laps around a playing field.

The café afterwards is another big plus. It's a great place to grab a post-run coffee and something to eat, whether you fancy a light bite or a full breakfast, and the prices are reasonable. The café is also dog friendly, which is a great bonus for anyone who brings their four-legged running companion along. In fact, I like it enough that I even visit the café occasionally when I'm not there for parkrun.

It's one of those parkruns where the whole experience works well for me, from arriving and getting parked, through the run itself, to finishing and having something to eat afterwards.

Facilities

✅ Plenty of FREE parking, including an overflow car park on parkrun days

✅ Toilets available from 08:30

✅ Excellent onsite café

✅ Light bites,cakes, good coffee, beverages and full breakfasts available

✅ Reasonably priced food and drinks

✅ Good post-parkrun atmosphere

⚠️ The course can be affected by heavy rain and icy winter conditions, which can result in cancellations. There have been discussions about an alternative route for these conditions, but at the time of writing this is not yet in operation.

Overall Verdict

Brierley Forest is one of those parkruns that I genuinely enjoy returning to. It's not the place I'd choose if I was looking for a fast PB, but that's not really the point for me.

 The gently undulating two-lap course, woodland scenery and forest feel make it an enjoyable place to run, while the excellent volunteers and friendly atmosphere add to the experience. The café is a real bonus too, offering a great place to sit down afterwards for a coffee and something to eat, and it's good enough that I even visit for breakfast when I'm not doing parkrun.

 The main thing to be aware of is the weather. Heavy rain or icy conditions can lead to cancellations, so it's worth checking the event's Facebook page before setting off during poor weather. There have been discussions about introducing an alternative route for these conditions, but as of now that isn't in operation.

 I've run Brierley Forest several times and will definitely keep coming back. For me, it's the complete package — a good course, great scenery, excellent volunteers and a brilliant café afterwards.

Tourist Tips

🚗 Parking: Plenty of FREE parking available, including an overflow car park on parkrun days

🚻 Toilets: Available from 08:30

☕ Post-run coffee: Excellent onsite dog-friendly café serving drinks, light bites and full breakfasts at reasonable prices

👟 Footwear: Road shoes are fine in dry conditions. Trail shoes are recommended after heavy rain or during wintery conditions

🏃 Course type: Two-lap, gently undulating course on mainly compact gravel with some muddy sections

👨‍👩‍👧 Suitable for: Runners and walkers of all abilities

🔄 Would I recommend it for tourists? Definitely — especially if you enjoy woodland scenery, a gently rolling course and a great café afterwards

My Ratings

Category         Score

Course 5/5

Scenery           5/5

Facilities         5/5

Volunteers     5/5

PB Potential  2.5/5

Overall Enjoyment      5/5

⭐ Overall Rating: 5/5