Moors Valley parkrun takes place at Moors Valley Country Park, which is located ten miles north of Bournemouth, on the edge of the New Forest.

Getting There

The entrance to the park is just off the A31/A337 and is well signposted. After entering the park, and following the signs to the car park, the start is just in front of you to the right. It’s not really a course that can be easily reached by public transport.

Parking

There is ample parking at Moors Valley but it can be quite expensive. Charges are seasonal, but can be as much as £4.50 per hour. However, there is a weekend early bird special which can be used for parkrun. On a Saturday or Sunday, early morning parking, until 10.30 am, is just £1.50. Note that to qualify for this you must exit before 10.45 am. If you choose to stay longer and enjoy the park’s other facilities, normal charges will apply. Payment is made at paypoints in the park prior to departure.

Toilets

There are plenty of toilets near the start at the Visitor Centre. I have to say, they are some of the nicest toilets I have encountered at parkrun. The Visitor Centre also has a café for your post run refuelling needs.

Course

The course starts by to the totem pole and consists mostly of an anticlockwise loop, with one short out and back section. It is quite narrow at the start, so can take a while to get over the start line. There are signs with estimated start times for you to place yourself behind to help make the start more manageable. (Or to make the slow runners even slower – depending on your point of view). The start is in a slightly different place to the finish, so it’s not a run where you can leave sweatshirts etc at the start beforehand.

Terrain

The course is mostly on compact gravel trails in the forest, with the last kilometre on a paved path round the lake.

Shoes

Probably trainers. The trails are quite smooth and the final kilometre is tarmac.

Difficulty

Run Britain Rankings for UK parkruns place Moors Valley as the 176th fastest out of a total of 706. The course has a total elevation of 18 metres.

Fun Factor

The narrow start is a bit tedious. But once you’re on your way, you run through the forest and then alongside a lake, so it is particularly scenic, which helps to put a smile on your face!

Nearby Attractions

Moors Valley Country Park has a whole range of activities and you could easily spend the whole day here. Activities include walking and cycling trails, play areas, a model railway, a golf course, Go Ape and Laser Tag.