Where are the events?
We get this question quite a lot so thought we’d share a simple map! We’ve put a bit of information about each venue below too. We’re always looking to expand the sites we use so if you know of a hidden gem do let us know. If there is a 5k lap, toilets and a car park it’s a contender! We’ve got a few up our sleeve for 2021 so hopefully we’ll only be adding more to this map. We love our venues and encourage you to visit and support them as often as you can. They might all look natural and wild but they all require management which costs money. The few coins for the car park or a coffee all goes to that effort either directly or indirectly.
Ryton Pools Country Park
A firm favourite and the location of our first ever event. Ryton Pools consists of hard packed pathways that run around some small pools popular with fisherman (but they don’t sit near the path!). Very quite during the week except the dog walkers and toddlers it’s a great venue for a simple run and is relatively flat throughout. They’ve done lots to the park even in the few years we’ve been using it and its really well managed.
Salcey Forest
Home to our day time and night time events the flat Salcey forest has it all, except hills. Well maintained wide pathways with sections of less manicured pathways run across the ancient woodland. There has been a mini running explosion at Salcey since our first event and now it has a weekly parkrun and many events each year. Alongside this there are permanently marked 1,5 & 10K routes around the forest making it easy to just turn up and run. No visit is complete without visiting Grounds Cafe, be it for a coffee, cake, ice cream… or all 3!
Hartshill Hayes Country Park
A hidden gem. Assuming you like hills, if you don’t it’s a torturous hellscape! This small country park is an amazing place to go for a run or walk. We’re told you can see 5 counties from the top of the park, all we know is its great running down it! The pathways underfoot are mostly natural with some amazing sections running over tree routes. There are a labyrinth of pathways and routes to take. It’s a small site so you can’t really get lost just head up and you’ll be back at the car park in the end! Get the timing right and you can be visiting a blanket of bluebells too. On the route we use a marathon distance run has a greater total elevation than the Snowdon Marathon, not bad for Warwickshire!
Great Central Way - Rugby
In terms of a Big Bear venue this is the exception - no toilet block, no visitor centre - just a big ol’ (free!!) car park and a flat piece of nature. This disused railway has had around £50 000 spent on it in recent years to relay the surface and reduce flooding. It’s resulted in a cracking local nature reserve used by many locals. Popular with dog walkers at all times and with a (recently resurfaced) punchy “zig zag” to get to our start finish it’s a brilliant place to run for Rugby residents.
Daventry Country Park
An urban country park that hosts a weekly parkrun around it’s expansive reservoir. Around £750 000 is being spent on improving the facilities and pathways at the country park but we think its already pretty great! Brilliant for running on hotter days due to lots of shaded areas there is a lot going for Daventry Country Park. We like to use the meadow which can be a mudbath in the winter and can have sheep grazing as well. Underfoot is generally quite a natural pathway or a grassy meadow. Again popular with dog walkers and toddlers during the week.
Brixworth Country Park
A route that doesn’t feel particularly hilly on lap 1, or on the watch but after a few laps you know you’ve done a few ups and downs, very deceptive! The country park is set looking out over Pitsford Reservoir and we incorporate part of the circular path on our route. Underfoot is generally crushed stone pathways but there is a grassy hill to contend with on each lap. There are lots of other pathways to use here and a lap of Pitsford Water is a treat too.
Cannock Chase - Birches Valley
The most beautiful area we use. We barely scrape the surface in this vast, vast forest. There must be hundreds of miles of footpaths and routes but we keep it simple for ours! With crushed stone underfoot, a big climb on the way out means you’ve got a nice downhill on the way back to HQ. There is a unique river crossing, either wade through the stream or hop along the stepping stones. the forest is popular with mountain bikes and fisherman as well as the ever=present dog walkers. The hills mean it’s not quite so toddler friendly but there are some shorter flatter routes for the little ones.
Rosliston Forestry Centre
A large forest with lots of wild areas to explore. The site is popular with toddlers due to the soft play centre onsite and nice large cafe over looking the forest. There are miles of routes to explore, our route is based on the more established pathways. Some of
Hicks Lodge
A popular site for mountain bikes - but luckily they have their own routes! Hicks Lodge is very much an all-weather venue with stone paths throughout, handy for us in the winter months to avoid bogs or treacherous ice. The site is split over 2 sides of a road, we use “the other side” for our events, its rolling but there are no major climbs. You’ll know you’ve done a good shift at the end of the event though as the elevation creeps up on you. Another venue with a superb Grounds Coffee cafe too that you should visit every time!
Sence Valley Forest Park
This is a much less developed site compared to others we use but it’s probably the most scenic and varied. Another forest that even the locals don’t really know is there! To add to the awesomeness of the park is the new forest being planted that will add 100 acres to the site - even more to explore. Depending on where you park the site is either very flat, or has a monstrous hill! The route through the pine forest is not to be missed though and the ponds are great to run around. there is no cafe here but a toilet block which does tend to make for a quieter site. A bit of a hidden gem!
Kingsbury Water Park
We were due to run here for the first time in 2020 but we all know what happened there! We will be back though. The venue has everything needed to be excellent - multi-terrain, flat, water features and a cafe!
Fermyn Woods Country Park
Another victim to 2020 Fermyn Woods will be a mainstay on our calendar for years to come. The country park is joined to a large forest that is relatively untouched. the running is great with very natural trail throughout and some “nice” little climbs. On every visit we’ve had red kites flying very low overhead, a spectacular sight.