With the unsettled weather still continuing, I decided that this week would be an ideal opportunity to run Sheringham parkrun given it is mainly in woodland, meaning mainly sheletered from the elements!
The area
Sheringham parkrun takes place in Sheringham Park, Norfolk. Sheringham Park forms part of the wider Sheringham Estate - a country house built by Humphry Repton, the same person responsible for the construction of the Catton Estate, home of Catton parkrun, a short distance away.
Although originally both the park and the hall formed the wider Sheringham Estate, Sheringham Hall is currently a private residence, although it is still visible from the park. The park, renowned for its rhododendrons and azaleas amongst its many wild flowers, is managed by the National Trust.
The course
The route follows a single lap of a lollipop-style course, with an initial out section to a loop, before returing along the same path as the out section. The course is run on trail, and is roughly a mile downhill to the loop, some undulations around the loop, followed by a mile uphill back to the start.
A pay and display car park is available near the visitor centre, which also houses toilets and a cafe.
The run
I was anticipating a challenging run today, which was confirmed during the briefing when we were told the course is a mile downhill, some undulations around the loop, followed by a mile uphill! Fortunately, I managed to find a group of people running a similar pace, so I let myself go onto auto-pilot which allowed me to pay more attention to the surroundings, which were very picturesque.
Thank you to all of the cheery volunteers today!
After the run
Being located in woodland, Sheringham Park also has a number of trails that can be explored. I decided to explore the Sheringham woodland and coastal walk.
The trail begins by following the same route as the parkrun course, which provided an opportunity to stop and take in some of the views I had only briefly witnessed during thr run. The first landmark I had skipped past was an old sawmill which has long since been decomissioned.
A short distance further along the trail I was able to stop and absorb the view from the woodland overlooking Weybourne, and out to the sea.
Steam trains commonly service Weybourne Station, however, timing was against me today, and I seemed to miss every train that rolled past!
Many of the buildings in Weybourne reflect the slow and calm pace of the village, with the church, and ruins of the former priory providing a focal point.
As is typical for Norfolk beaches, they are predominantly pebble beaches, and along this particular section, the cliff face provides a stark reminder of the sea's power of erosion.
Running along the cliff edge, the inevitable erosion is even more evident, with several sections of the path missing!
One can't help but wonder how long these cottages have before they meet the cliff edge...
A frequent sight along the route are defensive structures. Gun installments similar to those found along the east coast can be found at several points.
The next major landmark would have been the Gazebo, which promises views across Norfolk from above the treeline, however, at the time of my visit, both it and the viewpoints were closed for maintenance. Around the corner from the Gazebo however, nestled amongst the trees, lies Sheringham House itself.
The final major landmark is the temple, which is similar to a contemporary bandstand.
The temple offers a view including both Sharingham House, the parkland, as well as the sea.
Links: Run report | Results | Strava