Skip to main content

Chelmsford Central parkrun

Continuing with my focus on Essex events started last week at Billericay parkrun, this week I decided to attend Chelmsford Central parkrun.

The area

Chelmsford is a very young city, having only recived its letters patent in 2012 (6 June 2012), although this does mean it could technically claim to be the oldest city in Essex, ahead of both Southend (1 March 2022) and Colchester (23 November 2022).

Chelmsford Central parkrun takes places in three of Chelmsford's main parks - starting in Central Park, before heading along the River Can, joining Admirals park and Tower Gardens, before returning to Central Park. An 18-arch Victorian Railway viaduct crosses through central park.

Lake, fountains, and Viaduct at Central Park

The course

The route follows a mixture of tarmac paths and grass walks through Central Park, Admirals Park, and Tower Gardens, using the River Can to connect them. The route is mostly flat, with only one minor hill at around the half way point.

A number of pay and display car parks are available near to the event, each with different costs and rates, so it is worth considering alternatives depending on what other activities you have planned! Toilets are available in the park, along with a cafe for post-run refreshments.

The run

With so many people attending this event, the start felt like a cross-country meet!

Having decided to walk today's event while I am still recovering from injury, I hadn't realised that this was the first single-lap course I've walked. The route does include the same section of tow path along the river in both directions, but having seen how many marshals were involved in the event (and having chance to recognise them, which you don't always get when running), I see why many events prefer multiple lap courses - they require many fewer volunteers!

Reflecting on the event reminds me of Sloughbottom parkrun, in that both events include laps of fields and parks, connected by a popular public cycle path.

Path along the River Can connecting Central Park and Admirals Park

Thank you to all of the many volunteers for hosting today's event!

After the run

As the finish is in Central Park, I took some time to explore the park a little more. The park includes an avenue of oak trees, which were planted each time a new mayor was elected each November from 1917 onwards.

Centenary Avenue oak trees at Central Park

As the start finish area is essentially in the city centre, I took the opportunity to explore the city centre a little, which was very busy given how cold and damp it was!

Chelmsford city centre

Chelmsford Cathedral is only a short stroll away, which has been a place of worship since the 11th century.

Chelmsford Cathedral

Having wandered the city centre, my plan way to head slightly out of the city to explore the Hylands estate - the parkland surrounding a Georgian mansion house. The house itself is open to the public for free every third Sunday of the month, although this is of little use to parkrun tourists. Unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worst and started raining, and so I decided against visiting

The landscape of the estate was designed by Humphry Repton, who was also responsible for the landscapes at Holkham parkrun, Sheringham Park parkrun, Blickling parkrun, Catton parkrun, and Wimpole Estate parkrun.

Links: Results | Strava | Hylands Estate walks

Labels:
Location: Central Park, Chelmsford CM2 0RW, UK

Popular posts from this blog

Coldham's Common parkrun

As my recovery from injury is still underway, I decided that I would attend a flat course this week to avoid any potential for reaggrevation. Unfortunately this means I will need to pause my completion of the Essex events, as the remaining courses are all somewhat lumpy. Having visited all of the other Cambridge parkruns, including Storeys Field parkrun, Fulbourn Hospital parkrun, and Cambridge parkrun knowing that they are all relatively flat, I decided that this week I would complete the Cambridge set. The area Coldham's Common has a long history, serving as both a hospital during the 17th century smallpox outbreak, and a quarry during the 19th century, as well as a rifle range also during the 19th century. The course The route follows two laps of the perimeter of the common through an hour-glass shape, connecting two fields through a five-bar-gate. The course is all on grass, and is all flat. Limited parking is available nearby, while toilets are available in
Read more

Aldenham parkrun

Icey conditions in days leading up to parkrun day meant many events were cancelled this week. While I would have ideally been able to visit another event in Essex, I decided that I valued having options more in the event of cancellation this week, and so I instead headed to the cluster of events surrounding the Watford area. The area Aldenham Country Park is located near Watford, and centres on Aldenham reservoir, with grassland and woodland surrounding the reservoir itself. The reservoir was excavated by French prisoners of war during 1795 as part of the wider management of the Grand Union Canal's water levels, and now serves as a reserve water supply. In addition to the reservoir, the country park also supports the breeding of a number of rare species of farm animals, including cattle, goats, pigs, and sheep. The course The course follows two laps of the reservoir, with the second lap skipping the inner peninsular. The course is flat, and is run mainly on trail pat
Read more

Markshall Estate parkrun

Having spent a number of weeks focussed on events in the north of the East of England, I decided that this week I would pay some attention to the south of the region and visit Markshall Estate parkrun while still in the best time of the year to visit an arboretum. The area The Markshall Estate (interchangably the "Marks Hall" Estate) is the remains of a former country estate located in Coggeshall, between Colchester and Braintree. The hall itself was demolished in 1950, leaving its grounds to be converted into an arboretum, featuring trees from around the world. Coggeshall has been a settled area since at least the Saxon area, and was later served by Stane Street; a Roman road stretching from modern day Colchester to near St Albans. The course The route follows just under two laps of the arboretum, starting at the top of a hill, and finishing at the bottom, meaning this is a net down-hill course. The course is run on a mixture of tarmac, concrete, gravel, trail an
Read more