The Course

The course is 5000m (5K) long. This has been accurately measured by us with a professional measuring wheel. The course is on 60% tarmac and 40% off road footpath, although some sections of the course do accumulate mud, leaves and puddles after rain. Dependent on availability, marshals will be at key sections of the course, or temporary signs in place.

Please remember that the parkrun uses shared paths. For the continued success of the event, please give way to other park users. This won't hurt your time, it won't stop you from getting a PB and it will make sure everyone continues to to enjoy the event.

Please, wherever possible walk, jog, cycle or use public transport when attending the event. If you do have to drive, please consider car-sharing to reduce our impact on both the environment and other park users.  Please also watch out for other park users when arriving and leaving. Parking is limited so try to arrive early.

Course Safety

The Bramhall parkrun is a fun, free event organised by volunteers for the benefit of everyone. We wish to make the run as safe as possible, so runners, spectators and helpers are asked to take care about the following:

  • Please be considerate to the park and other park users at all times.
  • Please arrive by foot, by pedal-power or by public transport if you can - your efforts help to reduce our impact on the park and the planet.
  • Please consider volunteering to help occasionally - this event survives only because of your generosity - please vist the volunteer page for more information.
  • Take care near roads and car parks - some vehicles drive very quickly. Please congregate away from the cars and be careful in particular if you have children. If you’re driving to the run, please drive carefully even if you’re late!
  • When running, take care on uneven surfaces - whether on grass or on tarmac. Watch out for cyclists, other runners, pedestrians, children, deer, dogs, vehicles, park maintenance work, falling branches, bollards, posts and other obstacles around the course.
  • Runners with dogs are welcome, but please keep dogs on a short lead and under control throughout the event.
  • Runners pushing buggies are also welcome, but please take extreme care of other runners around you. If possible start from the back of the field and try to keep to one side of the main body of runners.
  • Please make sure you’re fit enough to run 5k (3.1 miles) – if you’re in any doubt, please consult your doctor.
  • Remember to warm up before the run.
  • If you see a runner with a serious problem, please stop to help them out and get help as soon as possible.
  • If you’re watching, keep clear of runners on the course, and look after any children and dogs you may have with you.
  • While rare, Lyme Disease is present in areas where deer live, and occasionally passed to human’s through infected ticks. See NHS Choices website for more about Lyme Disease, and how to deal with ticks.
  • This is a free training event, so all run and attend at their own risk.

We hope these tips help to ensure that Bramhall parkrun is fun and safe for everyone.

Age Grading

All parkrun events use Age Grading to help athletes compare results.

Age Grading takes your time and uses the world record time for your sex and age group to produce a score (a percentage). This score allows you to compare your personal performance against other people's performances even though they might be a different age and a different sex to you - the higher the score the better the performance. The scores can also be compared across different race distances - to allow you to, for example, compare a 5km time against a marathon.

For more information, please see the Running For Fitness website.

Course Map


View Bramhall parkrun in a larger map

Course Description

The start and finish is near the lodge entrance close to the Bridge Lane / Bramhall Lane South roundabout. See route map. The route consists of 2 laps that wind through the park in an hourglass shape plus a start and finish straight. The course is scenic and undulating with wide sweeping curves and some twists and turns. It is designed to be entertaining rather than pure “PB” speed.

The paths are 60% tarmac and 40% surfaced footpath (hard when dry, possibility of thin mud covering when wet). Regular running shoes are suitable. You will need some grip on wet tarmac paths.

From the lodge entrance run up the wide road through the trees towards the Hall. Pass the white gate through the gap on the right, turning immediately right then left past the Tea Shop and bear left into the walled garden. Run straight ahead through the topiary arch and keep straight on to join the tarmac path curving down to the right. Be careful – this path can be slippery when wet.

On reaching the pond turn right and run along with the big pond on your left and hall above on the right. If you are in the lead, beware of the Canada Geese – they will move if you clap or shout. Round the end of the pond by turning left just before the wooden bridge to run back along a rougher path with the river on your right. Take care - this path is narrow in places and next to the river.

Back at the ponds turn right to cross the river over the metal bridge. Bear left up the hill on a wider path. At the top turn right onto a long straight path that undulates pleasantly through the woods. As you leave the woods the path descends sharply (and you can see the start area across the river ahead). Turn right and follow the path back towards the centre of the park through trees.

Cross over the long wooden bridge turning left down the ramp. Keep straight on over the stone bridge, and keep straight on again to follow the path alongside the river. Be very careful - this path is narrow and there is an unprotected drop into the river on your left. Beware of oncoming pedestrians. At the end of this path turn sharp right to start your second lap. At this point on the second lap instead bear left with less than 100m to the finish.

If you decide to run only 1 lap this is OK but please tell us at the finish so we can sort out the results.

Getting There

Think green! If you are local please jog / walk / cycle to the park. It is also the best way to warm up and get in the mood. You can use one of the many pedestrian entry points to the park (marked with red blobs on the map). Cycling is not permitted in the park – please push.

Public Transport

Bramhall (1 km) and Cheadle Hulme (2km) railway stations are within jogging distance. Both have services from Manchester and Stockport (www.nationalrail.co.uk). There are bus stops (services 307, 308, 377, 378) by the roundabout adjacent to the race start (www.gmpte.com).

Parking

On site car parking is pay and display (£1 = 2 hours) and limited to about 50 spaces. The main car park is closed until 8am. Please don’t park on the narrow access road (Hall Rd) or the main roads surrounding the park – doing so will jeopardise the future of the event.

The other option is to park politely on one of the many wide residential roads (e.g. Carrwood Ave, St. Michaels Ave, Broadway, Linney Rd, North Park Road) in the area from where it is a 5-minute walk into the park using via one of the pedestrian entry points.

Finding The Start

The start area is on the park road next to the lodge by the pedestrian gate near the roundabout. From the car park go towards the hall then turn right down the park road past the white iron gate and continue down the hill directly to the start area.

If you are lost don’t panic it is a small park. First find the hall. Then look down at the ponds and find the river. The start area is down on the far right by the road, where the river flows into the park.

Driving From Further Afield

Bramall Hall is situated in Bramhall near Stockport (postcode SK7 3NX). From the south take the A34 then A555 to Bramhall then go through Bramhall towards Stockport on the A5102 (Bramhall Lane South). From Stockport take the A6 then A5102 (Bramhall Lane) through Davenport. From Manchester take the A34 then route through Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme.

Brown signposts direct you to the hall car parking although see Parking above.

Please consider the environment and don’t drive long distances for short races.