California Country parkrun

Bus: Reading Buses No.3 service runs between Reading and Wokingham with stops on Nine Mile Ride (ask for “California Country Park”) and also on Barkham Ride (ask for “St James’s Rd”). There is a public bridleway (at the 40MPH sign) which leads from Barkham Ride into the park.
Reading Buses No.3b service runs between Reading and Bracknell with a stop on Nine Mile Ride as above.
Please check timetables with Reading Buses by visiting https://www.reading-buses.co.uk

The start area is easily accessible on foot via the greenway from Commonfield Lane at Arborfield Green and from multiple entrances to the park from the housing developments in Finchampstead. There is also a public bridleway from Barkham Ride.

California Country Park is 4 miles from Wokingham town centre, 4.3 miles from Crowthorne High Street and 3.3 miles from Arborfield Cross. While the park is accessible from the M3 (J4a - 8.6 miles) and the M4 (J10 - 9 miles, J11 - 7.6 miles) local directions are complicated so please use RG40 4HU in your SAT NAV or smartphone for directions. The car park is accessed via Nine Mile Ride.

Please do not park in the local residential roads and if driving use the Country Park car park. Please walk, jog or cycle instead.

There are two car parks; the first one is approximately 600 metres from the start area and the second car park close to Jackson’s Cafe is approximately 800 metres from the start area.

There is adequate parking at the Country Park current parking charges can be found here - the parking attendants are known to give out fines if parking fees have not been paid. You can make payment for parking via Ringo or at the machines in the car park.

Every week we grab a post-parkrun coffee: Jackson’s California Lake Café. Please come and join us!

Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee in Jackson’s California Lake Café - please come and join us!

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

• Please be considerate to the park and other park users at all times.
• Children under the age of eleven must be accompanied (within arm's reach) throughout the event by a parent, guardian or appropriate adult of the parent's choice.
• 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.
• We invite everyone to consider volunteering at parkrun. Your support helps your parkrun events remain sustainable and free for all in your community, and it’s also a wonderful way to improve your own health and happiness. Please visit 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 event, please drive carefully.
• Take care on uneven surfaces – whether on grass or on tarmac. Watch out for cyclists, other participants, pedestrians, children, dogs, wildlife, park animals, vehicles, park maintenance work, falling branches, bollards, posts and other obstacles around the course.
• Please ensure that you are fit enough to walk, jog, run 5k (3.1 miles) with us.
• If you see someone with a serious problem, please stop to help them out and get help as soon as possible.
• If you’re watching, keep clear of participants on the course, and look after any children and dogs you may have with you.
• It is not permitted to run with a pushchair and a dog at the same time.
• Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks. Consider protecting yourself by wearing repellent when at parkrun events in grassy or wooded areas. See lymediseaseuk.com for further details.
• You are welcome to take part with one dog by your side, within reach at all times, on a short, handheld, non-extendable lead. The use of waist harnesses is prohibited. Please also see this Support Site entry for further details about parkrunning with dogs.
• parkrunners pushing buggies are welcome, but please take care of others around you and do your best to start at an appropriate place in the field for your pace.

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

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

parkrun events use Age Grading to help parkrunners see progress and compare results.

For more information, please see our Support page.

All parkrun events are organised by volunteers - email californiacountry@parkrun.com to help.

parkrun is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk. For our full safeguarding processes and policies please see our Safeguarding Hub.

To report a safeguarding concern please email safeguarding@parkrun.com.