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Junior parkrun

Great Notley junior parkrun

United Kingdom England

A free, fun, and friendly weekly 2k event for juniors (4 to 14 year olds). Nearby Saturday parkrun events can be found here.

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Meeting point: 51.86377, 0.51556. The interactive map loads with JavaScript. Open the same point in OpenStreetMap.

Coordinates 51.86377, 0.51556.

The course

Course description

This is a two lap, anti-clockwise 2k course mostly made up of grassy sections and a short section of gravel track. The course is completely flat.

The course starts on the path next to SkyRopes heading toward the play area and facing the giant seesaw. Follow the left arrow and the cones that direct you south onto the right hand side of the central field. Turn left at the end of the field then right at the bridge onto the gravel track - through the narrow “bridge sections” participants should stay in single file and wherever possible keep to the left and/or avoid other park users.

Follow the gravel track past the installation called Whistles and stay on this until the next line of trees. Before the next bridge, turn left onto the grass as directed by the marshal, saying hello to the yellow frog as you pass. Then continue on through a wooded area and cross back through on the other side of the central field. Running back up the field toward the start area.

Near the top of the field follow the signs and directions of the marshals, turning left round the first row of cones, with the second lap starting across the central field. A left turn at the end will have participants back on the main loop running back towards the south part of the course. Follow the route round again but this time when you reach the top of the field follow the directions to turn left after the 2nd set of cones and head for the finish mid-way across the central field cheered on by family, friends and volunteers. At the end of the finish funnel collect your finish token and head to the nearby scanners with your barcodes to get your position and times captured ? scanners are close to a few trees offering welcoming shade from the sun and normally there are some conveniently placed picnic benches where you can rest and recover.

During wetter weather periods the fields can get particularly slippery and muddy in sections and may accumulate leaves and large puddles after rain. Participants are advised to dress appropriately. Note that if we think there are any significant risks from the weather, we will either move to the Winter route or cancel.

On the course

The course is in Great Notley Country Park, Great Notley. The course is 2000m (2K) long. This has been accurately measured by us with a professional measuring wheel. The course is ran on a mixture of grass and gravel paths. Some sections of the course may accumulate mud, leaves and puddles after rain. Marshals will be located along the course.

The course will be marshalled so that juniors will be in sight of a marshal at all times.

Please remember that the parkrun uses shared paths. Please give way to other park users. This won't slow you down and will help ensure the overall success of 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 may be limited so try to arrive early.

Facilities

Toilets are inside the café situated in the Discovery Centre.

The park has a large selection of outdoor play equipment, activities and climbing areas scattered throughout, it’s well worth going for a bit of an explore with the family afterwards!

Parking is well signposted. Parking charges apply and must be paid on arrival: up to an hour - £3.00, up to 2 hours - £4.20, up to 4 hours - £5.30 and all day £6.30. Cashless parking payment machines are available on site, or you can pay online at Mipermit.

For regulars to the park, annual car parking season tickets (Explorer Passes) can be purchased via the same link, giving the holder access to 8 Essex Country Parks.

More details

Public transport

There is a train that pulls into the “end of the line” Braintree Station (don’t get off at Braintree Freeport!), and from here, there’s a lovely 4.5 km walk/run/ride along the Flitch Way that will take you to the Great Notley Country park.

On foot

From Braintree Town Centre, the easiest route is to walk along the Flitch Way (it runs roughly between Stansted and Braintree), this 4.5km trail starts at Braintree Station. Arriving at Rayne Station Cafe there are maps and friendly locals to direct you towards the park.

By road

For Sat Nav users, postcode CM77 7FS will take you to the park. Great Notley Country Park is situated just off of the A131, outside the town of Braintree and the A120. There are a series of brown signs guiding the way towards the park and the Discovery Centre.

Coffee

Every week we grab a post-parkrun coffee: the Discovery Centre Skylark Cafe or the nearby Café Plaza. Please come and join us!

We're friendly

Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee at the Discovery Centre Skylark Cafe or the nearby Café Plaza - please come and join us!

junior parkrun rules and guidelines

Great Notley junior parkrun is a fun, free event organised by volunteers for the benefit of everyone. To make the event as safe as possible, participants, spectators and volunteers are asked to take note of the following rules and guidelines:

  • Whilst parkrun fully accepts its duty of care and will do everything it can to minimise risk of injury and harm to all participants whilst at parkrun events, it is parent/guardians who ultimately have responsibility for the welfare of their children.
  • It is not mandatory for a parent/guardian to participate in junior parkruns, but children under the age of 11 must be accompanied to/from the event by a responsible adult, and the responsible adult must remain in attendance for the duration of the event.
  • junior events are open and inclusive. Disabled people may participate wherever it is safe for them to do so. The event team can provide disabled participants with course information in order that the participant (or their parent/guardian) can make an informed decision about their safe participation.
  • Whilst more competitive children can use junior parkruns to test themselves against their own time, and against others, participation should ultimately be for fun, and we urge all parents/guardians/volunteers not to put children under undue pressure to perform.
  • junior parkruns are running, jogging and walking events, and the use of children’s scooters, balance bikes, trikes or cycles is prohibited.
  • Slower runners are encouraged to seed themselves, by starting towards the back of the group especially if an adult is accompanying them.
  • junior parkruns are timed events. Only those aged between 4 to 14 years old completing the course themselves will be given a result. ​
  • Exceptions to this rule are subject to the discretion of parkrun head office. Examples include those over 14 with special educational needs (SEN) or those with a registered disability, for whom social interaction and physical activity may be difficult but important.
  • A strict ‘no barcode no result’ policy will be enforced.
  • Buggies are allowed, subject to course conditions, but only if the adult pushing the buggy is accompanying a junior parkrunner. Adults with buggies are urged to position themselves appropriately for the safety and enjoyment of all.
  • With the exception of assistance dogs, dogs are not allowed to accompany walkers, joggers, runners or volunteers at junior parkrun events.
  • 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.
  • Spectators should keep clear of participants on the course and keep control of any children and dogs.
  • Participants should take care near roads and car parks, congregate away from the cars and be careful if driving to/from the event.
  • Photography or filming is likely to take place at junior parkrun events. Please see our photos page for more details.
  • 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.

Please consider helping the event by volunteering - this event survives only because of your generosity. Please visit the volunteer page for more information.

Volunteering

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

Safeguarding

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.

Event stats

497
Events
3,299
Finishers
26,090
Finishes
759
Volunteers
5,630
Personal bests
70
Groups
00:13:20
Average finish time

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Park5K is not affiliated with parkrun. - last updated 26 October 2026