Watermeadows may be the furthest parkrun from my native north Northamptonshire, and embarrassingly it’s taken far too long to visit, but what greeted me was a real treat.

After a summer plagued by injury and ultramarathon training (by far the silliest idea I’ve ever had), it’s been a while since I’ve ventured too far from home for a free weekly parkrun. This changed on Saturday as I finally mustered the energy to visit Watermeadows which, unsurprisingly, takes place at Watermeadows in Towcester.

The route takes runners through four somewhat flat loops around the park to cover the 5km distance, ending with a short blast across the grass to the finishers’ funnel. For those like myself who are lacking in of any sense of direction it’s lovely, and the simplicity of the course as well as its low elevation gain on a hard compacted surface means it’s a great choice for those chasing a 5km personal best.

Logistically, Watermeadows parkrun is a dream. There is ample parking at the Tove long stay car park just a short walk from the park and being so close to Towcester, there’s plenty of choice for a post-run coffee.

Last week's Watermeadows parkrun was the 318th event

placeholder image — Last week's Watermeadows parkrun was the 318th event

This week 232 people completed the run and, while there was a fair amount of overtaking on later laps, it didn’t prove to be an issue.

The volunteers at Watermeadows parkrun were fantastic, always offering support and encouragement and shepherding runners around the course safely.

Watermeadows may not be the most picturesque parkrun in the county, nor the most exciting, but it is the flattest (which on a Saturday morning when motivation is low is an absolute godsend), and easily one of the friendliest. It’s further proof that Northamptonshire’s Parkrun offerings have something for everyone.

More information about the course can be found online here.