Normanby Hall parkrun

North Lincolnshire, England

Sep 02, 2023

Normanby Hall parkrun route map. It was very clear on the route, but I looked afterwards to remind myself what I’d done!

Normanby Hall Country park is just a few miles North of Scunthorpe, with free parking for parkrunners. We’re asked to use the overspill car park, which you can’t miss (particularly as there was a marshal to wave me there), and to put a parkrun barcode in the windscreen when parked. I showed my spare barcode at the parking attendant and was waved through without stopping, though that bit is possibly superfluous if they spot you’re arriving at 8:30 in running kit.

Normanby Hall under cloudy blue sky looking over a large lawn with parkrunners gathering — First view of the hall, start and finish

The course is artfully designed, taking you away from the hall and back towards it multiple times with participants passing each other on sections but without faster runners having to pass much of the field. At least, that’s my memory - it was straightforward to follow the course, but harder to describe so I’d just say trust that it’s well organised and you’ll be fine.

After the first short loop, you come back to the hall - photo/memory-wise, this course is all killer

Running past a Go Ape sign in the woods — Starting this section, signs warn us to stay right, which is needed later when people will come back on the left side.

The terrain is varied, but all doable in a road shoe, and most of the paths are wide enough that overtaking is usually fine.

Paths lined with thin trees and lots of greenery — Greenery everywhere

Heading back to the hall from the long loop, you run past the finish (ahead), then come back to it from the other direction.

After the long loop you head past the hall again, and complete that initial short loop. I had forgotten it by then, and thought it was an out and back, but it’s a lollipop shape, with just the stalk being out and back. That section is on a wide path with a happy marshal in a deck chair cheering us on and making sure no one turned into the people finishing the loop. Just go straight on and follow the loop round, it all works.

This path is narrow, but you can run on the side - just note the small drop and commit to path or not.

Large grassy area next to the finish, in front of the large hall — Finish outside the hall

Blue sky above the finish funnel, which leads from the gravelled path to grass — Finish funnel

There are some exhibits in the stable block, which is on the other side of the courtyard outside the cafe. You can find these horse rider sculptures and not-a-sculpture Joey, who was one of the oldest and friendliest of the deer in the park.

Results from Normanby Hall parkrun #218, 2/9/23; 167 finishers

parkrun touring

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