UK parkruns with potential animal contact

Venues where you may encounter loose animals on the course or in the meeting area. For example, some people may not want to visit places where they could be in a field with loose cows (scary / potentially dangerous / many other reasons). At the opposite end of the scale I'm sure there are also people that would actively seek out these interactions. Hopefully the list below will be of use.

My idea is to cover venues with cattle, sheep, deer or any other animal you would not usually encounter face-to-face. Other animals such as frogs and snakes can be included if there is a noted presence or if they may cause a hazard on the course, for example Sizewell has signs warning people about the presence of snakes.

I've left off everyday wild animals normally found in parks like squirrels and foxes. I've also generally left off geese, ducks and swans, although I may add some in if they are regularly known to cause a blockage or hazard on a particular parkrun course.

A big thank you to everyone that made a suggestion on the UK parkrun Tourists Facebook group.

UK

Alice Holt

• Deer
• Write-up: Alice Holt parkrun write-up (2014, so very likely to be out of date)

Ashton Court

• Deer

Bath Skyline

• Cattle

Belton House

• Sheep

Belvior Castle

• Sheep

Bevendean Down

• Sheep
• Cattle
• Write-up: Bevendean Down parkrun write-up (2016)

Beverley Westwood

• Cattle

Bollbery Down

• Adders

Brentwood

• Deer
• Write-up: Brentwood parkrun write-up (2015 - may be out of date)

Brockenhurst

• New Forest Wild Ponies
• Deer
• Cattle

Bushy

• Deer
• Write-up: Bushy parkrun write-up (2023)

Chasewater

• Deer

Cinder Track

• Deer

Doddington Hall

• Cattle

Dunfermline

• Peacocks

Dunstable Downs

• Sheep
• Write-up: Dunstable Downs parkrun write-up (2022)

Elemore Park

• Cattle

Erddig

• Cattle

Forest of Dean

• Wild Boar

Goole

• Deer

Great Yarmouth North Beach

• Seals (on the beach - course is usually diverted to avoid close contact)

Greenham Common, Newbury (formery Newbury)

• Cattle
• Adders
• Write-up: Greenham Common parkrun write-up (2019)

Hadleigh

• Cattle
• Write-up: Hadleigh parkrun write-up (2016/2024)

Hafan Pwllheli

• Jellyfish (on beach - potential trip hazard)

Helow Bridge Lakes

• Frogs (verified first hand)
• Write-up: Henlow Bridge Lakes parkrun (2024)

Holkham

• Deer

Killerton

• Cattle

Kirkharle Courtyard

• Alpacas
• Toads

Lyme Park

• Deer
• Cattle
• Write-up: Lyme Park parkrun write-up (2023)

Mersea Island

• Adders
• Grass Snakes
• Write-up: Mersea Island parkrun write-up (2017)

Newcastle Town Moor

• Cattle (summer)

Nostell

• Cattle

Panshanger

• English Longhorn Cattle
• Write up: Panshanger parkrun write-up (2014 - Likely to be out of date)

Parke

• Cattle

Oriam

• Cattle

Richmond

• Deer
• Write-up: Richmond parkrun write-up (2024)

Roundshaw Downs

• Roman Snails (legally protected)
• Write-up: Roundshaw Downs parkrun write-up (2025)

Rutland Water

• Sheep
• Write-up: Rutland Water parkrun write-up (2023)

Sandringham

• Deer

Sandwell Valley

• Cattle

Sharpham Estate

• Cattle

Shipley Country

• Cattle

Sizewell

• Adders
• Grass Snakes
• Write-up: Sizewell parkrun write-up (2022)

Sutton Park

• Cattle (summer)

The Pastures

• Cattle

Thorp Perrow

• Sheep

Thoulstone

• Sheep

Uckfield

• Cattle
• write-up: Uckfield parkrun write-up (2019)

Vogrie

• Frogs
• Toads

Watergrove

• Sheep

Wimbledon Common

• Wombles
• Write-up: Wimbledon Common parkrun write-up (2023)

Wimpole Estate

• Sheep
• Write-up: Wimpole Estate parkrun write-up (2013 - likely to be out of date)

Wollaton Hall

• Deer
• Write-up: Wollaton Hall parkrun write-up (2022)

Woolacombe Dunes

• Cattle

Overseas

Burley Griffin, Australia

• Kangaroos

Depot Park, USA

• Alligators

Haga, Sweden

• Frogs (event cancels for them)

Mattheiser Weiher, Germany

• Coypu

Tampere, Finland

• Elk (moose)

Please note: Information contained within the blog posts, such as the course configuration, parking arrangements, restrictions on dogs, availability of toilets etc, may change. Please always check with the relevant events' web page and social media channels for the latest and most accurate information.

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