Frank's Farm parkrun
- Chris Jeanes
- 26 minutes ago
- 5 min read
My 79th parkrun was the first new tourist venue I had done for several months, and what a treat it was. This is a mixed terrain out and back with an extra loop on the way back to the start, and it was on event 20 on the morning of our visit on the 28th of March 2026. Frank's Farm is a working farm and set of shops on the outskirts of Elsworth near Cambridge. This is a great venue for a parkrun with free parking, toilets, two cafes, a farm shop, a butchers, a bakers (unfortunately no candlestick makers yet, but watch this space), there were even some braziers going after the run, so we could sit outside and eat our sausage rolls and not get too cold.
[I first visited this parkrun on 28th March 2026]
Bit of History
The current owner of the farm is Anthony Davison, his Great Grandfather Frank Davison originally bought this farm over 100 years ago, so this is now a fourth generation family farm. As well as being a working farm, some of the old farm buildings have now been converted into shops, with the aim of making the farm a real hub for the local community. Anthony also regularly runs at these parkruns, although he didn't run on the day we attended he did give a quick talk about the farm, it's ethos and it's commitment to parkrun at the Main Briefing.
Briefings
There was both a PA system and a volunteer signing the briefings for those who are hard of hearing, both at the First Timers Welcome and the main briefing. At the First Timers Welcome today there were visitors today from Reading, Norwich, Warwick, Birmingham, Nottingham, Dudley and Leicester. There was then a brief but decent description of the route. We were advised that this is a keep right at all times and that in terms of surface that this is a mixed terrain course, with a mixture of grass, gravel, dirt and concrete in various parts of the route. Then they covered all the usual parkrun process and guidance, as well as letting us know there are toilets and two cafes to choose from after the run. At the main briefing there was a celebration of some milestones, including someone doing their (very impressive) 250th volunteer. There was then a shout out to all the volunteers as well as a request for future volunteers. We then had a brief talk by Anthony the current owner of the farm, who gave us a brief history of the farm and their plans for the future wanting the farm to be at the centre of the local community focusing on good food and good health linking nicely to their commitment to parkrun. You can also even pick your own leeks if that is something that interests you. After that the briefing moved on to all the usual parkrun rules and procedures.
Course Description
This course can essentially be split into four sections of roughly equal length, starting out on grass/trail you head uphill towards a right turn onto a concrete path where you keep heading uphill, keep climbing until you reach the top of the hill, here you will stay on the path but complete an out and back section alongside a field, taking a right turn and then a left turn at the other side of the field before reaching a cone and a marshal where you will turn around and head back the same way you came, this section is mostly flat, after the out and back section you leave the path by taking a right turn onto a dirt trail around the circumference of another field, which will eventually bring you back after a final left turn back onto concrete path from here it is a straight line (and approx 1km) all downhill towards the finish which is back on the same grass/trail path you started on.
Difficulty
The uphill section is a fair challenge and the dirt trail I suspect would get muddy in winter. The course is also quite exposed around the open fields so on a windy day this adds to the challenge. On a dry calm summers day this is a 2 out of 5 rising to maybe a 3 out of 5 on a windy wet winters day.
Elevation
With a total of 37m of Garmin registered elevation, it is a fair climb from the start, but once you reach the crest of the hill the next 1/2 of the course is flat and the final 1/4 is downhill. So there is a hill but at least you do it on fresh legs and don't have any more climbing once you reach the top of the hill.
Parking, Facilities and Coffee
In terms of facilities this parkrun has it all... ample free parking, toilets open before and after the start, two cafes - one offering bacon or sausage baps and coffee or tea with outdoor seating as well as an indoor sit down cafe with more food options. There is also a well stocked farm shop, and a very impressive butchers, there was a real good social vibe going on after the run, this is a great venue.
Other Points of Interest
What, you want more than cafes, butchers, and farm shops... OK well they also have a cookery school, a barbeque shop, which also sells Pizza ovens. There is a bakers which offers small-batch chocolates, cakes and seasonal confections. Another baker who sells sour dough bread. A flowers field selling cut flowers and posies, and in summer an ice cream kiosk, with their ice cream available year round from the farm shop, with new businesses opening all the time you never know what you might find here next time you come!
Summary
With an interesting route around the farm's fields, and a great atmosphere before and after the run, this is a parkrun which is best to do when you don't have to immediately head off home. With so much to do after the parkrun this is a great one to visit when you aren't in a rush and can spend an hour or two in one of the cafes or the various shops. I really loved this parkrun and will definitely be going back sometime soon.
Links
Link to official parkrun site for this course: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/franksfarm/
Frank's Farm - https://franks.farm/
My YouTube Video Review of this parkrun:
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