A guide to West Midlands Parkruns: courses & tips

After exploring lots of London Parkruns, I’m now based in Shropshire where there’s a whole new range of courses to check out.

If you’re after a guide to the West Midlands Parkruns, here are the ones I’ve personally run (and filmed!).

Top Parkruns in the West Midlands

I’ll be updating this post every time I discover a new course in the area.

Shrewsbury Parkrun

Shrewsbury Parkrun takes place in The Quarry, a picturesque park in the heart of Shrewsbury.

The briefing is done by the bandstand, but the course begins by the river. It is entirely on tarmac paths that wind through the tree-lined park.

The course features three inclines (the second and third are the same) that provide a good challenge, but the downhills and flat sections give you time to recover and aim for a sprint finish.

Tip: always check the Parkrun website before turning up, this event is regularly cancelled when there are fairs/festivals taking over the Quarry.

Check out the course profile on my Strava activity and get a better idea of what it looks like in this vlog:

Walsall Parkrun

Since May 17, 2025, Walsall Arboretum Parkrun has introduced a redesigned route, replacing the former three-lap course. The new layout was created to ease congestion and enhance safety by spreading runners more evenly throughout the park.

The current course features two clockwise laps that begin in the park’s extension area, then sweep into the Victorian section, passing Centre Green and the Visitor Centre before running back up Beacon Way.

While the course remains mostly on smooth tarmac paths, there’s a short stretch of rougher gravel shortly after starting each lap.

Unlike the previous completely flat course, this new one now includes a lengthy, gradual uphill section towards the end of each lap, making it a tougher and slightly slower challenge overall.

Check out the course profile on my Strava activity and get a better idea of what it looks like in this vlog:

Wolverhampton West Park Parkrun

This Parkrun takes place in the scenic surroundings of West Park, right in the heart of the city.

The course starts by the Bandstand near the Tea Rooms and initially heads northwest, passing the children’s play area before reaching the outer perimeter path. From there, participants complete three clockwise laps.

After finishing the third lap, runners leave the perimeter at the same spot where they first joined it and head back towards the Bandstand. The finish line is positioned to the left of the Bandstand on a long, wide avenue that gently slopes down towards the lake.

This route is entirely on tarmac paths and is fast, but unfortunately the congestion is getting out of hand on the final lap.

As I approached the turn towards the finish, I had to weave through so many runners that I completely missed the sign - it's positioned at knee height and easy to overlook when the path is crowded.

By the time I realised, it was too late and I ended up running an unintended extra-long version of the course.

Check out the course profile on my Strava activity and get a better idea of what it looks like in this vlog:

Telford Parkrun

Telford parkrun is set within the scenic Telford Town Park and offers a mix of tarmac and trail paths. The course starts near the Visitor Centre before heading downhill past the Arena.

From there runners follow a small loop then continue onto a larger lap around Randlay Pool. The route is slightly undulating in places but is generally fast with smooth tarmac and wide natural footpaths underfoot.

The second lap can become quite congested in the narrower twisty sections. The finish involves a left-hand turn back up the hill into the Arena, so save some energy for the final incline!

Check out the course profile on my Strava activity and get a better idea of what it looks like in this vlog: