Try a new outdoor adventure sport! Ideal for all ages and abilities, with courses for runners and also families and children. Help is available and no experience is necessary. We give you a map and a timing chip, and you have to race around a series of checkpoints in the woods, choosing your own route between each one.
Please note this event is pre-entry only – there will be no entry at the event. Enter in advance via the Tickets link above (available nearer the event).
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PARKING:
At the Earth Trust Centre, by kind permission. The nearest postcode is OX14 4QZ, and once nearby you can follow the brown tourist signs to the Earth Trust parking. Space is limited, so please park as close together as practical. The restricted parking space limits the entries, so please do consider car sharing where possible.
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TERRAIN
The area is on the banks of the River Thames and is split into two sections. The first is mainly runnable open pasture land with some interesting contour features from the large Clumps (hills) that give the area its name... Expect to be climbing these hills on your courses (the views are worth it!). The other section is a lovely woodland with a well-established path network.
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REGISTRATION AND START TIMES
Start a course any time from 10.15am to 11.45am.
Everyone must finish and report back to download by 1pm, even if you haven't finished your course.
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COURSES – arranged below in order of navigational difficulty. Remember - the course lengths are the straight line distances between the control points. You'll go further, depending on your route choices!:
WHITE: 1.0km. Navigational difficulty: 1/5.
Short and very easy. For young beginners, all controls on paths, no navigation needed.
YELLOW: 1.5km. Navigational difficulty: 2/5.
Easy. Short and suitable for juniors or newcomers. Controls on or near paths.
ORANGE: 2.6km. Navigational difficulty: 3/5.
Ideal course for families, adult newcomers, and juniors with some experience. Still reasonably easy, with some navigation required. Probably around 3.5 to 4k actual distance, depending on your route choices!
RED: 3.6km (expect to run 5k). Navigational difficulty: 3/5.
Ideal for runners looking to try orienteering - this course is like an unmarked trail race. A fairly easy, longer course. Some navigation, but not too tricky! (same difficulty as Orange; just longer).
LIGHT GREEN: 3.6km. Navigational difficulty: 4/5.
Ideal for improvers or those who have been to a few events. More detailed navigation required through the woods, off paths. Around 5k actual distance.
SCORE:
Ideal for adult beginners. 26 controls: find as many as you can in any order and get to the finish within 60 minutes. Controls are worth 10, 20 or 30 points. Lose 10 pts per minute (or part of minute) late. A fast furious race!
If you're a runner getting into orienteering, the Red and Orange courses are ideal, or the Score course. For families, we recommend Orange, or Yellow if you want something shorter. For juniors, Yellow is a good choice. No courses cross any public roads. Expect some climb (i.e. hills!) on each course too.
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HOW TO ENTER
You must pre-enter in advance as there will be no entry at the event, although you can enter online up to 11am on the day itself. Pre-entering reserves you a map. Just click on the Tickets link above, and fill in your details.
You don't have to be a member of an orienteering club to enter this event. On SI Entries (our entries system), just show your club name as IND (for Independent).
Small family or other groups are welcome, but please enter only the Yellow, Orange or Red courses. Enter as a senior. Change the name if you wish, for example to Jones Family.
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ENTRY COST
Early entries up to and including Sunday 6th July:
– Red and Light Green – BOF members £6, non-members and family groups £8, Juniors & Students £2
– White, Yellow, Orange and Score – BOF members £5, non-members and family groups £7, Juniors & Students £2
Later entries from Mon 7th July through to 11am Sat 12th July (assuming spaces are still available) – £1 extra.
Timing chip hire £1 (essential if you do not own one).
Your entry fee includes a special waterproof orienteering map with your course printed on it, to keep as a souvenir, hire of a timing chip (SI) to register at each control point around your course, and a print out of your result and splits at the finish.
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FACILITIES
Please bring your own drink. Toilets available at the Earth Trust Centre.
You may also like the following events from Thames Valley Orienteering Club:
Also check out other
Workshops in Wallingford,
Sports events in Wallingford,
Trips & Adventurous Activities in Wallingford.
