Sunday 17/11/2024 – 2024 League 11 – The Dowards

Sunday 17/11/2024 – 2024 League 11 – The Dowards
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Sunday 17/11/2024 - 2024 League 11 - The Dowards

Welcome to our November League and Local event at The Dowards. This is a newly mapped area (by Pat Macleod) owned by Forestry England and The Woodland Trust and we are grateful to both for permission to use it.

Entries are open on Fabian 4, and will close at midnight on Thursday 14th November.      Enter Online

Officials

Organiser and Planner: Alan Pucill, NGOC Queries? email Alan

Biosecuity

Basic biosecurity controls must apply to this event given current plant health disease containment issues. In practice this means attendees must arrive with clean footwear and clean off mud and debris before leaving the area.

Directions and Parking

Parking is along wide, firm forest tracks. The area should only be approached from the A40. If arriving from the west, the turnoff is just after the bridge at the top of the hill. If arriving from the east, the turnoff is just before the Applegreen petrol station. Both junctions have very short slip roads so approach with care.

Once on the minor road parallel to the A40, take the turn signposted Doward and Biblins at:

Grid Reference: SO538167

W3W: ///acrobats.watched.qualified.

IMPORTANT: If your satnav tells you to use Sandiwell Lane IGNORE IT! Sandiwell Lane is not suitable for any vehicle traffic.

The road from there to the forest entrance is narrow and twisty with limited passing places, so please drive cautiously.

Forest Entry:
What 3 words: ///skill.foam.haggling
Grid Ref: SO548157

Public transport is non-existent but we strongly encourage participants to car share where possible. NGOC runs a Car Sharing WhatsApp group called NGOC Ride Share for those who need or can offer a lift. Request an invitation to join by emailing equipment@ngoc.org.uk, or texting Pat Macleod, if you have his mobile number.

Click on the parking icon on the map below, and then the Direction icon icon to get directions to the course.

The Area

The Doward is an area of limestone on the bank of the Wye with huge, impressive (and dangerous!) river cliffs, with the highest point some 200m above the river. Courses have been planned to keep participants away from the tops of cliffs, but even quite benign looking parts of the forest can end in sudden drops so please take greater care than usual.

Junior courses (Orange and Yellow) stay well away from the cliffs, do not cross the track used for parking and use the flatter part of the area (Lord’s Wood). There are numerous small paths in this area and only the most significant have been mapped. Even some of these can be hard to spot under the recent covering of leaves so runners on Yellow and Orange beware!

The Blue and Brown courses have significant steep climb. Green, Blue and Brown also descend a very steep hillside which could be slippery.

The threat to our forests and woodlands has never been greater. Trees and plants in Britain are now vulnerable to a range of new pests and diseases as a result of a combination of climate change and the increased movement of goods around the world. Activities in forests can increase chance of spreading a pest or disease. Everyone who visits or works on managed forests can make a difference.

Please arrive with clean footwear and clothing and clean footwear and clothing either on site or at home before visiting another woodland, “Leave the Forest in the Forest”.

The Doward is well worth exploring after your run. King Arthur’s Cave is situated near the forest entrance and there is a nearby path which gives access to a rocky outcrop (one of the “Severn Sisters”) from which you can enjoy spectacular views of the river. There is also an impressive disused quarry just off the top part of the parking track. The footbridge at Biblins Campsite is fun to cross and there are numerous small caves and man-made levels in the limestone cliffs. If you have enough energy, a walk up to the hillfort on the far western edge of the area is also rewarding, especially on a clear day. If it’s running (depends on river level), a trip across the river on the hand pulled cable ferry opposite the Saracen’s Head is fun and can form part of a circular walk with the Biblins bridge and a refreshment stop at the pub!

The Map

Scale 1:10,000, 5m contours. Based on the previous NGOC 2022 map, minor updates 2024 for this event by Tom Mills and Pat MacLeod.

Control descriptions will be text for Yellow, pictorial for all other courses, except Orange which will have both. Loose control descriptions will be available in the start lanes.

Start and Finish

The Start is about 150m from Assembly.

The Finish is about 200m from Assembly. Both routes are virtually flat

Courses

Provisional course details

Class/Course lengh(Km) Climb(m) Controls Map Suitable for
Brown 6.0 295 20 A4, 1:10,000 Experienced Orienteers
Blue 5.1 240 18 A4, 1:10,000 Experienced Orienteers
Green 4.2 175 15 A4, 1:7,500 Experienced Orienteers
Short Green 3.2 90 10 A4, 1:7,500 Experienced Orienteers
Orange 2.8 75 12 A4, 1:7,500 Adult beginners and improving children
Yellow 2.0 40 10 A4, 1:7,500 Children

Course details subject to final controlling. Course distances are straight line.

We will use SI Timing, in contact and touch free modes. All runners must however punch the Start and Finish controls.

You MUST go to Download even if you do not complete your course – we need to confirm that you are back safely!

Whistles must be carried by juniors running on their own and are highly recommended for all competitors. If you hear a distress whistle, please go to assist.

We hope to have a string course on the day.

In order to minimise demands on scarce volunteer resources we operate a 90 minute start window for this event, and we recognise that this can be a challenge for parents seeking split starts. We are happy to accommodate split starts provided:

  • You let us know in advance that you need a split start. Do this by emailing the organiser, address in the introduction above
  • You come early; the start team will normally be ready to allow very early starts up to 30 minutes before the published start time, so aim to be there with this in mind. We do not offer starts later than the published end of the start window.
  • The shorter course runner goes first. We will not turn you away if you can't manage this, but it gives you both a better chance of beating the course closure time.

Entries, Timing and Fees

Entry Details

You should enter the course appropriate to your involvement in the NGOC league, if relevant, or whichever course you choose otherwise.

Starts: 11:00 - 12:30
Courses close: 14:00, meaning that you must report to download before 14:15, or risk disqualification.

Fees Pre-entry Entry on the Day Non-member Supplement
Adults £7 £10 £2
Juniors £3 £4 £1
Family (2 adults + their children) £16 £20 As above for any non-members

SI dibber hire: Standard dibber £1 Adults, Juniors free

Touch Free dibber: £2 Adults, £1 Juniors

Entries are open, and will close at midnight on Wednesday 9th October.


Enter Online

Entry on the day is possible only while maps last, but note the premium price to discourage this. We should be able to accept credit/debit card payments, but this is not guaranteed so bring cash just in case.

A helper discount is available for those offering to help on the day. These events don't happen without volunteers willing to help out on the day, so if you are able to do so, before signing up to enter, email Ian Prowse, Volunteer Coordinator, to let us know if you can help, and ask for the helper discount code that you can apply when entering. You don't have to be a NGOC member to help, but you do need to be a BOF member to be covered insurance wise.

Refunds

As the Government has removed all restrictions on events and activities, COVID related refunds are no longer available. The standard Fabian4 terms and conditions offer an automatic refund up to 2 months before the event date, and we do not normally vary this specification. That means that in most cases no refunds are possible, as we do not publish details until less than 2 months before the date of the event.

However, for all except large events we hold entries open until only a day or so before the event, so you can delay entry if unsure whether you can run, until very close to event day.

Dogs

Dogs are allowed in the area as long as they are under control and owners tidy after them.

Facilities

The NGOC pop-up café should be present.

There are no covered changing facilities and competitors are reminded of the need for discretion when getting changed by their cars.

Safety

The area may be quite busy on a Sunday, especially if the weather is good. It is popular with family groups and dog walkers. Mountain bikers are seldom seen but Blue and Brown runners may use a steep path that started life as a mountain bike trail so there is a small risk of encountering one. Please be respectful to all other forest users.

Orienteering is an adventure sport. All runners take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety.

Be particularly aware of high, dangerous cliffs and steep slopes in the area.

Whistles compulsory for Juniors and strongly advised for all. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear for terrain and weather.

A risk assessment has been completed, and a copy will be held at Enquiries in case competitors wish to consult it before their run.

A first aid kit and trained first aiders will be available at Enquiries.