Saturday 12/10/2024 – 2024 League 10 – Flaxley

Mixed woodland, with a good path network. The woods themselves vary from very runnable to overgrown with brambles. Courses have been planned to use the nicer parts and avoid the worst areas. The edges of the paths and fire trails are usually overgrown (written in early September) but, once you struggle through the undergrowth, the woodland is generally acceptable and sometimes very good.

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”.

Flaxley is an area associated with charcoal burning furnaces since 1120. Flaxley Woods contain more charcoal burning platforms than anywhere else in the Forest of Dean.

Gunns Mill is located just by the entrance to the forest. Beneath the weather-saving covering lies a building from times long past. The building has one of the most complete surviving seventeenth century blast furnaces. This significant Grade2* Listed Building is probably the most complete early charcoal fired blast furnace in Western Europe. Funding has recently been received that makes further restoration work possible.

More information is here and here.

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.

The Start is about 200m from Assembly.

The Finish is about 400m from Assembly. Follow tape back to Assembly. Juniors must be accompanied on the route back from the Finish to Assembly as this crosses the main car parking track.

Provisional course details

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. There will be a couple of smiley faces for Orange course runners. Other courses (especially Yellow) should ignore them.

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.

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.

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

Touch Free dibber: £2 Adults, £1 Juniors

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

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.

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

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.

The area is generally not well used by Forest of Dean standards but there are occasional walkers (with or without dogs) and sometimes horse riders and cyclists, so please be mindful of other users.

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

There are some timber stacks. These are potentially very dangerous and MUST not be climbed on.

Be aware of steep slopes and earth banks 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.