06/06/2024 – 2024 League 4 – Witcombe and Cranham Woods

Witcombe and Cranham Woods are mature beech woodland on the Cotswold escarpment. Cranham comprises a number of valleys and flatter hill top areas, with evidence of historic quarrying activity in evidence, providing some areas of more complex contour detail. Witcombe Woods is a steep wooded hillside. Both areas have a number of springs issuing from the underlying limestone rock. There are a number of paths and tracks (some currently very muddy) that cross both areas.

Maps are pre-printed on waterproof paper at a scale of 1:10,000 and 5m contours for all courses, A4 size.

Control descriptions will be text for Yellow and pictorial for all other courses; looses control descriptions will be available in the start lanes.

The Start is approximately 100 metres from Assembly.

The Finish is about 100 metres from the Start, in the opposite direction from the Start. Please remember to download!

A string course may be available close to Assembly.

Touch free punching is enabled, but all runners must punch both Start and Finish.

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

Brown, Blue and Green courses will cross a small road twice. There will be a 1 minute timed out interval in both directions, but the crossing will not be marshalled. Please take care crossing the road and do not rush.

There are a number of unmarked mountain bike tracks in the wooded areas of the map. Please take care and be aware of any mountain bikers.

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

Those entering all courses should allow sufficient time to complete the course and return to Download before the 14.15 cut-off point.

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.

A String Course may be located close to Assembly. If your children would like to do the free string course come to Enquiries to pick up a map. Come back to Enquiries after the course to collect your prize!

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 sometime between 10:30 and the published 11:00 start time, so aim to be there soon after 10:30. 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 are open, and will close at midnight on Wednesday 3rd April.

Entry on the day is possible only while maps last, but note the premium price to discourage this. We should by then 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 permitted on leads in the car park and under close control on the courses.

Limited and fairly 'rustic' toilets are available in the car park.

The NGOC café will be available.

If you are interested in obtaining club kit, whilst there will not be an extensive range of sizes to try on at the event, we can have a few sizes available for specific items. You can see the options, and a size chart, on the Club Kit page. Email equipment '@' ngoc.org.uk with details of any items, and relevant sizes, you wish to try, and we can have those available.

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

You are advised to carry a whistle. Full leg cover is compulsory. In the event of severe weather, a cagoule may be made compulsory.

The area is used by members of the public, including dog walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders. Please be respectful and take care when interacting with any members of the public.

The sides of Cranham, and Witcombe in particular, can be steep and slippery; take care on the steep slopes.

There is a former quarry located within the area. This is strictly out of bounds and must not be entered. Courses are planned such that there should be no reason to enter the quarry.

A Risk Assessment has been completed and a copy will be held at Registration.

A first aid kit and trained first aiders will be present at Registration. Note that we are not permitted to provide epi-pens or antihistamine tablets in the event of stings. If you know you react badly to stings you should carry your own epi-pen or antihistamine tablets.

Orienteering is a great sport for young people. If you bring children, please help us to keep to our safeguarding policy and British Orienteering’s photography policy

Your personal data is used for results and insurance – please see our privacy policy

This event is registered with British Orienteering, number 83557.