Sunday 13/04/2025 – 2025 League – Bishops Cleeve Urban

Urban terrain - residential estates with linking paths and some open spaces/recreational areas. Some route choices will traverse commercial shopping areas where traffic will be busier.

We have considered map scales and legibility, but in the interests of providing courses which make use of the better parts of Bishops Cleeve, where there is limited urban complexity across significant parts of the area, whilst also including Cleeve School, and as this is a Local event, we have decided that most courses will have 1:5,000 maps.

Maps are pre-printed on waterproof paper. Subject to final controlling, Orange and Yellow courses will be on A4 maps at 1:4,000 scale, whilst all others will be on A3 maps at 1:5,000 scale.
Control descriptions will be text for Yellow and pictorial for all other courses. Loose control descriptions will be available in the start lanes.

The Start is about 1km walk north from the School along residential streets, including one level crossing over the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway line. Allow 10-15 minutes. The route to the Start will be taped. Juniors must be accompanied to the start by adults.

The Finish is in the school grounds.

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

Runners under the age of 16 on the day of the event may only compete unaccompanied by an adult on the Orange and Yellow courses, in accordance with British Orienteering Rules.

Course details are subject to final controlling. Course distances are optimal running distance.

Regrettably there is nowhere suitable for a string course, as the school grounds and building form part of a short 'sprint' like final part of all courses.

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.

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.

Please note there is a £1 increase in senior pre-entry fees, but all other fees remain as last year

Starts: 10:30 - 12:00
Courses close: 13:30, meaning that you must report to download before 13:45, or risk disqualification. Please note that the school gates will be locked at 14:00, so you must be off the premises by that time.

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

Touch Free dibber: £2 Adults, £1 Juniors

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

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.

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 not permitted in the school grounds or on the courses.

We have use of the toilets in Cleeve School Sixth Form Building; however please note the toilets will close at 13:45, and the school gates will be locked at 14:00, so you must be off the premises by then.

The NGOC Café will be present.

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 paul@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.

Yellow and Orange courses have a timed-out road crossing which will be marshalled.

Courses traverse quiet residential roads with minimal traffic and little kerbside parking; however please continue to practise road safety.

All courses will encounter members of the public. Please be courteous and adjust your pace as necessary.

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.

By entering this event, competitors agree to abide by the British Orienteering Code of Conduct.

A comprehensive risk assessment will have been carried out by the organiser and a copy will be held at Registration, but participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event. All participants must report to download whether they finish their course or not.

When participating in our events/activities your name may appear in the results section of this website or in newspaper reports. To see how we look after your personal data, please read our privacy policy.

NGOC follows British Orienteering’s national guidance. This provides a sensible balance between the benefits and risks associated with the taking and use of images. If you are unsure about acceptable practice, please speak to the event organiser.