| Date | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 23 Feb Starts 11:30-11:45 Finish by 14:30 |
Beat the Trail 2 Wenchford, Forest of Dean |
  SO653077 |
NGOC is very pleased to welcome you to our second Beat the Trail race. This is taking place alongside one of our regular orienteering league races; we are sharing facilities and access permissions but the course is separate from the orienteering courses.
Our Beat the Trail races are trail races with a twist. There’s a series of checkpoints that you must visit in the correct order. The route is fully waymarked, and we’ll give you a simple route map. You can choose:
- Follow the waymarked route.
- Or find a shorter path on the map and Beat the Trail.
If you are into adventure racing, fell running or Mountain Marathons, or you fancy giving any of these disciplines a try, these trail courses will be ideal training. And if you’re interested in orienteering there will people on hand to tell you more about it.
Directions and Parking
Parking is in Wenchford picnic area, a couple of miles from Blakeney in the Forest of Dean.
The Map
You will be given a 1:10,000 scale map at Registration: the waymarked route will be shown on the map. You can study the map before starting and work out what options you may have for getting round as fast as possible. There will also be people available at Registration to explain the map, and maybe provide a few hints!
Remember that the map is an aide. You don’t need it to follow the waymarked trail; it just helps to find the quickest route. Don’t be put off by the fact that we will give you a map!
Courses
There is a single Trail course, of about 10.6km waymarked distance. But remember that it’s only necessary to visit the checkpoints, so by taking the optimum route you could shorten it to about 8.3km!
We will use the Sportident(SI) timing system: this is an electronic ‘dibber’ that straps to your finger, and will record that you visited all the checkpoints. You will be given a timing chip at Registration: if you’re not familiar with the system, we’ll be on hand to explain.
Times and Costs
There is no pre-entry; just come along on the day.
Entry cost is £7 for adults, or £4 for under 21s. This includes chip hire and insurance supplement for those who are not members of British Orienteering. Please look after your timing chip: if you lose it, we will charge you £35 to replace it!
Registration will be open from 11:00 – 11:20. At about 11:30 we will give you a short briefing on the event format and timing system, and will then set you off. For this trail there is about a 500m walk to the start, which includes crossing a fairly busy road, and a similar walk back from the Finish. We aim to start everyone pretty much together, as fast as you can pass through the start checkpoint, but timing is individual so you can start separately from the mass and treat it as a personal time trial, you are free to choose.
If you plan to spend some time out in the forest, be aware that the course will ‘close’ at 14:30, and we will start taking in the checkpoints and waymarks at that time. If you choose to retire from the race, please ensure that you report back to registration so that we can account for everyone.
Safety
All competitors take part at their own risk. Your entry fee includes public third party liability insurance, provided by British Orienteering.
The trails in the Forest of Dean can be slippery and muddy, especially if it’s been wet. You are strongly advised to wear trail shoes, or at least robust road shoes with a reasonable amount of grip.
In the event of particularly bad weather we may require you to wear a cagoule, so please come equipped to do so if the weather looks bad.