Updated:

01/05/22 – May Day on May Hill

01/05/22 – May Day on May Hill
Updated:

Photo credit: Sunrise over May Hill; cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Jonathan Billinger

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01/05/2022 - May Day on May Hill

NGOC is pleased to invite you to May Hill. This will be our first event here for very many years (perhaps 40?). The iconic clump of trees on the top of May Hill is a well known landmark that can be spotted from many miles away. Originally planted in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, they were added to in 1977 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

We are grateful to The Huntley Estate and The National Trust for permission to park and run on the hill and in the adjacent area.

This is a Regional (Level C) event, meaning that you can earn British Orienteering ranking points.

Officials

Organiser/Planner: Ian Phillips, NGOC. Queries? Email: Ian Phillips; 07766 193953

Controller: Greg Best, NGOC

Directions and Parking

Parking and Assembly will be along a forest track which is central to the event area. There will be a one-way system in place

Most of the nearby lanes are very narrow, and not suitable for event traffic. Please therefore follow these directions carefully and explicitly.

The event will be signposted from the A40 at SO699200, nearest postcode GL17 0RD. At this junction, follow the O signs and signposts to "May Hill and Clifford's Mesne". Please DO NOT attempt to take any alternative route from the A40, or from any more Northerly approaches. If approaching from the North/M50/Newent take the B4216 from Newent to Huntley, and the turn right onto the A40 in Huntley.

What 3 words: ///finds.newlywed.rocker

On leaving the event, at the end of the parking track turn right for Glasshouses and the return route to the A40, or left towards Cliffords Mesne and all points North.

The Area

Runnable woodland with open land on the Top of May hill which all courses visit. Fantastic views in all directions. May Hill on May Day!

The Map

Brand new, 1:10,000 scale, 5m contours.

Based upon Lidar, Surveyed and Cartography by Greg Best, Winter 20/21.

Start and Finish

The start is just 100m from the registration tent on the parking track, but depending upon where along the track you park, additional distance will be required.

The finish is 300m from the registration tent. You may warm-up in the registration area before the start.

Please maintain social distancing when warming up, and going through the start procedure.

There are usually three start lanes – Brown/Blue, Both Greens, and Orange, with Yellow runners picking up their maps and starting when ready, independently of the start procedure. You can move into the first start box, where Clear and Check are located, if there is no one waiting for your lane before you. In that event, please queue appropriately for your start lane. In the event of a higher than normal entry we will increase the number of start lanes available.

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

Courses

Course lengh(Km) Climb(m) Controls Suitable for
Brown 7.5Km 235m 17 Experienced Orienteers
Blue 6.0Km 160 14 Experienced Orienteers
Green 4.3Km 155m 15 Experienced Orienteers
Short Green 3.3Km 110m 13 Experienced Orienteers
Orange 3.0Km 95m 10 Adult beginners and improving children
Yellow 2.7Km 95m 8 Children

All courses are subject to final controlling.

String course to be confirmed

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

Timing and Fees

Starts: 11:00 - 13:00, but extendable if numbers require it. Please note the shortened start window. Make sure you arrive in good time to get to the start before it closes, and if running a longer course, early enough to ensure that you finish and get back to registration before courses close. Do not assume you can start later!

It is a turn up and go start; there is no start time allocation, or block selection.

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 close at midnight on Friday 29 April. Pre-entry via Fabian4 is strongly preferred.

Enter Online

Entry on the day 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 NGOC_Volunteers@outlook.com to let him know you can help, and ask for the helper discount code that you can apply when entering. You don't have to be an 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 permitted under control in the Parking area, and on courses. There are cattle and ponies on the hill top, so a lead must be used here.

Facilities

We are pleased to be able to re-introduce the NGOC cafe, which will be present at Assembly.

Toilet facilities will be available in the registration area.

Safety

A risk assessment has been completed, and a copy will be held at Assembly.

There are no actual road crossing on the course, but competitors should refrain from running along the adjacent roads

Living with COVID

As from 24 February:

  • You are not be legally required to self-isolate if you test positive for COVID-19. You should, however, stay at home if you can and avoid contact with other people.
  • You do not have to take daily tests, nor are you legally required to self-isolate following contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Nevertheless, although all legal restrictions have ceased, you should NOT attend if you are Covid positive, or suspect you are, and everyone attending should continue taking sensible precautions, such as avoiding close contact, particularly around Registration and the cafe.