Info: All are welcome to the first event of our 2023 Summer Series!

Location: The event is located in Herrington Country Park, Chester Rd, Penshaw, New Herrington, Houghton le Spring DH4 7EL.

Registration will be situated adjacent to the Boating Lake Car Park at grid ref NZ 340 537, ‘what3words’ – ///humble.apron.slides, Google Maps .

Public Transport: The Penshaw Monument Bus Stop is 1.2km/0.7miles from registration. This is served by the 2/2A between Sunderland and Washington and the 78 between Sunderland and Consett. There is also the Flighters Bus Stop in New Herrington which is 1.3km/0.8miles from registration. This is served by the 35/35A from Boldon to Low Moorsley and the 39B from Pennywall to Washington.

Parking: The Boating Lake Car Park is immediately adjacent to registration. There are also several other carparks within the country park. Note: there is a parkrun in the park starting at 9am, therefore parking may be busy if you arrive before 10am.

There is a bike rack at the main café/toilets, however there are also several features which could be used to secure your bike adjacent to registration.

Entries: Entry on day, or pre-enter using the following form: https://forms.office.com/r/WRTKj1rzU9 (pre-entry would be appreciated so that we can estimate map numbers).
Payment should be made on the day.

Registration: Registration will be open from 10:15, with starts from 10:30 to 11:30.

Registration will be manned throughout the event so bags etc. may be left here at the owner’s risk.

Fees: Seniors – £3.00, Juniors – £1.50. Please bring correct change if possible.

Start: Starts will be from 10:30 to 11:30, same location as registration.

Punching: This event will use the SportIdent electronic system. SI cards will be available to borrow free of charge on the day, but competitors will be charged for any loss. Please bring your own SI card if you have onw.

There will be a sample control near registration for you to see the SI card in action and instruction in the use of the system will be available on the day. Lost or non-returned SI cards will be charged at £30.

Control stations will be enabled for touch free punching (SIAC) but competitors will need to punch the start and finish control. Hire dibbers require manual punching at all controls. All control sites will have a backup system in the event of control failure. This involves a tag with a unique 3 letter word instead of the traditional punch. Remember the word and report it to the download team to prove you have visited the control.

Map & Area: Scale 1:7500 drawn by D Caudwell 2002, updated by Julian Warren in 2022, further minor updates in 2023.

Terrain: Undulating parkland with a mining heritage. A good path network with lots of open grassland, some areas of woodland and several lakes/ponds.

Control descriptions: Control descriptions will be the map – there will be no paper copies available on the day.

Facilities: Toilets available at the main cafe/carpark (0.8km/0.5miles from registration).

Safety: All competitors that have registered to start must report to registration after they finish (even if they do not wish their score/time to be recorded). Competitors are welcome to carry a phone when they compete. There will be a first aid kit and first aiders at registration.

Dogs: Dogs will be allowed but under close control – please clean up after your dog.

Officials:

• Organiser – Julian Warren
• Planner – Dave Peel
• Controller – Matthew Foskett (NN)