Day 2: National event – classic distance

Venue: Doctor’s Gate, Hamsterley

Parking and Assembly: in the Oak Tree parking area in Hamsterley Forest. Approach Hamsterley Forest from Bedburn. Go to the Visitor’s Centre car park if you wish to make use of the facilities (limited toilets at Assembly). If going straight to Assembly and parking, you can avoid the visitor’s centre by taking the right fork along the Forest Drive, continuing until you reach Oak Tree car park (https://what3words.com/cluttered.walked.thumb), signed from the Forest Drive, where you will find marshals to direct you. A number plate recognition system is in operation in Hamsterley Forest. Parking is covered in part by the entry fee but you must ensure you collect a code when you download on the day and obtain a ticket at the machine near the Visitor’s Centre before leaving. You will need to input your registration number – this will then register your car for free parking. Campervans should contact the organiser.

Travel: Approaching from the south on the A68, turn left on leaving Toft Hill and follow the diversion signs for Hamsterley village, continuting on to Bedburn and Hamsterley Forest. Do not continue past the A68 café as the normal access road to Hamsterley village (Saunders Avenue) from the River Wear bridge is currently closed. Travelling from the north, head for Wolsingham (A689). In Wolsingham, turn left (signed Hamsterley Forest) and follow road until you reach Bedburn.

Start: Please note, there is a 2km walk to and from the start/finish for all courses except White and Yellow.

Punching start for all courses. -4 minute call up in operation at the far start.

There are 2 starts. The junior/near start for the White and Yellow courses is 600m from Assembly with an adjacent finish separate to the main finish allowing adults to shadow children and remain competitive on their course. The route to and from the competition area follows the Forest Drive on leaving Assembly so please take care – juniors should be accompanied. Junior courses are within the forest.

The main/far start is a 2km walk along a footpath onto the moor. Please note, the last kilometre is fairly steep (90m climb) and rough in places. The main start and finish are adjacent and so clothing etc can be left near the finish at the owner’s risk. Due to its proximity to the start, the finish will not be manned until the start has closed. Retrace your steps to return to Assembly.

Fees: Senior BO members – £10, Senior non BO members – £12, Juniors/Students – £5.

Dibber hire: dibbers are available for hire at a cost of £1. There is a charge of £30 for lost or damaged dibbers. Make sure you collect your dibber from registration/download before leaving for the start.

Entries: Online entries are now closed. Click on the button to view the start lists

Late Entries: please contact the organiser to check map availability email: [email protected]

Entry on the Day: available for Yellow, Orange and Light Green courses only. £5 for entry including groups +£1 dibber hire

Registration/Download: located in a white van in the parking area. Open from 10.00 for collection of hired dibbers, Yellow and White maps, EOD and general enquiries.

EPS: This event will use the SportIdent electronic system. Control stations will be enabled for touch free punching (SIAC) but competitors will need to punch the start and finish control. 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: Doctor’s Gate map cartography and survey by D. Caudwell (2000) and R McKenna (2020) with updates by A Banister (2023). Low Redford map drawn by D. Caudwell (2000) and A. Banister (2023). Black, Brown, Blue, Yellow and White have 1:10,000 map scale, 5m contours. Orange Light Green, Very Short Green, Short Green and Green have 1:7500 map scale, 5m contours. All maps are A4, single sided except the Black course which is double-sided. See below for special symbols associated with the Doctor’s Gate map.

Terrain: White and Yellow courses are located in the forest and comprise a forest slope with a good path network. Other walkers and cyclists will be using the forest on the day of the event.
All other courses use the moor above which is open (exposed) moorland, predominantly heather with varied runability. There are patches of intricate mining detail. Individual trees have not been mapped on the moor.
Some cairns are now just stones on the ground. If the weather has been wet, some depressions in the area do become ponds – we have avoided placing controls in these!

Control descriptions: descriptions will be on the map and loose descriptions will be available in the start box

Safety Information: Due to the exposed nature of the moor, competitors must carry a whistle and cagoules may be compulsory. The start will be manned by officials with radios – any incidents in the first instance should be reported to the start and, after 12.30 reported to the finish which will be manned by an official with a radio until courses close at 2.30. Although there is a fair mobile signal on the moor, it does not reach down into the forest, nor is there a reliable signal in the forest itself. A comprehensive risk assessment has been carried out by the organiser but please remember that orienteering is an adventure sport and competitors take part at their own risk. You must report to download even if you do not finish or retire from your course.

Facilities: To avoid queuing, there are plenty of toilets near the Visitor’s Centre, but only limited toilets in the assembly area.
Basic First Aid facilities will be available at registration/enquiries.

Sorry, there will be no water at the finish, please bring your own supply.

Dogs: Dogs will be allowed in the Forest only, but please clean up after your dog.

Thanks: Many thanks to Forestry England for use of the parking facilities and toilets.

Officials:

• Organiser -Julian Warren
• Planner – Clare Baker
• Controller – Alan Cranke (CLOK)