SOG S4Abbot's WoodSat 09 March, 2024

Near: Polegate
Level of event: Local
Type of event: Race

Results

Report

Abbots Wood is an area I like to moan about, probably because I usually get lost here!
Now I have had the chance to explore it at leisure and see it through different eyes. There are several tracts of lovely open forest with plenty of features, and the overgrown areas are easy to plan around . Furthermore, once you get off the rides and tracks it stays remarkably dry underfoot. Maybe this is partly due to the 13th century monks and all their ditch work? For orienteering, it is surely a good thing that avoiding the paths is incentivised. Given that we have just had the wettest February on record I am sure that most of you were pleasantly surprised.

I’ve been very lucky to have Chris Hooker as my mentor, benefitting from his advice and unsurpassed knowledge of these woods. He also came very early this morning to help put out the controls. A huge thank you!

Thanks also to Steve and Jill B , Dave C, Sarah L ,John G, Peter D, and Clive H for their help on the day, and to Mike G for checking and printing the maps.
Last but not least, the SI team of Joe, Penny and Mike did their usual impeccable job.

RouteGadget

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SOG Series Info

SOGs are friendly club events where children and newcomers are very welcome. Yellow and Orange courses are suitable for children to run on their own with a bit of practice. Adults are welcome to shadow children until they are confident to go on their own. Green and Blue courses are run or walked by any age group - you can race competitively or just enjoy the woodland.

There are two series of events - autumn and spring of approximately 8 events each. Electronic timing (SI) is used.

Help on the day always appreciated.

Volunteer here

Enquiries here

Location Info

Nearest town: Polegate

* Postcodes are not very precise in some areas, so don't rely on them for an exact location.

Directions / Parking

BN26 6SL

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Abbots Wood, Arlington, Polegate

From Brighton/Seaford - Take Station Road heading north from the A27 towards Berwick station. Take the first right signposted towards Arlington village. Drive through Arlington and follow the road towards Caneheath. Abbots Wood car park is on your right.

From Eastbourne/Bexhill/Hastings - Take the A22 north from the A27. Turn left onto Arlington Road (signposted for Abbots Wood). Go past Arlington Stadium and turn left at the next junction. Go past the Old Oak pub and carry on. Abbots Wood car park is on your left.

From the north - follow the Hailsham Bypass (A22). Turn right onto Arlington Road (signposted for Abbots Wood). Go past Arlington Stadium and turn left at the next junction. Go past the Old Oak pub and carry on. Abbots Wood car park is on your left.

Pay and display parking machines are now card only. It is also possible to pay on the RingGo app location no. 31000.
£2.50 up to 2 hrs, £4.00 up to 4 hrs, £5.00 all day

Public Transport

Berwick railway station 3.7k

Course Information

Yellow 1.7k /30m climb

Orange 2.5k/40m climb

Short Green 3.0k/55m climb

Green 4.2k/80m climb

Blue 5.5k/100m climb

Entry Details

Pre-entry via Racesignup.co.uk Newcomers are welcome and eligible for a free trial session - if you'd like to reserve a map or discuss the event please email our membership secretary.

BOF member fees: Seniors £6.50, Juniors £3.25, SO Juniors free.
Non member fees: Seniors £7.50, Juniors £3.25.

'Dibber' hire:
Electronic punching (SI) chips are available to hire. SIAC (contactless): £2 (juniors £1), non-SIAC (not contactless) £1 (juniors £0.5)

Registration open

9:45 to 10:45

Start Times

10:00 to 11:00. Courses close at 12:30.

Map Details

1:10,000 with 5m contours. Last updated Feb 2023

Terrain Description

Abbots Wood is so called because the land was gifted to Battle Abbey during the reign of Henry I. It remained in the care of the abbots until the dissolution of monasteries under Henry VIII. The lake was dug by the monks of nearby Michelham Priory in the 13th century to provide fish, and many of the embankments and ditches also date back to that time. During WW2 the entire forest (then of oak trees with coppice growing underneath) was cut down to provide fuel for smelting furnaces. Several thousand soldiers camped here prior to the D-Day Normandy landings. The Forestry Commission acquired the land in 1953. There are now many forest tracks and rides and the mixed woodland offers very good orienteering of varying runnability (in other words, there are some grotty bits!)

Dog restrictions

Yes, under close control

Facilities

Public toilets in car park

Miscellaneous

Safety Bearing: South-West

The area is popular with dog walkers, cyclists and horse riders, please give them plenty of room to pass.

Contacts / Officials

Planner: N Watts

Organiser:

Controller: