SOG A8Chailey Common (South) & CoachingSat 17 January, 2026

Report

Photos on Facebook

Thankfully, we caught a welcome break in the weather, and the common looked lovely during the short spells of sunshine. Even some of the standing water had drained away. On our earlier visits there had been very high bracken and some huge pools of water, so it was good to see both had improved substantially.

As ever, we really enjoyed planning and organising the event with the amazing support of the club. We had a large team of happy helpers — they know who they are, and you will have seen them in action throughout the day. Thank you all for enabling the event and making it such good fun.

We’d especially like to thank Rob Lines for his close attention and constant support: checking over the courses, printing all the maps and control descriptions, advising us throughout, and checking every control on the morning of the event. We learnt a huge amount from your constructive comments, Rob — thank you.

There was some doubt over the placement of control 108, the distinctive tree. Having such a strong team of helpers meant I had time to walk over and check it again. And who should arrive to dib the control in their own race at that very moment — and confirm its placement — but Chris Hooker, the mapper himself! This has been another of Chris’s super-accurate maps (georeferenced and using LiDAR survey data), and another one which we find particularly readable. Thank you, Chris, for yet another excellent new map — and for confirming 108 mid-run.

I’d also forgotten to tell Joe Barrett about the timed-out road crossing for the results programming (my advance website description unhelpfully just said “timed crossing”, which implies the opposite). Nevertheless, Joe was able to update the courses efficiently on the spot and once again produce accurate results very quickly. He and the SI team do a wonderful job for us all. Penny Parker arrived in the car park just as I was heading out to put out the last couple of controls (actually, just two — John and Linda did all the rest, thank you!). The SI team were also among the last to leave, having set everything up, pitched the tent, and packed it all away again. A huge thank you to the SI team — a great job, as always.

While I’m on a roll, I’d also like to give a big “up” to the work Gary Greenstreet does after event in getting Routegadget up and running. Please do make use of this incredibly helpful resource. It’s straightforward to upload your route, and you can then compare your run with others, leg by leg, with a host of fascinating statistics. For me, this has added a whole new dimension to the enjoyment of orienteering, allowing quiet analysis and learning at home in the evenings.

Linda and I put a lot of time into repeatedly refining the courses, interspersed with many walks around the common. Judging by the happy faces and positive feedback, we seem to have achieved our aims — avoiding the worst of the wet and overgrown areas while still retaining a good navigational challenge.

Thank you everyone for coming along, joining in, having fun, and sharing your observations on the courses with us.

RouteGadget

Is a web app for sharing and comparing orienteering routes. You can draw your own route or upload a GPS track from your watch. It also allows you to watch an animated replay with a simulated mass start.

Pre event info

Entry link

Coaching for youngest juniors (suitable for newcomers and those running Yellow courses ) will be led by Kasia and assisted by Karen. Please arrive at 9:45 ready to start coaching at 10am. Do let Karen know if you wish to attend. Note parking details below.

Coaching for older juniors (currently running Orange or Light Green courses) will be led by Anna. This week we will be progressing our work on bearings and understanding how to adapt for more open areas. Please arrive at 9:15, ready for a 9:30 start. If you're not already signed up on Spond, do let Anna know if you wish to attend. Note parking details below.

Coaching for adults will be led be Bea. Please arrive at 9:15, ready for a 9:30 start. Do let Bea know if you wish to attend.

Location Info

Nearest town: North Chailey

• Postcode: BN8 4DL *
• Lat,Lng:50.97303,-0.03000
• Grid Ref: TQ383211
• Google Map
• Streetmap (OS 50k)
• Bing Map (OS 50k)
• OpenStreetMap

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

Directions / Parking

Parking is in marked bays at Chailey Heritage School, adjacent to the A272 (south side) between Scaynes Hill and North Chailey.

what three words:

bookcases.elaborate.maps

Public Transport

Haywards Heath is the nearest train station. From Haywards Heath, take the Compass Travel bus route 31 or 31A towards North Chailey, alighting at Chailey Heritage. This is approximately a 5-minute walk from the event centre. Saturday services are limited, so please check timetables in advance.

Course Information

Yellow: 1.3km, 15m climb

Orange: 2.4km, 20m climb

Short Green: 3.4km, 40m climb

Green: 4.4km, 45m climb

Blue: 5.7km, 65m climb

The start is approximately 300 m from the car park. From parking, walk east along the pavement on the south side of the A272 to a gate leading onto the Common and the start. The finish is visible approximately 50 m further on.

Juniors should be accompanied on the walk to the start. Alternatively, juniors may be dropped off at the Chailey sports ground car park, which is approximately 50 m further along the A272 from where they can access the common directly.

The Yellow course includes a butterfly loop. Any participants unsure about this can ask for advice at the start.

At one point on the Yellow course, taking the wrong exit from a path junction leads towards Beggars Wood Road. “Grumpy face” signs will be placed to indicate that competitors should turn around and take an alternative route.

All roads are out of bounds except for a timed, mandatory road crossing, which is crossed twice (out and back) by the longer courses. The Yellow and Orange courses are entirely on Memorial Common and have no road crossings.

The Blue course has 32 controls (28 controls plus 4 for the road crossings). Non-SIAC dibbers will work but will not record the times of the final four controls. SIAC dibbers can be hired at the club tent.

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 (use code SOjuniors).
Non member fees: Seniors £7.50, Juniors £3.25.

If shadowing a junior or going as a family group with one map and one dibber, just enter one junior.

'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

Chailey South
Scale 1:7,500
Mapped using LiDAR by Chris Hooker, March 2025

Terrain Description

This event uses a new georeferenced LiDAR-based map by Chris Hooker. The area provides generally pleasant running with good navigation across open heath, small woodland blocks, and complex pit and gully features, many of which are ex-military. The Common is well used by local walkers.

Courses have been planned by Tim and Linda, with oversight from Rob Lines, to make best use of the middle and eastern sections of the map (the westernmost section was used for the last Chailey South event), while avoiding the worst of the winter mud.

Recent rain and colder weather have helped flatten the bracken, improving runnability across much of the area.

Miscellaneous

Safety Bearing: If you haven't crossed the road head northwest. If you've crossed the road head east back to road crossing then north.

The Common is popular with dog walkers and it is likely that many will be present; dogs may not be on leads. Horse riders may also be encountered.

Area background

The event takes place on Chailey Memorial Common, part of one of the largest remaining areas of lowland heathland in Sussex. The Common has been used as shared land since medieval times and escaped enclosure, giving it a distinctive open character. During both World Wars the surrounding commons were used for military training, and a prominent stone war memorial, in the form of a tall obelisk, stands on the Common commemorating local people who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. Parking is kindly provided within the grounds of Chailey Heritage School, founded in 1903 and still operating on the same historic site as a nationally recognised centre supporting children and young people with complex physical disabilities.

Contacts / Officials

Planner: Tim and Linda Hulley

Organiser:

Controller: