Sunny Sussex WeekendHoughton ForestSun 12 May, 2024

Pre event info

Sign up for the 3rd event in our Sunny Sussex Weekend. Houghton has areas of beautifully runnable beech forest, combined with slopes which are dotted with depressions, knolls and embankments, which provide an interesting navigational challenge. Prizes on offer at this event and camping is available nearby at Eartham for the night before. Enter before the end of Sunday 28th April for cheaper rates.

Directions / Parking

Parking is at Whiteways Car Park, just north of the roundabout where the A29, B2139, A284 meet. Turn left when you arrive and park in the grass area allocated for Orienteers. The entrance to the grass car parking area has a height barrier (height to be determined). Please let the organiser know if you need alternative access. Beware that if you park in the surfaced area it is subject to parking charges.

Course Information

Black (M21) 11.8km 250m climb
Brown (M20, M35-40, W21) 9.8km 260m climb
Short Brown (M18, M45-50, W20, W35) 8.3km 185m climb
Blue (M16, M55-60, W18, W40-45) 6.2km 175m climb
Short Blue (M65, M70, W16, W50-55) 5.1km 115m climb
Green (M75, W60-65) 4.4km 125m climb
Light Green* (M14, W14) / Short Green* (M80, W70) 3.7km 90m climb
Very Short Green (M85, M90, W75-90) 3.2km 95m climb
Orange (M12, W12) 2.8km 95m climb
Yellow (M10, W10) 1.9km 50m climb
White (M10B, W10B) 1.5km 60m climb

The course/class combinations reflect those suggested in the new British Orienteering Course Planning Guidance, effective from January 2024. You may find that the recommended course is different to that which you have run in previous SE League events so worth checking, you can change your course online at any time before the final closing date. You are, of course, free to enter and run whichever course you want.

*The Short Green meets the planning guidance for a Light Green, so we have combined these two courses.

Entry Details

Entry via Racesignup.co.uk.

Early entries before midnight on Sunday 28th April:

Seniors light green to black (British Orienteering Member) £14.00
Seniors light green to black (Non-member) £16.00
Seniors white, yellow, orange £8.00
SO Juniors Free
Other juniors £6.00

Entries before 8pm on Friday 10th May:
(Entries close at 8pm on 10th May, but maps numbers will be set from 8pm on 5th May. Enter whilst maps available.)

Seniors very short green to black (British Orienteering Member) £16.00
Seniors very short green to black (Non-member) £18.00
Seniors white, yellow, orange £8.00
SO Juniors Free
Other juniors £6.00

Discount codes

Family rates for non-SO members capped at the rate of 2 adults plus 1 child. Enter the first three competitors as normal, then second, third child etc. using discount code 'Family'.

SO juniors use discount code 'SOjuniors'.

Start Times

Allocated start times from 10am to 12noon. It will be a punching start.

Map Details

Newly mapped in Autumn 2023 by Chris Hooker
1:10,000 with 5m contours

Terrain Description

Houghton is a mixture of beautifully runnable beech forest, combined with slower areas of coniferous plantation, and patches of bramble and brashings, which can generally be avoided. Many slopes are dotted with depressions, knolls and embankments, which provide an interesting navigational challenge. The area is well contoured, meaning that careful route choice will be needed to minimise climb on the more technical courses. There is a good path and ride network, as well as a number of mountain bike tracks.

Facilities

CATERING

Whiteways Takeaway Kiosk will provide a great selection of food and drinks.

ORIENTEERING SHOP

We hope that Compass Point will be attending for all your Orienteering supplies.

OTHER

Toilets, first aid.

Miscellaneous

CAMPING

Camping is available on the Saturday night at the Eartham assembly area. This is a regular campsite with toilets, shower, and drinking water. We have the exclusive use of the field for the whole weekend. If you want to camp there (£10 per adult per night, children free) please contact the owner, Mr Pirt, directly on ashie65@gmail.com. He can provide limited space on the Friday night outside the parking area. Because of space limitations, those arriving to camp on Saturday will need to wait until the assembly field is clear of cars after about 3pm before pitching their tents.

STRING COURSE

We plan to run a string course. Further details to be confirmed. .

NEWCOMERS

These events are well suited to beginners, juniors and family groups who want to try orienteering or move up from school to forest orienteering.

Pre-enter as in the entry details section below. If you don't have a "dibber" (the electronic timing device) you can hire one - you will be allocated one to pick up at the Enquiries tent at the event. You will also pick up your map at the event - at the start.

The location information on the event web page will take you to the parking and / or the event centre (the Download flag and the tent will be where you pick up your dibber). At the event centre, club members (wearing yellow high visibility jackets) are there to help and advise. The start is usually very close to the event centre, but if not, there will be red and white tapes placed intermittently along the route that you follow to get between the event centre and the start and finish.

If you are new to this sport, please select the Yellow or Orange course. This may seem short but it's the best way to learn. Most families start with a “Yellow” level course which is about 2.5km long and will take around 30-45 minutes.

Contacts / Officials

Planner: Alan Velecky

Organiser: Samantha Gibson

Controller: Neil Crickmore

Important Event Information

Safety and Risk: A comprehensive risk assessment will have been carried out by the organiser, but participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event. Information about how to keep yourself and your children safe at an event can be found here.

Whistles: Carrying a whistle is strongly recommended at all our events and may be made compulsory by the organiser depending on identified risks and conditions.

SIACs: Note that in contactless mode no record of a SIAC "punch" is held in the control box. By using contactless punching, competitors are accepting the resulting risk that we may take longer to find them if they are lost or injured.

Covid Prevention: Please adhere to the British Orienteering Code of Conduct and take care to allow others to maintain social distance if they wish.

Ticks: Please be aware that ticks are common across many of the areas we run in and can carry infections such as Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Encephalitis. This is why the rules of orienteering say that you MUST wear full leg and abdomen cover in the forest. Full arm cover is also recommended. Please check for ticks after running and seek medical advice if you develop flu like symptoms or a spreading circular rash after being bitten. There is an excellent government leaflet here.

Insurance: All of our events are registered with British Orienteering and are covered by their public liability insurance; individuals are advised to consider their own private accident insurance.

Please note that the insurance only covers those registered as being part of the event so if you are taking part as a group, or are accompanying / shadowing a child please make sure you register the names of everyone taking part as you sign up.

For club taster / coaching sessions, individuals who are registered as attending are insured for a maximum of 3 initial sessions whilst deciding whether to join; they must be members of British Orienteering by their 4th session.

Privacy: when participating in our events/activities your name may appear in the results section of this website or in newspaper reports. Read our data protection page to see how we look after your personal data.