Christmas ScoreNorth AshdownWed 27 December, 2023

Directions / Parking

Large car park 200m east of Ashdown Forest Centre on Colemans Hatch Road. Please park as directed by marshals.

• Grid Reference: TQ434323
• Post Code: RH18 5JP
• what3words: broken.remaining.whistling

A parking fee applies: Up to 2 hours - £2.50. Up to 4 hours - £4.00. All day £5.00. Once parked you will have 15 minutes to pay via one of the following methods:

• Cash machine at Ashdown Forest Centre (300m walk)
• Phone call 0330 333 8446
• Parking apps: Horizon Spaces, Your Parking Space, Ring Go, Just Park, or Pay by Phone

Alternatively, you can pay in advance via horizonspaces.co.uk

The Location ID is the same for all car parks in Ashdown Forest: 661122.

Please note that the Conservators of Ashdown Forest retains 75% of park proceeds, which is used to maintain and improve the Forest as a public amenity.

Public Transport

Nearest train station East Grinstead.

Course Information

45 minute score (TD3) - collect up to 18 controls in any order.

60 minute score - collect up to 27 controls in any order.

You may run on which ever course you wish but to be eligble for the Elizabeth Brown Memorial Trophy/age related prizes you must enter as follows:

• M/W14- 45 Minute Score
• M/W18- 60 Minute Score
• M/W Open 60 Minute Score
• M/W50+ 60 Minute Score
• M/W50+ 60 Minute Score
• M/W65+ 60 Minute Score
• Elizabeth Brown Memorial Trophy - 60 Minute Score

In addition to the Elizabeth Brown Trophy, there are prizes for the first female & male in each category.

Junior competitors must be supervised by parents/guardians when crossing Colemans Hatch Road from the parking area to the start. When out on the course all competitors must pass through the manned road crossing back over Colemans Hatch Road.

Entry Details

Online entry only via Racesignup. Entries close 8pm on 26th December.

SO/BOF members: Seniors £6.00, Juniors £3.00, SO Juniors free (use discount code SOjuniors).

Non members: Seniors £8.00, Juniors £3.00

'Dibber' hire: Electronic punching (SI) chips are available to hire. SIAC (contactless): £2.00 (£1.00 Juniors), non-SIAC (not contactless) £1.00 (50p juniors)

Registration

9.45am - 10.45am.

Start Times

From 10.00am - 11.00am. Course closes 12.15pm.

Map Details

A4. 1:10000 with 5m contours. Surveyed by Roger Maher March 2020.

Terrain Description

North Ashdown Forest is a mixture of heathland and birch woods with two streams and some areas of marsh. The area is split by Colemans Hatch Road.

Dog restrictions

Well behaved dogs welcome. Always ensure your dog is in sight and comes back when called. If you are not totally confident of your dog’s recall, use a lead. Always remove your dog waste from pathways.

Facilities

Bring your own water. Toilets available in Forest Centre 300m walk from car park.

Miscellaneous

Safety Bearing: Head west and uphill to start or finish flag.

Road Crossing: Junior competitors must be supervised by parents/guardians when crossing Colemans Hatch Road from the parking area to the start. When out on the course all competitors must pass through the manned road crossing back over Colemans Hatch Road.

Cagoules: In the event of inclement weather, the wearing of cagoules may be compulsory.

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

Flora: Please be mindful of the plant life on the Forest and avoid cutting through any dense areas of growth/shrubbery/gorse.

Event History: On Boxing Day 1978 Elizabeth Brown founded - with a couple of her Orienteering friends - what was to eventually become the SO Xmas event. The first event was at Banstead Wood in Surrey, and over the years the event took a number of formats, but from 1997 on it has been a score event. For many years Elizabeth was the event organiser, and following her passing in May 2011 it was felt that it would be a fitting tribute to rename the annual Christmas event in her memory.

Elizabeth was a top-class Orienteer, in the early years of SO, Elizabeth was the club's undisputed star. She helped put SO on the map. She regularly won the British Championship and the JK throughout her Orienteering career, and twice won gold at the World Masters Championships, first as a W80, then 10 years later as a W90.

Elizabeth collected a lot of trophies along the way and the club are indebted to Elizabeth's family for donating a splendid and unique slate W70 trophy from the 1992 JK at Bigland in the Lake District to be presented each year at the "Elizabeth Brown Memorial" SO Xmas event.

Conservation of the Forest

Ashdown Forest, as many of you will know, is a very special place. It is managed by the Board of Conservators of Ashdown Forest, an independent body. In recognition of the ecological importance of Ashdown Forest and to ensure its protection, it is designated as a European Natura 2000 site and as a Site of Special Scientific Interest under UK legislation. Ashdown Forest is also within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Conservators have duties laid down by statute which include the following:

• To regulate and manage the forest as an amenity and place of resort
• To conserve it as a quiet and natural area of outstanding beauty

The Conservators are keen to raise the public’s (and hence our) awareness of their legal duty and, within this, their aim of balancing the interests of all users of the forest.

Please have particular regard therefore to the other users of the area, including all walkers, dog walkers and riders, all of whom are also seeking to enjoy their activities peacefully. Slow to a walk, keep especially quiet and keep a wide berth at any point where you meet horse riders.

Contacts / Officials

Planner: Steve Blount

Organiser:

Controller:

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.