Burnham Ace of Herts

Final details

These final details were updated on 29 February. There is a print button at the bottom of the page.

Updates since 23 Feb:

  • 25 Feb: Links to start times for both Interland and Ace of Herts, email address for entry queries.
  • 29 Feb: Because of the continued wet weather, we will be parking as many as possible of you on the lanes surrounding the event centre. Four wheel drive or similar vehicles may park at the event centre but the ground is slippery and it is slightly uphill to get out.
    Approaching from the north you may be met by a marshal directing you to an alternative parking place. Please share cars where possible. The Beaconsfield Motorway Services are nearby – consider parking there (free for 3 hours) and combining cars to finish the journey.

Welcome to the Ace of Herts, Hertfordshire Orienteering’s biggest event of the year, which is a round of the South East Orienteering League. It’s not just for experts, there are courses suitable for everybody and help for newcomers.

This year we are also privileged to host the Interland Cup for national teams. We welcome two Belgian teams (Flemish and French speaking), the Netherlands, the French Ligue des Hauts de France de Course d’Orientation (LHFCO) and of course the England team. Come along early and cheer England on!

We thank the City of London Corporation for allowing us to use Burnham Beeches and Portman Burtley Estates for allowing us to use Egypt Woods.

Coronavirus related restrictions

Based on the latest advice from Public Health England, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public to limit the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19), HH have decided we cannot allow anyone to participate in or attend the Interland and Ace of Herts event who has travelled from or via the following countries in the 14 days leading up to the event (from 16 Feb 2020): China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau.

We will offer a full refund to anyone who has already entered the event as of the date of this notice who this affects, and therefore they can no longer attend. We would urge anyone to whom this applies to retain boarding passes and contact entries@herts-orienteering.club regarding an entry refund.

Directions From M40 Junction 2 (Beaconsfield) take the A355 S towards Farnham Common. Take the first exit on right, Burnham Road (2m width restriction), and follow O signs to Park Lane. Parking at SL1 8PL.

Coaches continue on A355, turn right onto Beeches Road at Farnham Common, then left onto Bedford Drive, follow this to Hawthorn Lane, then right onto Pumpkin Hill. At next junction turn right onto Park Lane and follow O signs.

From the S approach on A355 and turn left on Burnham Road 500m before the M40 junction, then follow signs as above.

Parking £2 parking charge collected at the gate. Follow the directions of the parking marshals.

The entrance to the field is single track and a one-way system will be operated. If conditions are very wet, you may be directed to the reserve parking, in a nearby field.

Update 29 Feb

Because of the continued wet weather, we will be parking as many as possible of you on the lanes surrounding the event centre. Four wheel drive or similar vehicles may park at the event centre but the ground is slippery and it is slightly uphill to get out.
Approaching from the north you may be met by a marshal directing you to an alternative parking place. Please share cars where possible. The Beaconsfield Motorway Services are nearby – consider parking there (free for 3 hours) and combining cars to finish the journey.

The Start is 350m from the edge of the parking field – up to 600m from your car – and Finish is in the assembly field.

Public Transport Burnham and Beaconsfield stations are each about 5.5km away.
Courses The table below sets out the courses applicable to age groups for the Interland competition.

Course Interland Classes Length (km) Climb (m) Controls Loose Description (cm)
Black M21 13 295 30 24.0
Brown M20, M40 11.2 250 24 20.5
Short Brown W21 9.4 190 22 18.5
Long Blue M50 W20 8.5 180 21 18.0
Blue M17 W40 7.5 165 16 15.0
Short Blue M60 W17 6.2 145 15 14.5
Green M14 W50 5.1 115 12 12.5
Short Green W14, W60 3.9 75 14 14.0

The table below sets out the courses applicable to age groups for the South East League. There is also a string course for the very young, on the route to the Start.

Course South East League (SEL) Classes Length (km) Climb (m) Controls Loose Description (cm)
Black M21 13.0 295 30 24.0
Brown M35, M40 11.2 250 24 20.5
Short Brown M18, M20, M45, M50 W21 9.4 190 22 18.5
Blue M16, M55, M60 W35, W40 7.5 165 16 15.0
Short Blue M65 W18, W20, W45, W50, W55 6.2 145 15 14.5
Green M70 W16, W55, W60 5.1 115 12 12.5
Short Green M75 W65, W70 3.9 75 14 14.0
Very Short Green M80, M85+ W75, W80, W85+ 2.9 50 11 12.0
Light Green M14 W14 3.7 85 11 12.0
Orange M12 W12 3.0 45 11 12.0
Yellow M10 W10 2.4 25 11 14.0
White 1.9 25 10 13.0

You may enter any course, but you will only score maximum SEL points if you run your own age class or above.

Entry & Fees
Interland: Entries through team managers.
Ace of Herts:
In advance through Fabian4 until 16th Feb: Adults £16, juniors £8 plus £2 for non- BOF members.
Late entries through Fabian4 17th – 23rd Feb: Adults £18, juniors £9 plus £2 for non-BOF members
Entry on the Day (EOD) subject to map availability Adults £19, juniors £9 plus £2 for non-BOF members
SI dibber hire £1, SIAC £2.50.

Charge for lost dibber £40, lost SIAC £65.

All entry queries to entries@herts-orienteering.club. Currently we have good numbers of maps on all courses.
Registration Interland – no EOD, entry through team manager

Ace of Herts – EOD, subject to map availability.
Registration: 10.30-12.45
Starts: 11.00 – 13.30
Courses close: 15.00
You can pay in cash, or by card subject to mobile signal on the day.
Punching Timing will use the SportIdent system. You may use either a standard SI dibber or a ‘contactless’ SIAC.
Start The Start is 350m walk from the parking field, Finish is in the field. The route to Start is a path that is narrow and muddy in places, so please warm up before you leave the parking field.
We will operate a silent start. In the start boxes, please only talk to the start team and only when necessary.

-5
Call up
-5 to -4
SI & SIAC check
-4 to -3
Loose Control Descriptions
-3 to -2
SIAC enable and test unit
-2 to -1
Blank maps
-1 to 0
Only cross start line on final beep
0
Interland
9.30 – 10.29*
Interland reserves 10.40 – 10.45*
Ace of Herts
11.00 – 13.30*
Timed start –
pick up map from box and go
Punching start –
punch start unit then pick up map from box and go
* times may vary slightly depending on entry numbers
Start times for Interland are here, and for Ace of Herts are on Fabian4.
Although Ace of Herts is a punching start, please start at your allocated start time if you can. If you wish to change your start time, go to EOD in the marquee.
Finish Courses close at 15:00

The Finish control will be SIAC enabled. A short distance beyond the Finish will be a Safety Check control which needs to be punched in the traditional way by All Competitors.

You must download by 15:00 even if you retire.

Terrain Egypt Woods, the northern part of the map, is a mixed commercial woodland on either side of a broad valley. It is mostly very runnable, though with bracken and brashings in some areas. There are relatively few paths. The shorter courses are wholly within Egypt Woods.

Burnham Beeches, the southern part of the map, is an ancient, predominantly deciduous woodland with some complex contour features on the sides of a valley. Again runnability is good apart from some areas of thicker woodland and holly thickets. The longer courses also visit this area.

Bracken which is not mapped is fairly low lying and does not significantly impede progress or visibility. The undergrowth screen, which is limited in use, generally signifies brambles and windblow.

Rootstocks are not mapped and neither are isolated holly trees which can be easily avoided with only minor deviation.

Due to recent wet weather, at the time of writing, some water features are larger than mapped and some usually dry features are water logged. Their exact appearance will depend on the weather in the week before the event.

Gates will be encountered in some areas of Burnham Beeches. Please close them after passing through.

Map Updated 2019 by Susan Marsden (Burnham) and Simon Errington (Egypt). Scale 1:10,000 with 5m contours. Waterproof paper.

A4 for courses between White and Green inclusive. Slightly larger than A4 for all other courses. Control descriptions are on the same side of the map as the course.

The Black and the Brown course are each split between the 2 sides of the paper.

Out of Bounds
These are denoted by olive green or by magenta cross hatching. Do not cross them, irrespective of whether the line between controls passes over them. The courses have been planned so that there is no advantage in crossing any of these areas. They include:

  • Swallow holes – dangerous (see Safety section)
  • Marshland (Black and Brown only) – ecologically sensitive mire.

Additionally, the southern perimeter road is out of bounds in its entirety and this is emphasised with magenta crosses in certain locations.

Fence Crossing
There is a 3 wire barbed wire fence running east-west along the boundary between Egypt Woods and Burnham Beeches. However, 6 non-mandatory crossing points have been marked on the map and it is recommended these are used to avoid injury. Two are existing footpath crossings to which some red and white tape has been added. Four are simple temporary crossings where the barbed wire has been protected with foam pipe insulation. These are also marked with red and white tape.
Safety Swallow holes appear as very large wet depressions, usually fairly overgrown. Anybody entering them is at risk of drowning. They are marked as Out of Bounds on the map, but the best advice is: Do not enter any feature looking like this unless you know there is a control there. Even if your course goes near one (White and Yellow do not), the best route is always to the side of it.

Whistles are compulsory for all competitors and a check will be made before starting.

Full leg and torso cover is mandatory. In the event of bad weather cagoules may be compulsory – signs will be exhibited on the route to the Start before you leave the arena.

Competitors should be aware that, in addition to the general public and dog walkers, horse riding and cycling takes place in Burnham Beeches. Please take care and be respectful of others in the area.

An emergency number is printed on the map (Organiser)

Facilities First Aid by Promedicus
Refreshments by Podium Catering
Toilets
Event centre layout

There are lots of places to get help:
  • A dedicated Enquiries team for Interland in the Interland marquee.
  • Ace of Herts Enquiries are in a separate tent, where you can ask any questions or get help, especially if you are a newcomer.
  • For entry on the day, to collect hire cards or to update your course, start time or SI card number, please go to the EOD desk which is in the same tent as Download.

And plenty of information available electronically:

String course
There is a string course for the very young, just off the route to the Start. Starts from 10:30 to 14:00. Prizes for all who enter!

Please return from the finish of the string course to the event centre the direct way, back through the field gate you went out.

Dogs Dogs permitted on a lead in the car park only. Please tidy up after your dog.
Results Times taken between each control and your total time for the course will be printed for you at download.

Full results will be published on www.herts-orienteering.club and Routegadget as soon as possible after the event.

Officials
Planners David Frampton & Dawn Figg
Organisers Frances Goldingay & Gill Hanson
e: organiser@herts-orienteering.club
Controller Tim Pribul (CHIG)
The small print

Event registered with British Orienteering, no 74188.

Orienteering is a great sport for youngsters. If you bring children or at-risk adults, please help us to keep to British Orienteering’s safeguarding policy. Anyone taking photos or videos of people other than their immediate family should be aware of sections 5 and 6 of that policy and contact the event organiser.

Your personal data is used for results and insurance, see our privacy policy.

If you enjoyed this event and you’re not yet a member, why not join the club and British Orienteering? There are plenty of good reasons for joining.