Ashridge North
Our premier Ace of Herts event for 2016 is also the South East Long championships and an event in the South East League.
Ashridge is owned by the National Trust. Many thanks to them for the use of this fine area.
There is also a printable version of the details below.
| Parking | Parking is spread around a number of areas along the northern and eastern edges of Ashridge forest. We hope to park everybody within 1000m of Assembly, with overflow up to 2km away. Given the soggy ground, it would help greatly if you could share cars. Nearest postcode HP4 1NE, OS grid reference SP 983142. Please note that you will probably see a marshal a few hundred metres before your satnav says you have arrived. To simplify traffic flows, vehicles approaching from S on B4506 will park on the eastern edge of the forest, those approaching from N on B4506 or NW from Ivinghoe will park on the northern edge of the forest. Please follow directions of marshals. If you need priority parking (very young children, MW75+), ask marshals. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Public Transport | Trains to Berkhamsted station, The bus that goes to Ashridge does not run on Sundays. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assembly |  Northeast corner of Ashridge estate.Follow tapes from car parks. Note that taped routes hug the verge and the fenced out of bounds area in the NE of the map. Do not use untaped paths through the woods as a short cut. Clothing may be left under shelter at Assembly. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the event of cancellation | Given the time of year, extreme weather conditions such as high winds or significant snowfall could result in late cancellation of the event. Every effort will be made to inform competitors as soon as is possible after a decision has been made – if cancellation is necessary a message will be posted on the www.herts-orienteering.club website and an email sent to all those entered on Fabian4. Please check before travelling. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Terrain | Ashridge is a fine area of runnable deciduous woodland, gently undulating, with a steep scarp slope and some areas of contour detail. The going is fast, apart from a few limited areas of denser woodland and around individual fallen trees. The beginners’ courses inevitably use paths, and these can be very muddy: participants should ensure they have appropriate footwear. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Entries | Online Entry preferred via Fabian4: www.fabian4.co.uk Entry on the day 0930 – 1130.
*subject to map numbers |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Safety | Orienteering is an adventure sport. You take part at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety. Longer courses cross Monument Drive, which is used by visitors to the estate and could be busy at a half-term weekend. Traffic is slow and visibility is good, but take care crossing the drive, especially if emerging between parked vehicles. You may cross the drive where you wish. Some longer courses may also cross an open field with marked crossing points, which are gates, stiles etc. Climbing of fences is strictly forbidden. All competitors travelling alone are advised to leave something of value that they will not forget at Enquiries (e.g. car keys) together with name, club, and emergency contact. All competitors are advised to carry a whistle. In the event of extreme weather on the day, cagoules may be compulsory and you will be informed by car park marshals and in Assembly. Come prepared. Large numbers of deer live in Ashridge; please allow them to move away from you without chasing and panicking them. If ever a deer does not move away from you then it is injured and should not be approached. Ponds and marshy areas may be deeper and muddier than you think. Many of the paths are also very muddy at this time of year and therefore appropriate footwear must be worn by all. The area is popular with cyclists, dog walkers and horse riders. Please show them due consideration. Medical Despatch First Aid will be available at Assembly. The nearest hospital is the Luton and Dunstable Hospital Trust, Lewsey Road, Luton LU4 0DZ, 9 miles from the event. Maps are available at enquiries. You must go to Download (in Assembly) even if you don’t finish your course. We need to confirm you’re back safely. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start | Start times from 1000 to 1230. Courses close at 1430. Start and finish are within 100m of Assembly. Call up at -4 minutes. Loose control descriptions will be available in start boxes, pictorial for light green and up, choice of pictorial or text for orange and shorter. Longer courses have a control description length of ~19cm, please plan accordingly. White and yellow maps available at pre-start. Start times will be allocated, including entry on the day. Late starters will have a punching start but may have to wait a while on popular courses. We will be enforcing the 4 minute gap between club members required by the SE League rules. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facilities | Toilets, First Aid, clothing dump at Assembly. Please bring your own refreshments. No traders are expected. Refreshments of a high standard are on offer at the Ashridge Estate café at the Monument where there is also an NT gift shop, about 2.5km from Assembly. Note that if you are walking to the café, even after your run, you should follow the taped route round the outside of the competition area. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Map | 1:10000 with 5m contours, updated 2016. Pre-printed on waterproof paper. All symbols are standard IOF. For most courses the map has no legend or the legend is partly obscured by control descriptions. Printed legends are available at enquiries in Assembly. The following are not mapped, either because they are too small or due to their ever changing nature: rootstocks, timber stacks, small fenced enclosures surrounding one or two trees, hides constructed from branches (there are many of these, some quite substantial), and some small paths. Thickets shown are generally (but not exclusively) rhododendron or holly. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Courses | The standard set of SE League courses will be available, plus Very Short Green, as follows:
Sorry, no string course. Maps for White and Yellow courses will be available at pre-start. Please note that for double sided maps, the final control on Side 1 will be shown as a Start Triangle on Side 2. The control descriptions on Side 2 start with the next sequential control. The Black course has a significant number of cross-overs on Side 2. Competitors should take care to visit controls in the correct order. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Finish | The finish is 50m from Assembly.
Courses close at 1430, by which time you must have reported to Download (at Assembly), whether you have completed your course or not. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prize Giving | Medals for the first 3 SEOA members in each class will be presented in Assembly at 1330 for those classes that are decided by then. If you run late and are in with a chance of a medal, don’t dawdle to download! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dogs | Ashridge is popular with dog walkers. You are welcome to bring yours provided you keep it under control – on a lead in Assembly please – and clear up after it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | Times taken between each control and your total time for the course will be printed for you at download. Full results, including Routegadget, will be published on www.herts-orienteering.club as soon as possible after the event. Our aim is to publish early Sunday evening. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Officials | Planners Laura and Kevin Parkes Organisers Mike Bennett (email events <at> herts-orienteering.club, 07480 860711) and Helen Errington Controllers Julie and Ronan Cleary (LOK) Entries Susan Marsden (email ashridge-21-02-16 <at> herts-orienteering.club) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
