Jack of Herts, Ashridge

We welcome you to this orienteering event on the lovely fast woodland of Ashridge. There are courses suitable for beginners up to experts (White to Brown).

Updates
  • 12 Oct – Start times have been uploaded. Your start time is the beginning of your start block.
    Confirmation that maps are on waterproof paper – it looks as though they might need to be 🙁
    Portaloos available
Summary
  • Parking off B4506 at HP4 1LT, SP979127
  • Main start & string course are near parking; enquiries, download, Ultrasport, toilets & cafe near finish, 600m W. Go there along the drive not through the woods!
  • If you’ve entered online and have your own dibber you can go direct to start
  • Start in blocks: Very early 10:30-10:50; Early 10:50-11:20; Middle 11:20-12:00; Late / very late 12:00-12:30
  • Courses close 14:00
  • Don’t climb fences. Take care crossing Monument Drive. Watch out for other forest users (and deer).

The details below can be downloaded in printable form. Updates after Tuesday 8th will be written at the top of this page but the printable document will only be updated for significant changes.

Location Ashridge Estate, National Trust, Moneybury Hill, Ringshall, Near Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 1LT.

The entrance to Monument Drive and the Estate Visitor Centre is off the B4506 between Berkhamsted and Dagnall at grid reference SP979127.

Terrain Ashridge is a fine area of gently undulating deciduous woodland with a steep scarp slope to the west containing some areas of contour detail. The going is generally very fast with some limited areas of denser woodland.

As it’s autumn, there are significant parts of the map where the runnability and visibility are much reduced, so those on Light Green upwards should expect to encounter patches of brambles, bracken and nettles even in some of the areas mapped as white, and in many of the clearings.  In those areas running round may well be the best option and anyone on these longer courses is advised to have good leg protection.  Also, courses from Light Green upwards cross Monument Drive at least once, so care should be taken.

The area is heavily used by walkers (many with dogs and/or buggies), runners, cyclists, mobility buggy users and horse riders. Please be considerate to them to help ensure our continued access to this area.

We would like to thank the National Trust, and Ashridge Estate in particular, for access to this excellent forest.

Parking Turn west into Monument Drive and follow marshals’ instructions. Parking will be in and around barrack square, half way down on the left.
Assembly Near finish and cafe and toilets, 600m W of main parking. Please go there along Monument Drive then into the field near the cafe. The woods blanked out on the map below are part of the competition area.

Pre-entrants with their own dibber may go direct to the start, which is adjacent to the main parking area.

Public Transport There are no direct public transport links to Ashridge Estate. Closest rail stations are Tring (3km) and Berkhamsted (6km)
Courses
Course Length km
Climb m
Controls
Brown 10.7 205 28
Blue 7.9 150 21
Green 5.3 100 17
Short Green 4.4 85 12
Light Green 4.0 65 17
Orange 2.9 35 10
Yellow 2.3 30 8
White 1.9 15 10
Course Notes The white course will have some smiley faces to distinguish the main path between controls 5-6 and 6-7.
Maps The map scale for this event is 1:10,000 with a 5 m contour interval for all courses. The area was resurveyed by Susan and Keith Marsden in spring 2018 and final updates added in January 2019. Some small seasonal animal tracks are not shown, nor are rootstocks, timber stacks, small fenced enclosures surrounding one or two trees, or branch hides. Thickets shown are generally (but not exclusively) rhododendron or holly.

Loose control descriptions will be provided.

The Brown course has a double-sided A3 map, other courses single sided A4. All maps have pre-printed courses on waterproof paper.

String course The string course is located east of the main parking and the main start.
Starts Starts will be in blocks:

  • Very early 10:30 – 10:50
  • Early 10:50 – 11:20
  • Middle 11:20 – 12:00
  • Late and very late 12:00 – 12:30

Please try to start within your block so as to reduce queuing. At certain periods, notably very early, helpers will have priority. Your start time on the start list is the beginning of your start block.

SIAC will be enabled. Punch the start; other controls and the finish will be in dual contactless / punching mode.

Courses close 14:00. Please start in good time to finish by then.

Entry & Fees On line entry has now closed, entry on the day is available from 1000. There are double figures of maps available for each course except Green (8).
The current start list is on Fabian4

  EOD
Seniors (BOF) £12
Seniors (non BOF) £14
Juniors (born after 1998, BOF) £6
Juniors (born after 1998, non BOF) £8
Punching SIAC (timing chip) hire £2.00. Charge for lost SIACs £60.
Facilities Toilets and the excellent Brownlow cafe are at the NT visitor centre ~600m W along Monument Drive. You may go to and from them along the drive but please do not go into the woods on either side, which are part of the competition area.

Ultrasport will be there for your orienteering kit needs.

Stop press – as entries are higher than expected, extra toilets will be sited near the NT ones.

Results There will be a local WiFi network in the Assembly area accessible from any smart-phone or tablet providing the following:

  • List of pre-entered competitors so you can check your entered course, start block and the dibber number you entered with.
  • Live Results and splits updated every few minutes.
  • Live SplitsBrowser also updated every few minutes. Very few events provide this!

Go to network hhresults. There is no password.

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

Dogs Dogs are permitted in the assembly area on leashes but are not permitted to accompany runners on courses. Please tidy up after your dog.
Safety Orienteering is an adventure sport. You take part at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety. A full risk assessment has been carried out.

Climbing of fences is strictly forbidden.

The Light Green course crosses Monument Drive once, Short Green and upwards cross it twice. It can be busy on a fine day, but with slow-moving traffic. Visibility is good except around parked vehicles, so take care.

The Ridgeway run passes through our competition area earlier on. Our courses have been planned to minimise interaction, but if you encounter someone on a trail wearing a race number, please give way to them.

Competitors travelling alone are advised to leave something of value that they will not forget at Enquiries (e.g. car keys). All competitors are advised to carry a whistle. In the unlikely 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.

The area is popular with cyclists, dog walkers and horse riders. Please show them due consideration.

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 will be 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.

Officials
Planner Becky & Tom Raftery
Organiser Mike Bennett chair@herts-orienteering.club
Controller Alan Rosen

Emergency contact number 07480 860711