Panshanger
Note rescheduled date of 21 September.
No entry to parking before 1030.
| Location | Panshanger Park is 1000 acres of woodland and open parkland astride the chalk-stream of the Mimram Valley, between Hertford and Welwyn Garden City. Orienteers will enjoy its variety of terrain from the steep, wooded slopes of the Chisel Shelf to the intricate detail of the depressions in the smaller woods.
The park was owned by the Cowper family and laid out under the direction of Humphrey Repton in the early 19th century. The mansion was knocked down following the death of Ethel, Baroness Desborough, the last resident owner in 1952; all that remains is the rather ruined orangery. Together with its lakes, birds, other wildlife and long-horned cattle, the park is known for the Great Oak, reputed to be the largest maiden (unpollarded) oak in the country. The longer courses all pass by the orangery and Great Oak. |
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| Parking | On one of the estate tracks off Panshanger Lane. The entrance to the event can be found at what3words ///cult.term.bake. Nearest postcode is SG14 2NJ. The event will be signed from both the A414 and the B1000 and the entrance gate is on Panshanger Lane midway between these roads.Parking is up to 600m from the event centre, Start and Finish are within 100m of the event centre. To avoid conflict with Parkrun there will be no entry to car park before 1030.Off site parking: Do not park on Panshanger Lane. Parking is available in and around Moneyhole Park (AL7 2RG) and some in Cole Green village (SG14 2NN), both of which are a 1.5 km walk from the event centre. If using these areas, please be considerate of residents and do not block access to any properties. |
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| Public Transport | Panshanger Lane is serviced by the Arriva 401 bus service. The nearest stops are Leys Down or Russett Wood. From the bus stops, walk East through Moneyhole Park and through the woods to arrive at the Panshanger Lane parking entrance (around 1km).
By rail: |
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| Terrain |  Wooded ridges with contour detail running EW above the wide river valley which contains lakes and open parkland.Our thanks to Tarmac for giving us access to use the area. |
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| Courses | Courses for everybody from beginners of any age to experienced orienteers.
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| Course Notes | Full leg covering is required for all courses.
Seasonal vegetation, including nettles and bracken, may not be mapped. Courses have been planned to avoid the worst. Longhorn cattle, sometimes found in the park, have not been seen recently. If they reappear, warnings will be given at the start. They are reasonably habituated to people but give them space. |
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| Maps | 1:10,000 pre-marked maps for all courses on waterproof paper. For a previous event see Routegadget.
Control descriptions will be on the map, there are no loose descriptions. |
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| Starts | Start and finish are close to one end of the parking track.
Starts are between 11:00 and 12:30, you can choose a 15-minute block within that. Please try to start within your block so as to reduce queuing but we will fit you in if you are late, possibly if you are early. SIAC will be enabled. Punch the start and finish; other controls will be in dual contactless / punching mode. Courses close 13:45. Please start in good time to finish by then. |
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| Entry & Fees | Entry now open through SI Entries. All entries are made online. You can enter up to 11:00 on the day (subject to map availability).
If you don’t have your own dibber (timing chip) you’ll need to hire one for £1. Charge for lost dibbers £65. If you cancel more than 7 days before the event we will refund your fees less an amount for admin and transaction costs. There is no refund for cancellations less than 7 days in advance. If we have to cancel the event we will try to reschedule it. We will transfer your entry to the rescheduled event unless you ask for a refund. If you are running as a pair or group you only need to enter once. You’ll get one timing card. Please give all names in the free text “additional runners” box. If you want extra map(s) so that you don’t have to share they are £1 each. |
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| Punching | SIAC will be enabled for controls on the course. The start and finish controls will be in punching mode: ensure that you punch the start and finish. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Results | Live information will be available from your smartphone / tablet on www.herts-orienteering.club:
Full results will be published on www.herts-orienteering.club and Routegadget as soon as possible after the event. |
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| Dogs | Keep under control and clear up behind you. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Facilities | Portable toilets will be available. Please bring your own drinks; there are no refreshment facilities currently on site. The nearest cafe is at Tewinbury Farm Hotel. |
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| 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.
You must go to Download (in Assembly) even if you don’t finish your course. We need to confirm you’re back safely. First Aid will be available at the Event Centre. The nearest A&E is TBA Climbing of fences is strictly forbidden. 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. The area is popular with cyclists, dog walkers and horse riders. Please show them due consideration. |
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The small print
This event is registered with British Orienteering, number 84566.
Orienteering is a great sport for youngsters. If you bring children, please help us to keep to our safeguarding policy and British Orienteering’s photography policy.
Your personal data is used for results and insurance, see our privacy policy.
