Deangarden, Keep Hill and Wycombe Abbey School

Level C

18th December 2022

Location: Wycombe Abbey School, Keep Hill and Deangarden
Nearest Postcode: HP11 1PE

17 December update:  Sunday’s forecast is looking better; the rain looks to be holding off until early afternoon. However, the weather remains very inclement, particularly with the addition of a cold breeze.

We therefore STRONGLY RECCOMMEND the wearing or carrying of cagoules.

We still have maps available on all courses.  Entry via SiEntries will remain open until 11am Sunday, but please pre-enter before leaving home.

13 December update: The weather forecast for Sunday is currently cold, wet, and windy. If this forecast remains we are likely to make the wearing of cagoules compulsory. Please come prepared.

Please see the note about split start times below.

SCOL4  This is Event 4 of the South Central Orienteering League

We are very fortunate to have access to the grounds of a prestigious school, and an adjacent woodland rarely used in competitive orienteering. Anyone familiar with Marlow Hill (entering High Wycombe from the M40) will have an insight into the area, a not insignificant wooded hillside which extends a good distance to the east. Man-made obstacles include a disused US Airforce nuclear bunker and a former dry-ski slope, and reentrant valleys along this hillside should make for some interesting courses in what promises to be a great pre-Christmas calorie busting workout!

This event will be SIAC enabled

Directions / Parking

Assembly will be in the grounds of Wycombe Abbey School.

There is NO COMPETITOR PARKING within Wycombe Abbey School. However, there are numerous car parks a short walk from the school entrance, with low-cost Sunday tariffs. See details at the bottom of the page.

Parents with split start times, who are looking after young children, will be allowed to park at the School.

This event is also ideal for travel by public transport. High Wycombe railway station (trains from London Marylebone, Oxford, Birmingham Moor Street) is less than 10 minutes walk, as is the bus station.

Terrain Description

Shorter courses will remain within the grounds of Wycombe Abbey School, offering an interesting mixture of woodland, fast parkland and some urban.

Longer courses will also include Keep Hill and Deangarden Woods, which are predominantly runnable deciduous forest along a valley with some reentrant contour detail. Route choices will allow runners to flex the amount of climb on their courses, perhaps +15% to -5% from stated figures.

Some parts of the area are very steep and potentially slippery, mostly avoidable, but in any case good grippy technical footwear is essential at this time of year here.

The Map

Map updated Autumn 2022 by Julian Birkinshaw, TVOC. Scale 1:7,500, ISOM 2017, A3 and A4 printed on waterproof paper.

Start Times

THERE WILL BE NO ENTRY AT THE EVENT. You must pre-enter, by clicking on the SiEntries logo at the top of this page.

Starts will be from 10.00 to 12:00 (12:15 for Blue and Green). The Assembly area, Toilets, Starts and Finish are all co-located in the same area by a beautiful lake, just 2 mins level walk from entering the school.

Courses close at 2pm. You must report to the download tent by 2pm latest, even if you retire or have not finished. If you are likely to take 2 hours to complete your course, please select an earlier start block to ensure you are back well before 2pm.
Controls will start to be collected from 2pm.

Courses

Brown: 7.5k, 290m, 24 controls, double-sided map
Blue: 6.3k, 195m, 20 controls
Red : 5.0k, 150m, 18 controls
Green: 4.3k, 145m, 16 controls
Short Green: 3.0k, 90m, 12 controls
Light Green: 3.5k, 125m, 13 controls
Orange: 2.9k, 80m, 14 controls
Yellow: 1.8k, 55m, 10 controls
White: 1.4k, 30m, 12 controls

All terrain pushchairs could be suitable, but note some paths whilst not narrow may be muddy, and there are a few steps on White and Yellow courses.
Sorry dogs are not allowed in the school grounds or at the event.

How To Enter

Pre-entry only through SiEntries, by clicking on the SiEntries logo at the top of this page. THERE WILL BE NO ENTRY AT THE EVENT. Note that by entering the event, you are accepting TVOC's Terms & Conditions; you can read those by clicking on the button immediately above the SiEntries logo.

When you enter, you will be asked to select a 15 minute start block.

You don't have to be a member of an orienteering club to enter this event. On SiEntries, just leave the club name field blank

Small family or other groups are welcome, but we recommend you enter the White, Yellow or Orange courses. Enter as a senior. Tick the box to say that you are entering as a group, and we will arrange a second map at no extra charge, so two of you can enjoy the navigational experience.

If you're a runner trying orienteering for the first time, the Red course is ideal - you will probably run 7 to 8km doing it; if that is too much, then Orange might be more suitable, or Light Green if you are confident about your navigation.
For family groups, we recommend the Orange course, or Yellow if you want something shorter.
For juniors, Yellow and White are good courses, though juniors new to the sport should be accompanied.

Please bear in mind that COVID is still in circulation. We encourage a continued responsible approach to COVID at our orienteering events. People have different risk tolerances and we ask you to respect others’ personal choices, particularly in maintaining inter-personal distance. Please do not attend if you or a member of your household has COVID-19 in the few days leading up to the event; we will offer a full refund in such circumstances – details at bottom of page.

Entry Cost

- All courses except White, Yellow and Orange: BOF members £14, non-members £16, Juniors & Students £5
- White, Yellow and Orange: Seniors £8, Juniors & Students £5
- Timing chip hire £2 (essential if you do not own one). Lost timing chips charged at £65

Facilities

Portable toilets
Baggage tent
Please bring your own water. We will not be offering post race drinks.
The school is close to the centre of High Wycombe, with a wide range of shops and eateries.

Further Information

Cancellation
As set out in clause 7.3 of our Entry Terms & Conditions, we will provide a full refund if you have to cancel because you test positive for COVID in the seven days leading up to the event.

Car parking
Please follow this link for details of car parks in High Wycombe. The Swan Car Park is likely to be the most convenient, or Wycombe Offices Rear Car Park, or Easton Street Car Park. They all charge just £1 for all-day parking on Sundays.

Officials

Organiser: Neville Baker, TVOC    email organiser      07562 992292
Planner: Nat Skidmore, TVOC
Controller: Freya Askham, SMOC