Directions / Parking

Parking is at BMWs MINI plant car park, off Horspath Road, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 2RS.
Parking at north end of car park where event infrastructure will be.

Signed from the A4142 Oxford Ring Road East and Horspath Road junction (GR SP555046).

Entrance to car park: What3Words: ///short.usage.monks

Terrain Description

Shotover and Brasenose Woods are a woodland country park with an intricate path network. Brasenose Wood (near to the start and finish), is the flatter area crossed by a number of small streams. Shotover Wood, to the north and west, is hillier. It is generally an escarpment increasing in height to the north with some re-entrants along its length. There are also numerous clearings within Shotover Wood. There are some brambles, particularly in Shotover, but courses avoid the worst of this.

Some courses (Orange and Light Green in particular) have route choices that may cross streams. The year has been very wet so these are full; there are bridges across all of these that should be used if you don't think you can cross safely.

The beginning of the year has been very wet and consequently parts of the area are very muddy, particularly in Brasenose. Courses avoid the worst, but still plan appropriately for muddy conditions.

The Map

Scale 1:7500. 5m contours. Pre-printed, waterproof paper. A4.
Loose control descriptions for Green only. Control descriptions on the map only for all other courses.

There are two marshes on the map marked as Out of Bounds. Please abide by this.

Minor updates January/February 2024 by John Farren and Paul Eaton.

Within Shotover there a several minor paths that aren’t mapped. Within Shotover and Brasenose there is active work on vegetation management. The map updates note the most significant changes. Within Shotover there are some areas where a more significant map update is required to capture the changes in vegetation. Only the Light Green and Green should be affected by this.

Start Times

Starts will be from 10.15 to 11.45am.
Please start at a time whereby you feel you will be back by the close of courses. Newcomers on Red and Orange should aim to start earlier in the start window.

IMPORTANT: Courses close at 1pm. You must report to the download tent by 1pm latest, even if you retire or have not finished. The controls will be collected from 1pm onwards.

Courses

YELLOW: 2.2 km and 25 m climb. Suitable for juniors with some experience or for supervised newcomers, and for family groups.
ORANGE: 3.2 km and 80 m climb. Suitable for adult beginners and experienced juniors.
RED: 5.3 km and 150 m climb. Longer, but less challenging navigationally. Ideal for runners new to orienteering. You still need to be able to read a map, but it is more like an unmarked trail race.
LIGHT GREEN: 4.0 km and 130 m climb. More challenging; for improvers and those with a bit of experience. Most controls away from paths and more route choice options.
GREEN: 5.1 km and 190 m climb. As challenging as the planner can make it. Only for those with experience at orienteering. More navigation.

YOU MUST REPORT TO THE DOWNLOAD TENT BY 1PM LATEST AS CONTROLS WILL BE COLLECTED IN AT 1PM.

Control descriptions will be on the map only.

Distance to Start approx. 700 m
Distance to Finish approx. 600 m.

If you're a runner trying orienteering for the first time, the Red course is ideal - you will probably run 6km doing it; if that is too much, then Orange might be more suitable.
For family groups, we recommend the Orange course, or Yellow if you want something shorter.
For juniors, Yellow is a good course, though juniors new to the sport should be accompanied.

How To Enter

THERE WILL BE NO ENTRY AT THE EVENT. You must pre-enter, via SiEntries - see link at the top of this page. We will leave entries open, in theory until the morning of the event as long as maps are available.

You don't have to be a member of an orienteering club to enter this event.

Small family or other groups are welcome, but please enter only the Yellow, Orange or Red courses. You just need a single entry. Enter as a Senior. You will be asked if you are entering as a group - say Yes, and we will arrange a second map for you.

Entry Cost

Pre-entries up to Sunday 2 March – Red, Light Green and Green - BOF members £6, non-members and family groups £8, Juniors & Students £2
Yellow and Orange - BOF members £5, non-members and family groups £7, Juniors & Students £2
Later entries (assuming spaces are still available) - £1 extra
Timing chip hire £1 (essential if you do not own one). Lost timing chips charged at £65.

Facilities

Toilet in carpark

Further Information

Important Safety Information
The route to the Start (and back from the Finish) crosses the Horspath Road. Please take care crossing this road, and follow the instructions given by road crossing marshals.
Please pay attention and avoid accidents or incidents with other users of the area:
– Walkers
– Dogs and dog walkers
– Cyclists
– Horse riders. Give horses a very wide berth
There are one or two very minor forest roads or tracks in the forest (one with a few residences along it) but car movements are rare. Yellow and Orange courses are designed to avoid these roads.
Take care around any ruined buildings on Brasenose Woods and near any fallen trees or branches.
There are deer in the area. It is therefore possible to pick up ticks that might cause Lyme Disease. Please check for ticks after the event.

Officials

Organiser: Paul Eaton / James Haynes TVOC    email organiser

Helping

Helpers please sign up on the helpers sheet first to gain your discount code.

Helpers