A message for newcomers and infrequent orienteers
We would be delighted to see you at this and other TVOC events. This event, like all our events, offers a range of courses to suit everyone from newcomers to experienced orienteers. If you are not sure which course to enter, please contact the organiser (contact details at the bottom of this page).
Please note that, if you’re not a member of British Orienteering, you won’t be covered by the organisation’s public liability insurance for this event. You’re very welcome to take part, but please be aware that you do so at your own risk. For example, if you were to accidentally injure a member of the public or damage property during the event, you would not be covered by British Orienteering’s insurance.
This event is a TVOC Saturday Series event welcoming orienteers and giving newcomers an opportunity to try orienteering for the first time. See < here > for more details about our Saturday Series.
This event is also a Level “C” Regional and SCOA League event (SCOL7) with a full range of colour-coded courses for all developing and experienced orienteers. See <here> for more details
This event will be SIAC enabled.
Coaching – Update 24 March
TVOC is putting on a series of coaching sessions at some of the Saturday Series events. These will cover skills to develop from a novice to being able to confidently take on a Green Course (or higher).
This session is free, but please notify Chris the club coach at Coaching@TVOC.org.uk to ensure sufficient resources are available.
Session starts at 09:30 next to Registration.
There will be series of increasing complexity map orientation exercises adjacent to Registration, before you ensure you have everything you need to go for your run. We will then do map orientation exercises and discuss what it is you see on a forest map before ending up at the Start so you can go for your run. This will be at about 10:30.
Further details on club coaching can be found HERE.
Helping
TVOC members – Please contact your team leader to offer to help, or contact the organiser at hannah.redrup@gmail.com. They will give you a discount code for entry.
All volunteers get free entry so if you can spare a couple of hours, please help out.
Directions / Parking
Parking is at BMWs MINI plant car park, off Horspath Road, Cowley, Oxford.
Start is 1200m from the car park.
There is no clothing dump planned.
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.
The Map
Scale 1:7500. 5m contours. Pre-printed, waterproof paper. A4. Double sided for the Brown course.
Updated Winter 2025 by Rosie Walklin, using ISOM 2017-2
Courses
This is a SCOA League event, and a TVOC Saturday Series event.
Note that Very Short Green and Red are not SCOA League courses.
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 the Orange might be more suitable.
For family groups, we recommend the Yellow or Orange course.
We recommend that beginner juniors are accompanied on the course.
Participants are welcome to run in small groups, but please enter only the Yellow, Orange or Red courses. Remember to sign up individually (for a dibber each, great for kids) or request extra maps when you sign up.
Course lengths are straight line distances between the control points. You can expect to run at least 20% more than the stated distances!
The Thames Valley Junior Orienteering League runs in conjunction with TVOC’s Saturday Series. This event at Shotover is the fourth Junior League event of 2026. Any junior aged 18 or under who enters this event as an individual on the Yellow, Orange, Red, Light Green or Green course, and who successfully completes the course on their own (or in a junior pair on the Yellow course only, or who is shadowed by a parent/carer on the Yellow or Orange courses only) will be automatically included in the Junior League standings. Please note that any junior who enters and participates as part of a family group, or other group, will not be eligible for the Junior League. More detailed information about the League, and full rules, can be found at https://tvoc.org.uk/junior-league/
Start Times
Start times are from 10:00 to 12:00.
Courses close at 14:00. You must have downloaded by then, even if you do not finish, so that we can account for you.
How To Enter
THERE WILL BE NO ENTRY AT THE EVENT.
You must enter via SiEntries – see link at the top of this page.
Entry to the event will be available up to 11am on the day of the event.
However please enter by Sunday 5th for a reduced entry rate. Entries after that date will be subject to map availability.
When you enter, you will be asked to select a 30 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.
Entry Cost
Up to Sunday 5th April
- Senior BOF members £12, non-members £14, Juniors & Students £4
- Seniors and Family Groups on White, Yellow and Orange: £8
- Juniors & Students £4
- Timing chip hire £2 (required if you do not own one). Lost timing chips charged at £65
Later entries: Subject to map availability
- Senior BOF members £15, non-members £17, Juniors & Students £5.50
- Seniors and Family Groups on White, Yellow and Orange: £11
- Juniors & Students £5.50
- Timing chip hire £2 (required if you do not own one). Lost timing chips charged at £65
Facilities
– TVOC’s welcome team to help any newcomers
– First Aid: Provided by White Star Medical Services
– Refreshments provider: Tom’s British and Continental Catering
– Toilets: Portaloos available at assembly, none at Start.
Dogs
TVOC’s policy is that dogs are not permitted on courses.
Further Information
TVOC are very grateful for the support of the following organisations who have enabled this event to proceed:
– BMW for their permission to use the MINI car park
– Oxford City Council for permission to use Shotover Country Park and Brasenose Woods
Officials
Organiser: Hannah Redrup, TVOC
email organiser
Planner: Peter Rose, TVOC
Controller: Roger Thetford, TVOC
