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Remember that the UK is currently in lockdown. Government guidance states that ‘Outdoor exercise should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)’. In the circumstances, the closing dates of current OSS and TVSS events have been suspended until these travel restrictions have been lifted.
Events from Summer 2020. You can still run these but of course your score will not count in the league table.
Event 12: Wycombe SW, together with instructions, planned by Phil Arnold of TVOC.
Event 11: Henley, planned by Roger Thetford of TVOC (Open until 20th September). This is the usual format of score event except you have 65 minutes. Note also that the map scale is 1:12500, not the usual 1:10000. Start / finish is the first telegraph pole in the cul-de-sac Albert Street, post code RG9 1BJ, grid ref SU 760824, what3words camped.downfield.conclude. This is just across Greys Road from the Greys Road car park (fees). Public toilets are available in this car park. If you avoid Mon-Fri 10:00-15:00 there is free on-street parking in Deanfield Road (RG9 1UG), 250m to 500m from the start. There is also a large car park at the railway station (RG9 1AY), 500m from the start, and a small long-stay car park at Southfields/Goodall Close (RG9 2AN), just 100m from the start (see here). All control sites are either lamp-posts or, when there are obviously no lamp-posts anywhere near, a path junction or a clear path bend. The paths are not overgrown and shorts will be fine, although there are long unlit stretches so anyone running the course at night should take a head-torch. Finally, the setter would like to offer you the chance to study, in advance of your run, a blank map with the start and finish marked on it, but without the controls. Make sure you don’t take this one out on your run accidentally!
Event 10: Goring, planned by Colin Palmer of TVOC (September 2020). Control descriptions are on the map but, for those who want them, they are available separately here. The start / finish is at the lamp post in the middle of the Wheel Orchard car park. Parking is free for 1 hour or 80p for 2 hours. Goring and Streatley railway station is a short walk from the start. Notes: (i) The scale of the map is 1:7500, not the usual 1:10000; (ii) There are only 5 places where it is possible to cross the railway. One is the station footbridge. The west end has access both north and south, but on the east side the only access point is the station entrance a short way north along the platform. This is indicated on the PDF map by a purple uncrossable boundary; (iii) The pale orange rough open areas are mostly farmed fields. Do not cross them except on mapped paths; (iv) Reading Road (the major road heading east from the centre of the map) is busy and narrow. There are some dangerous sections with no footpaths. These parts are indicated with forbidden route markings. Do not try to run along or cross the road in these sections.
Event 9: North Oxford including Cutteslowe Park (September 2020). Note the map is two-sided. Planned by Ben Green, TVOC. Plenty of free parking and easy access from A40 and A34. Please read the instructions before your run. Control descriptions are on the map but a bit small. Separate control descriptions (if you want them) are here.
Event 8: Chalfont St Peter (August 2020). Planned by Mark Thompson, TVOC. Full instructions and notes for this event may be found here. Please note that this event does not use the usual scoring system: there are 25 controls, each is worth 20 irrespective of its number on the map, and the penalty for each minute of lateness is 10.
Event 7: Wantage (August 2020). Planned by Mark Saunders of BKO. Free parking at Memorial Park, Manor Road, OX12 8DP (Look for the signs for Wantage Tennis Club). There are 3 forbidden routes marked on the map with purple crosses. Do not use these. Towards the north of the map the Wilts and Berks Canal is shown. In places this shows the historic route rather than any water on the ground. Control descriptions are on the map, but if you want separate descriptions for a wrist-holder you may download them here.
Event 6: Marlow (August 2020). Map and instructions to be printed in landscape. Planned by Bob and Pattie Beresford of TVOC on a bespoke map of the area, and the first event under the new TVSS branding. Full instructions and directions, which runners should read carefully, may be found on the back of the map. Note the recommended car park is free until August 1st.
Event 5: Kidlington (July 2020). Planned by Ben Green. Start is the junction of Meadow View and The Moors, on the north side of Kidlington, with plenty of local parking. Take care crossing the main A4260, in particular the southern part of it which has separated side roads with two-way traffic. Avoidance of busy times is strongly recommended; an evening run would be pleasant.
Event 4: Wallingford (July 2020). Kindly planned for us by Mark Saunders of Berkshire Orienteering Klub. Start in the Recreation Ground, Crowmarsh Gifford. Parking, adjacent, is available at the Riverside carpark, The Street, Crowmarsh Gifford, OX10 8FL. £1.10 for 3 hours.
Event 3: Wycombe NE (June 2020). Planned by Alun Jones, TVOC. Start at the top of Totteridge Avenue. Grid reference SU875930. It’s 10 minutes walk from High Wycombe railway station, and maybe 20 minutes from the bus station. Parking is available in nearby roads, or at Duke Street car park (5 minutes walk).
Note the 10m contours (and there are a few of them!) Visit as many controls as you can in 60 minutes. 10 points for each control numbered 10-19, 20 points for each control numbered 20-29, and 30 points for the controls numbered 30-39. There is a penalty of 20 points for each minute (or part thereof) you are late back.
Note some yellow (open) areas on the map actually have blocks of flats on them, but can still be crossed. Green (wooded) areas may be crossed, but you may prefer to stick to the paths.
Event 2: Didcot Great Western Park (June 2020). Planned by Roger Thetford, TVOC. Start just off Greenwood Way near the junction with the B4493.
The map scale is 1:7500. Due to the area being on the small side, the time limit is 50 minutes. Controls 1-10 score 10, 11-20 score 20, and 21-30 score 30. 10 point penalty for each minute (or part thereof) you are late. Controls are all lampposts except 28, which is a telegraph pole.
Event 1: Marston and Headington (June 2020). Start is on the grass just behind OXSRAD, located just off the A40 Marston turnoff, on Marsh Lane. Grid reference SP532084. Parking is available at OXSRAD for a modest fee (note that free parking in the area is almost non-existent due to the proximity of the JR Hospital)
Visit as many controls as you can in 60 minutes. 10 points for each control numbered 10-19, 20 points for each control numbered 20-29, and 30 points for the controls numbered 30-39. Penalty of 20 points for each minute (or part thereof) you are late back. Controls are almost exclusively street signs, and are detailed in the map document.
Didcot East (Aug 2019, retrofitted as a MapRun.) Start outside the Ladygrove Pub, on Cow Lane, by the pedestrian crossing.
Time limit is 60 minutes. Controls 1-10 score 10, 11-20 score 20, and 21-30 score 30. 10 point penalty for each minute (or part thereof) you are late. Controls are all lampposts.