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WIGHTO ORIENTEERS EVENTS ONLINE NEWSLETTER

July 2002

Next Wighto Event:

Saturday 6th July Quiz Walk at Colwell
 

WALKING FESTIVAL 'ORIENTEERING FOR ALL' PARKHURST FOREST MAY 18th, 2002

Wighto had decided, once again, to organise an event for the Walking Festival in order to promote orienteering and, hopefully, to entice new members to join us.

We chose to use the area of Parkhurst Forest near to Tucker's Gate as we had used the main car park area last September.

Using a similar formula to last year, we offered walks of varying lengths using the fixed Wayfaring posts as navigational aids., but, also, offering a simplified "Orange" course (pirating that used by Sue and Glyn two months previously).

We were very pleased with the turnout of 19 groups, totalling 77 people in all (plus dogs) and even more pleased to find that 8 groups elected to try the "proper" orienteering course.

We were obliged to point out that on a proper orienteering course the controls would not be quite so easy to find but no group got lost and everyone seemed to enjoy the experience. Hopefully, some will try our next event at Firestone on 16th June. (Some did.- Ed.)

On reviewing the Walking Festival Database Forms completed during the day, it emerged that the majority of our participants had not taken part in any other walks during the week. It would seem that we have found "a gap in the market" for families with energetic kids.

Many thanks to Sue and Glyn for putting out the Orange course and for the use of their tent, to Chris for keeping her usual impeccable records and, also, to Jim for his patience on the word processor.

Eileen Reeves (then) Eileen Hollinshed (now)

The Walking Festival

Eileen, Jim and Chris took the orienteers information boards to the Launch of the Walking Festival, on Saturday, May 11th. Shanklin's Regent Street was closed to traffic and tents set up along it for the use of various organisations. The orienteers had a good place, next to the Ramblers and with a useful pie shop on one side and Goodyear's outdoor shop on the other. The whole place was busy during the day and a lot of people visited our stand.

At the Walking Festival 'Orienteering for All' event, on Saturday, May 18th, we were pleased to recognise people who had come to see us on Launch Day. They, we hope, enjoyed their taste of orienteering in Parkhurst Forest where, after a drizzly start, the weather brightened and we had a sunny day for the 77 adults and children who came to try orienteering. Eileen Reeves will be reporting on this event elsewhere in the newsletter.

Chris Lipscombe

WEDDING We send our very best wishes for the future to Eileen Reeves and Jim Hollinshed who were married on June 11th. We shall look forward to seeing them when they get back from their holiday in Austria.

SOME WIGHTOS went on a holiday event over the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend. The Tamar Triple had become the Tamar Quadruple, with the extra day. It took place on Bodmin Moor and Braunton Burrows. The Burrows are a complex area of sand dunes and needed careful navigation. It certainly was different. Chris abandoned her entry as the walks to the starts were long - over a mile in one case - and she knew that she would be still getting to the start when the others were home!! But, as always on holiday events, there are plenty of places to visit.

The Eden Project, near St.Austell, was well worth seeing and it was handy to fit it in with the Tamar as Cornwall is a long way for a day trip. There were magnificent plastic domes housing well-labelled tropical plants and a little train , pulled by a tractor, to save your legs. All fitted into an old china clay quarry. Then we had a lovely day on Lundy Island with a boat trip from Ilfracombe and a Land Rover to help us up the hill. There were Cornish cream teas to enjoy as well.

NATIONAL ORIENTEERING WEEK, NOW, took place in June and our Firestone event was at the end of it. The idea of the week was to encourage more people to take up the sport. Hopefully, that other world event didn't clash with too many O-events.

BOF, the British Orienteering Federation, is also trying to encourage more people to go to Badge events, where entry is made by age group Up until now, only BOF members could go to Badge events but a new scheme is proposed, to start in January 2003, which would allow non-BOF members to go to Badge events on payment of a supplement to the entry fees. So think about a mainland trip, next year. Many of you would enjoy it.
 

 

 

 
Wighto welcomed a group from SP Systems for the Parkhurst Forest event. They are pictured at the finish.

AVON WATER

Wighto Members waiting at the start - Glyn, Sue, Andy and Pauline with Elizabeth Brown from Southdowns

A Badge event in the New Forest seemed a good idea. Three car loads were made up. There had been hardly any rain for ages until just before the event. Then it rained steadily and filled up all the New Forest streams. Streams in the New Forest rise very rapidly and fall just as quickly. The Avon water organisers were worried because all courses, except the very shortest, for children, crossed the Avon water at least twice. However, that miracle of modern technology, the Internet, allowed warnings of possible cancellation to go out the day before and, at 7.30 a.m on the Sunday, the good news that the event was on.

The Wightos set off. It was no distance from the ferry at Lymington to Set Thorns camp site where we were parking. And lovely when we got there. Reasonably dry underfoot and reasonably dry overhead. The start was only a quarter of a mile away. What more could you want ? We got our electronic punching 'dibbers' and waited at the start.

The next part of this report tells of Chris's adventures on her course.

A bad start was made by going down the wrong little path which should have pointed the way to No.1. However, that error was soon realised and the right path found. It fizzled out into a jungle and I came to a mystery stream or wet ditch. So back to the main path and start again. Half an hour must have passed but I had the company of two others who were also searching for No.1.

At last we located the clearing and the earthbank and the control. I had been 45 minutes. Should I retire ? No, I would just go to look at the river crossing, especially as I had my camera with me!

Apart from struggling over a lot of brashings, this was no trouble and there appeared to be a bridge. However, on the other side of the bridge, the Avon water had spread itself out into a great flood with a young man from Wimborne Orienteers to warn of perils if you didn't follow the tapes hung from convenient branches.

After a conference with him when he said that it was 'all open' on the other side, I thought that I might as well go on as it was just as far to go back! Very exciting! One foot went into the edge of a muddy hole but, luckily came out again, and the water was up to my calves! However, on the other side it certainly was 'all open' and adrenalin was flowing freely after all the excitement. Easy now. Two more controls and the next river crossing was in sight. The nice man guarding this crossing saw me coming and said "I think I will give you a bit of help". I certainly needed that. There was a long, strong rope across this flood, with rough water in the middle where the river itself was flowing. I was very glad of a hand on my arm as the water was above my knees. Not cold, luckily. And really exciting. Easy to the finish where Sue and Pauline were looking for me. I had been 2« hours!

The others had also had excitement but in a much shorter time. No distance back to the ferry where inquests on all the courses could take place.

It was a really exciting day, very different from normal life. Many thanks to Wimborne Orienteers for putting on the event. An enormous amount of work was involved and a lot of manpower needed to look after all the river crossings as well as the normal needs for start, finish, electronic punching, etc. We all had a good day out.

Chris Lipscombe.

Crossing the river at Avon Water

 

FRANK WINTER annually arranges an orienteering event for the West Wight Cubs. Here is his report and their results.

DIB, DIB, DIB, DRIP, DRIP, DRIP

Once again the club has been approached by West Wight Cubs to provide them with an orienteering experience. This has become a regular feature in their activity calendar and they were eager for a fifth bash at the forest.

Firestone Copse was once again chosen for the venue. It has good car parking, important for the mums and dads, and lots of streams and plenty of mud, which the cubs assume is a prerequisite of orienteering!

Having used the same area of forest for the last four years, we decided on a change. Although the makeup of the cubs varies from year to year we had a distinct feeling that, for some, like our own orienteers, familiarity breeds contempt. This time we took them down by the creekside and through the oak woods.

We have always been blessed with good weather for this event but, as we arrived to put out the controls, a leaden sky gave way to fine drizzle. By the time the cubs arrived this had turned to steady rain. Have you noticed how children don't seem to notice the rain, whilst the adult helpers mutter and sink deeper into their anoraks? We were all cheered up by the sight of a dog walker arriving and putting a ramp up to the back of her estate car so that her basset hounds could walk down in comfort!!

The course was 1.8k long and similar to the white courses we use at our own events. To make it more testing, we ask the cubs to collect items en route and to carry a balloon. We also put out a few false controls, but that didn't outsmart them. The weather took its toll of the control cards, which became wet, tattered and unreadable. Luckily we had a felt tip pen to record finishing times and a spell on the radiators at home soon made them checkable. Prize for the best excuse of the day goes to the team who came back minus a balloon - because a dog had eaten it!! We had a very good turnout with 57 beavers (6 -8) and cubs ( 8 - 10) taking part, supported by over a dozen adults. They must have enjoyed it as next year's date was already being canvassed.

Lesley Curran and Frank Winter.

RESULTS WEST WIGHT CUBS ORIENTEERING EVENT 26.11.01 1 Yarmouth "A" 22 Mins (Graham, Robert, Sam) 2 Yarmouth "D" 26 Mins (Jake, Ben, Jamie, Andrew) 3 1st Newport Beavers 29 Mins (Vickey, James, Oliver) 4= 8th Newport 33 Mins (Adam, Leon) , 4= 7th Newport 33 Mins (Emily, Henry, Tony, Adam) 6 1st Newport Beavers 39 Mins (Grant, James) 7 1st Newport 40 Mins (Shaun, Ben, Sam, Konrad) 8 1st Yarmouth 43 Mins (Luke, Tom, Danny, Ben, Sam, Adam) 9 1st Newport 44 Mins (Jemma, Jack, Ben) 10 Northwood Beavers 45 Mins Shaun, Matthew, Sam, Andrew, Tim, Chris) 11 1st East Cowes 46 Mins (Michael , Kelvin, Callum, Sam) 12= 6th Newport 47 Mins (Nicholas, Rebecca) 12= 1st Newport 47 Mins (Kathryn, Oliver, Thomas, Abby, Matthew) 14 1st Wootton 48 Mins (Ben, Tom) 15 1st Yarmouth 53 Mins (Chris, Tom, Oliver, William) 16 1st East Cowes 75 Mins (Aaron, Jack, Craig)

THE WALKING FESTIVAL will take place, in 2002, between May 11th and May 26th. On Saturday,May 18th, we hope to have an orienteering event, as we did at the festival in September. This time we shall use the Wayfaring Course in Firestone Copse. If you would like to help us to run this event, please let Eileen Reeves know. Telephone 752402.

We should also be glad of help in displaying the panels advertising this event and other Wighto events. If you know of anywhere that these could go please let Eileen, on 752402, or Chris on 872693, Know.

ON THE STRING COURSE - WHAT NEXT ?

THE PICTURE shows Catherine and Mark Saunders when they were very small. We had only just started string courses and had red string, not blue. As you can see, Mark and Catherine were good helpers. Some years ago the family moved to the Lake District and now live in the best orienteering terrain. Their Christmas card, this year, contained the news that Catherine is now at university and orienteering at a high level having gone on a training tour to Spain with the Great Britain Junior Squad. Mark is doing A-levels and wants to have a year's orienteering in Norway before going to university So what will our present String Course runners be doing in a few year's time ?

IRIS FAY does the publicity for Wighto, putting a report and results into the County Press after each event and giving advance notice of the next event. She is also geting advance publicity in the "Insight" magazine which comes out with the County Press. Events will be on their website. She is also trying to get posters into Leisure and Sports Centres. So there will be no excuse for missing the next event. Put it at the top of your priority list.

NATIONAL ORIENTEERING WEEK will take place in June 2002 There will be extra events. Look for more information in the next newsletter.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR RENEWAL OF WIGHTO SUBSCRIPTIONS unless you joined in last September, or after, in which case your Sub lasts through 2002. A renewal form is enclosed with the newsletter. Please return it, with the money, to the Treasurer, Ian Ralph, 69 Stephenson Road, Cowes, I.W., PO31 7PR, or give it to Map Sales at the next event.
 
 

ORIENTEERING FOR ALL 23/9/01

Having decided to organise an event for the Walking Festival it was decided that Wighto's best interests would be served by using the "Wayfaring" map of Parkhurst as a gentle introduction to orienteering.

Surveying the forest a fortnight before, we discovered that some thoughtful person had decided to remove some of the numbers from the wayfaring posts and that contractors had blocked one path with fallen trees but that the course was otherwise in good condition. Plannung the courses to be taken at our event needed a great deal of deliberation as we were very aware of how easy it is to get lost in such a large area, especially for those unused to map reading. We eventually concluded that there would be two bike courses, two pushchair courses and four walks of varoius lengths using the area around Signal House and the main gravel paths.

At the Parkhurst 'Walking Festival' event Eileen Reeves explains orienteering to new recruits to the sport.
Come Sunday and we practically held our breaths - would it rain - would we lose anyone - would anyone turn up?? Eileen, Chris and Jim turned up with the display panels, course descriptions, maps and other necessary bits and pieces. Sue and Glyn provided the use of their tent in case it should rain. All we needed now were customers!! We need not have worried. Our first customer arrived early at 9.45a.m. and after that a steady stream. Mostly families and groups, with the occasional keep fit addict. Now our only worry was "Would they get lost".

One of the first to return was a disabled lady who had used the short walk course. She said that she had got completely lost, torn her trousers on the brambles, seen parts of the forest that she did not know existed and had a whale of a time. As time went on more groups returned but one which had ventured on the long walk (4.5 miles) at 12.19 p.m. had not returned neither had two youngsters who had attempted the long bike course. Eventually, much to our relief they all arrived back at about 3 p.m. with the reason for their late return explained. They lived at Noke Common and halfway round decided to divert to home for a cup of tea!

Everyone appeared to have enjoyed themselves; some comments were "Really good" - "Very good introduction to orienteering" - "Well organised" - "Very relaxing" - and "Children enjoyed it, will do it again". Many of those who came professed to be interested in our next event at Westover, one young man even stated that he would bring five friends, so we are keeping our fingers crossed. If all turn up on 14/10/01 we are going to ned a number of helpers to assist them so Chris would be very pleased if any volunteers would ring her. For the record we had a total of 83 people turn up in 27 groups. All the children (and some of the adults) received certificates, badges and pens. Many thanks to Chris for her methodical keeping of the control sheets, to Sue and Glyn for use of their tent and their indefatigable enthusiasm, and to Jim for all his hard work producing the paperwork on the computer. My only problem is that we shall probably have to do it all again next May. Footnote - One lady who did the 3.5 mile walk belongs to a charity which helps children and young adults. She enjoyed herself so much that she intends to organise similar events for them. Future WIGHTO members, perhaps!!

Eileen Reeves.

P.S. Although Eileen has not thanked herself in the above report, it was she who did all the hard work of explaining and offering the different options to the 'customers'. A mammoth job !

November Classic 4th November 2001

A lovely November day, the new Forest venue very near to the ferry, good parking and the Start and Finish close by. What more could you want for a mainland orienteering day out? Well a Bucks Fizz drink at the end to celebrate Carol's birthday, just rounded the day off nicely.

Steve, Carol, Iris, Norman, Glyn, Sue, Norman, Pauline and Chris went on the 9 a.m. ferry with Andy, Brian and Mike having early startsand disappearing before we had looked round!! The New Forest is always a treat for orienteering and offers to the fast and the slow the possibility of finding the way on a compass bearing rather than round the paths. We used the electronic punching system with the dibbers punched into each control. It's easy to use and at the end your finishing time and split times between controls are instantly available- Magic!

We have now had the Results Booklet. Interesting statistics are - 600 cars parked for the event, 1060 Badge Course competitors, 270 on the Wayfaring courses and 60 on the String Course. Best Wighto result was Andy Gaches, 2nd on M55 Long, 7.9km, in 57.16. Also Sue Williams achieved Gold standard, being 12th out of 28 on W50 Long, 5.5km, in 65.21.

The turnout for the November Classic always runs into several hundreds and a lot of planning and work is needed to make the day run smoothly. Many thanks to Southampton Orienteering Club for a really good day out.

 

 

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Last revised: July 03, 2002.