Pre-entries via SiEntries please.

Safety

There is a stream / large ditch that crosses the southern part of the area East to West. 

There are at least seven safe places (bridges etc) to cross this, shown on the map where paths cross the stream.

The courses have been planned to use these safe crossing points, and it is recommended that you use them.

You should only cross the stream elsewhere if you are confident to do so.

Location

Nearest town: Holmes Chapel

• Grid Ref: SJ795654
• Postcode: CW12 4SU
• Latitude: 53.18418
• Longitude: -2.30774
• Google Map
• Streetmap (OS 50k)
• Bing Map (OS 50k)
• OpenStreetMap

Directions / Parking

What3words: ///skewed.warm.lunching

Signed from A54 Holmes Chapel to Congleton road. Parking charge (meter). Registration outside Visitor Centre.

Registration & Start Times

Online entries closing date: 2pm on 20/06/2023. 

Limited late entry plus EOD at the event, subject to the availability of maps. Pay with card or cash.

Registration from 17:00. Start times: 17:30-19:00. All courses close at 20:15.

Collect hire SI cards if necessary.

Course Information

Courses suitable for novices and for experienced orienteers:

Colour-coded courses:

• White, 1.2 km
• Yellow, 2.2 km
• Orange, 2.6 km
• Light Green, 3.3 km
• Very Short Green, 2.6 km
• Short Green, 3.3 km
• Green, 4.3 km
• Blue, 5.6 km

plus: 

• 2-part Score, 2 x 30mins.

Explanation of colour courses

• White are very easy with all controls on paths. They are mainly used by 6-10 year olds and family groups.
• Yellow use simple linear features like paths, walls and streams. They are mainly used by under 12’s and family groups.
• Orange progress to basic use of the compass and route choice. They are ideal for novice adults or experienced youngsters.
• Light Green are ideal for improvers as the navigational difficulty begins to increase and uses simple contours and point features.
• Green are used mostly by experienced under 18’s and adults wanting a short but challenging course with a very hard navigational difficulty.
• Blue are a longer, more physically demanding course in comparison to the green. The distances are more varied between controls and the course attracts experienced orienteers.
• Brown & Black are very physically demanding and have a very hard navigational difficulty. They are for experienced orienteers only.
• Score means visiting as many controls as possible in any order in a specific time, like 45mins.

Entry Details

Please pre-enter via SiEntries.

Fees: £5.00 seniors and £2.00 juniors. Free SI-dibber loan (but £30 if not returned)

Limited EOD (subject to availability of maps).

Terrain Description

Brereton Heath is a delightful pocket of Cheshire woodland. If you are not already aware, it is a mostly flat and mostly runnable (hopefully sunlit) bit of forest. There are many many lovely paths and open woodland which means fast progress, but it is easy to get confused or dis-oriented and end up losing time! 

Much of the area offers very pleasant running and has little or no undergrowth to inhibit your progress.

The courses have been planned to avoid the worst undergrowth, but things have "shot up" in the last couple of weeks, so you may encounter some nettles or similar in some places.

If you find yourself in a bad patch of undergrowth then there is probably a better route(!) and you may wish to reconsider and maybe even U turning rather than ploughing on!

Full leg cover (rather than shorts) is strongly recommended.

Facilities

Toilets at the visitor centre.

First Aid will be available at Registration.

Dogs allowed?

Under close control at all times. Preferably not on courses.

Contacts / Officials

Series Co-ordinator: Tony Wagg 0161 445 0902, enquiries to: