Hockeridge & Pancake Woods

Saturday 06 January 2024

Berkhamsted Pre-Prep School , Chesham Road, Berkhamsted HP4 2SZ

Zoom map using +- buttons; or Ctl+Scroll on PC; or two fingers on mobile devices. Pan using mouse or two fingers.
To open the venue location in Google Maps, Click here... (opens a new window)

Update 2 Jan – as short blue and light green have filled up, we have ordered more maps and slightly extended starts to 11:45. Courses will now close at 13:00.

Hockeridge is a new area for orienteering, mapped as a lockdown project by Alex Fielding, only used for a club training activity so far. It is an area of mixed woodland on the eastern slope of the Chilterns with contour features and a good path network.

Beginners First timers are very welcome. Look for our greeters in hi-vis jackets who will give you socially-distanced help.

If you’ve not orienteered before, we suggest most people start with the yellow course. Young juniors, say primary school age, and family groups are better on white. People confident with a map and compass may start on orange.

If you find your course too easy, club policy is to offer you a run on the next course up at no cost, provided there’s enough time and there are maps available.
Location Hockeridge near Berkhamsted
Parking Berkhamsted Pre-Prep School, Chesham Rd, Berkhamsted HP4 2SZ. Approach the school from the A41 (or go 100m to the A41 roundabout to turn back) so that you turn left into the school. Take care on the approach road as there will be people walking to the start.

With the increased number of maps, parking could be tight. Please share transport if you can.
Public Transport Bus 354 stops outside the school. Berkhamsted railway station is 2.5km away.
Terrain Mixed mature woodland on the lower slopes of the Chilterns, with gentle slopes and many relatively small contour features. Good path network, areas between mostly runnable.
Map New map by Alex and Kevin Fielding, layout by Simon Errington.

1:7500 pre-marked maps for all courses on waterproof A4 paper. As this is the first event on the map, there are no previous events on Routegadget.
Courses Courses for everybody from beginners of any age to experienced orienteers.

Course Straight line Distance Difficulty
White 1.4 km Easy – all along paths. Control flags when you need to decide whether to turn.
Yellow 2.1 km Fairly easy – navigate along line features such as paths, walls, streams.
Some turns with no control flags.
Orange 2.6 km Moderate – start cutting across country, some controls a bit away from line features.
Light Green 4.3 km Harder – a range of navigational skills needed to find controls on any mapped feature.
Short Blue 6.4 km As hard as we can make it on the area.
Course Notes Light Green and Short Blue courses have double sided maps. They also cross a minor road in both directions at a mandatory crossing point. There is little traffic but take care.
Entry & Fees Entry only via SI Entries. You must enter on line. Online entry will remain open until 11:15 on the day, while maps and start slots are available.

Entries in 2023:

  • BOF members: Adults £4, Juniors £2, HH juniors free.
  • Non-members: Adults £6, Juniors £3.
 Entries in 2024:

    • BOF members: Adults £6, Juniors £4, HH juniors £2.
    • Non-members: Adults £8, Juniors £5.

Dibber hire £1. Charge for lost dibbers £30.
Starts When you enter, you can choose a 15 minute start block between 10:00 and 11:45.
The event centre is 800m from start and finish. The route crosses a main road at a marshalled crossing. It is recommended that juniors are accompanied in both directions.
There is a a place to leave warm clothes near start and finish.Courses close 13:00
Timing SportIdent punching will be used.
Facilities Toilets near parking and download. Do not wear spikes or muddy shoes indoors.
Dogs Keep under control and clear up behind you.
Safety Orienteering is an adventure sport. You take part at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety. A full risk assessment will have been carried out.

The route to start and from finish crosses a main road at a marshalled crossing. It is recommended that juniors are accompanied in both directions.

Light Green and Short Green courses cross a minor road at a mandatory crossing point.
Results Interim results will be published direct to the club website every few minutes during the event. There will be no printed results (apart from your own splits).

Full results will be published to the same location and to Routegadget; we aim to do so on the day of the event.
Officials
Planner Hannah Freeman
Organiser Neil Gostick
Controlling Mike Bennett
The small print

This event is registered with British Orienteering, number 84013.

Orienteering is a great sport for youngsters. If you bring children, please help us to keep to our safeguarding policy and British Orienteering’s photography policy.

Your personal data is used for results and insurance, see our privacy policy.