Autumn Trophy 1 – Cairn Wood

Venue Cairn Wood
Date Sat, 9th Sep 23
Starts 11:00 to 13:00
iCal file iCal

Event Description

Please consider the parking arrangements below.

Don’t miss our first Autumn Trophy race of 2023.

Once again we will get to make good use of these newly mapped woods with the four usual courses on offer. Those on longer courses may pass the forest’s summit at the back where you can enjoy spectacular views over Newtownards & Scrabo along with a quick breather!

Cairn Wood is a delightful established forest – a mix of pine and deciduous – and very suitable for those competitors wishing to step up from learning courses. Large and medium paths will help juniors, and all routes lead back to the central main path to the car park. Don’t expect those smaller paths to be necessarily that distinct, but there are some lovely free running areas, criss-crossed with ditches and streams.

A general hillside slopes up towards a quarry running along the south west. Much of wood to the south west has also been cut to leave open areas of high vegetation. It is heavily used by dog walkers, so please be careful at the start and finish.
A previous map can be viewed here.

• Registration will open from 10.45 AM.
• Start will be open from 11 AM to 1 PM, booked in 15 min slots via SiEntries. This is a remote start – 700 m walk and 70 m ascent – signposted from the car-park, ensuring that unnecessary climb on the courses is avoided (subject to route choice, of course)
• Courses close at 2.30 PM.

Entries can be pre-booked online (see below) or on the day, however pre-entry is preferred to guarantee you a map from the limited supply.

Courses

🔵 Short Blue  –  a longer and more physical, technically difficult course
4.7 km,  150 m climb,  19 controls

🟢 Short Green  –  a technically challenging course but not too long and physical
3.4 km,  105 m climb,  18 controls

🟠 Orange  –  an improver’s course, for those with experience  who want a bit more adventure
3.0 km,  20 m climb,  15 controls

🟡 Yellow  –  a beginner course specifically suited to children or families to explore together
2.0 km,  10 m climb,  12 controls

Map scale 1:5000 & contour interval 5 m.

Parking & Registration

We will be using the main forest car-park off the B170 Craigantlet Road.
There will be extremely limited space for competitor’s vehicles – along with the public – so you are asked please to consider car-sharing or make a quick getaway after your race. There will not even be space for the MOO!

Do not park on the side of the road. Dundonald Park&Ride is conveniently located at the south end of the Craigantlet Rd if car-sharing.

Registration & Facilities

Registration and download will be operated from a car (not MOO) or if we are lucky a gazebo.

There’s a public toilet in the car park (normally open) as well as the usual coffee/cake van.

Entry

Fees

• Senior (21&over)  –  £8 member,  £10 non-member
• Junior/Student  –  £4 member,  £5 non-member
• Family charge  –  £20 members,  £25 non-members,  at a maximum

There is no fee to hire or change an SI card if required, however lost cards at charged at £30.

      

Safety

Please respect any impassable fences, warning signs and hatched purple along the south-west map boundary as the forest backs onto a private quarry with sheer drops.
Also take care in the car-park where it is always busy, although courses have been planned not to cross it mid-leg.

Full leg cover and good trail shoes are recommended, especially if courses pass through the open section in the West.
Do not use any rope swings encountered while out on the course.

If weather is poor whistles and waterproof jackets may be compulsory.
If necessary take a safety bearing North back to the main road.

Volunteers

Thanks to planner Alison Collins, organiser Dan Earnshaw and controller Geoffrey Collins.

 

 

Location

Cairn Wood
21 Craigantlet Road
Newtownards
BT23 4TE

Volunteers

To volunteer at this event please email volunteer@lvo.org.uk. You can find information on each role here as well as the current list of volunteers.