LVO Autumn Trophy

• Registration (and download) will be in the carpark.
• The start will be 300m level walk from the carpark.
• The finish will be a similar distance from the carpark.

Sociable group / family fee where all are going round a course together – entry fee is per required number of maps – one entry = one map.

There is no fee to hire an SI card if required, but lost cards are charged at £30.

Sociable group / family fee where all are going round a course together – entry fee is per required number of maps – one entry = one map. There is no fee to hire an SI card if required, but lost cards are charged at £30.

*Orienteering club members only. Avail of our reduced event rates by joining our club today: https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/join_online

**A family charge is for two seniors and one junior. Additional juniors go free.

***If you are entering a family of individual runners and it comes to more than the maximum charge for a family then please contact the organiser after you have paid for the individual Senior, or Junior/Student entries and we will arrange refund of the difference. Parents accompanying children go free.

Please note: Participants who are not members of British Orienteering or of another orienteering federation are not covered by British Orienteering’s public liability insurance. You are welcome to enter this event, but please understand that you are taking part at your own risk. For example, if you were to accidentally injure a member of the public or damage property during the event, you would not be covered. Members of Orienteering Ireland are covered by British Orienteering insurance. 

There has been vigorous summer growth where Storm Eowyn opened the canopy. This, together with a confusion of fallen and uncleared trees, has reduced visibility in the forest considerably.

Map 1:75,00, contour interval 2.5m. The map is based on a previous map by R Goffe, H White and E Wilson. Survey and cartography by Stephen Gilmore 2007. Updates 2011, 2015 & 2019 by Bill Simpson. Further edits by S Gilmore, R Gamble and G Collins following Storm Eowyn.

Some remapping had taken place following Storm Eowyn and some further remapping has taken place for this event. Not every fallen tree is mapped. Fallen trees may play a part in frustrating efforts to go in a straight line and reducing visibility. Competitors in the blue and green courses may expect to encounter fallen but crossable trees crossing paths. See the photographs below.

For blue and green courses, a further challenge is that paths have been largely removed from the map. The blue course will have a map turn (first part of the course on one side, second part on the other side). As the forest is relatively small and the courses are dense the purple lines between controls may be bent in some cases. They may even cross the lake – do not take this as an invitation to swim! The lake is out of bounds!

🟡 Yellow – 1.9km, 12 controls – along paths with more route choice decisions. Appropriate for newcomers and younger juniors with some experience.
🟠 Orange  – 3km, 14 controls – skills needed to navigate away from paths and more route choice decisions, some compass skills are expected. Aimed at novice adults and improving juniors.
🟢 Green 3.5km, 17 controls – technically demanding but less physical course.
🔵 Blue 5.2km, 27 controls – technically and physically demanding course.

There will be a first aid and a qualified first aider available at registration. Registration is also a safe place for lost children to wait.

Please do not come to the event if you are unwell.

Please bring and carry any medication you might need, especially inhalers and EpiPen’s.

If you come across an injured or ill person, please stop, help and get further help. There will likely be qualified first aiders on the course who can stop to provide support.

All participants must return to download, whether they complete the course or not. This is to account for all competitors, ensuring everyone’s safe return.

Courses will close and controls collected in at 3pm sharp. If you are still out on the course at this time return to finish and download immediately.

The forest is in a messy state with half fallen trees. The event will be subject to a wind-safety review based on the weather forecast in the days before the event. A yellow wind warning or worse may lead to a postponement.

A whistle (emergency alert is 6 loud blasts per minute) is mandatory. A waterproof jacket may also be mandatory if the organisers decide the weather requires one, so bring one along just in case.

Parking will be in the main carpark here or in the overflow carpark at Beechlawn School, here.

There are a number of local restaurants, coffee shops and artisan bakeries – all within walking distance of the main carpark.

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens are usually open at the weekends – but check beforehand as closures can happen at short notice due to political events.