Venue Castlewellan Forest Park
Date Sat, 8th Nov 25
Starts 18:00 to 19:30
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Event Description
This is the postponed event from February 2025.
Venue: Castlewellan Forest Park
Date: Saturday, 8th November 2025
Starts 18:00 to 19:30
Registration, Start and Finish: Registration is online via the SI Entries system. The start and finish of all courses will be near the small car park at the southeastern end of the main lake. Please use the upper main car park for car parking.
Terrain Summary: Castlewellan Forest Park is dominated by the park’s centrally located lake, the eastern end of which is mainly typical parkland with scattered mature trees, the forest carpark and visitor centre, and a large campground.
Most of the competition terrain will be in mixed hardwood/conifer forest that surrounds the main lake. Following the storms during this year, there has been constant path clearing of fallen trees by the council service; however, several mountain bike trails remain closed with uncleared fallen trees. Where possible these have taped or marked on the map with an X. There may be others, so please be careful. A recent and new small network of paths near the walled garden has been recently added.
Remaining areas of forest are of good general run ability, although there are many areas of undergrowth (brambles, nettles etc) especially along path edges and plantation margins.
The area is popular amongst mountain bikers, and despite the darkness, some bikers may be out on the trails at this time of the event. There are many MB trails in the area north of the lake marked on the map, some of which look obvious route choices. We have put advance public event notices in the park to advise mountain bikers of our event in the hope this will act as a deterrent to bikers on the night.
Courses are planned to avoid coming into close contact with the main lake which dominates the ground of the forest. Keep away from deep water!
Course & Classes
The NI Night Championships will have the following classes.
- Entry is by Class
- Competitors can choose to run up a class, e.g. an M50 may want to run the Long course but must then compete as M Open.
- Conversely, if you want to run a shorter course then select the closest age class for that course – but note that you will be deemed non-competitive for the class.
Long (approx 4.9k) / 100m climb – – – – – M/W Open
Medium (approx 3.2k) / 60m climb – – – M/W Vet 45+, M Super Vet 55+
Short (approx 2.0k) / 25m climb – – – – – W Super vet 55+, M/W Ultra Vet 65+, M/W16
Note that If a M/W14 wishes to run the NI Night Champs, they can only do so by being shadowed by an adult, and by being therefore non-competitive. LVO has a duty to juniors and so no M/W14 can run unaccompanied i.e. run competitively at the NI Night Champs. The adult must be an experienced orienteer holding current club membership who is capable of shadowing the junior for the entire length of the course.
First Aid and Safety
Course starts from 6pm and ending 8.30pm.
There will be 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 8.30pm sharp. If you are still out on the course at this time return to finish and download immediately to prevent the event safety team searching for you.
Kit requirements
Full body cover is mandatory.
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.
A fully operational and charged head torch is mandatory.
Carrying a mobile phone is advised. We intend to record this mobile number at the start and this will enable event safety officials to reach out to competitor not returned by course closure.
Parking
Car parking and download will be in the main carpark in Castlewellan Forest Park. There is a cost of £5 per car if entering before 6pm on the day.
Toilets
Public toilets are situated at the main car park. These are temporary toilets in the form of mobile cubicles. Other toilet facilities are located outside the forest park located at 17 Upper Square, Castlewellan BT31 9DD and are open until 8pm.
Location
Castlewellan Forest Park
Castlewellan
Castlewellan
BT31 9BU
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.