CUOC are in the process of updating the map for the High Lodge Warren permanent course in Thetford Forest. At the moment the Visitor Centre is selling maps dating from 1998 which bear little resemblance to the ground in many places: there have been two newer versions of the map used for events. Although all the posts are still there, some have been moved from their original position, others have lost their control feature and there is also now a marked mountain bike trail which goes through some of the depressions used as sites.
Anyone for whom this course is the first impression of the sport is unlikely to be impressed: indeed when there last weekend I had to help a family who were at the right path junction, but could not see the control post hidden in the bracken. So I'm thinking about completely re-planning the course, but realise that I don't really know who are the main users of the permanent course and what they want.
My initial thought is to plan yellow, orange, red and blue courses to normal colour coded standards, to try to cater for a range of abilities - do you think this is a sensible idea? Have you ever been to a permanent course as an experienced orienteer wanting a technical course? How are your local permanent courses arranged?
What makes a good Permanent Course?
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Thanks for raising this - our committee were very much in favour of not amending the courses - just reprinting the map.
We put up a POC at Rendlesham this year and had three easy path based courses and two with off path controls. The length of those last two are 3.9 and 4.5km, approx light green /green standard.
I think it would be good to have something in between a red and a blue (bearing in mind at High Lodge it is difficult to have a TD4 control let alone TD5).
I've had phone calls asking for more technical courses for experienced orienteers on the POC, but I think the take up at High lodge is a lot of day visitors - like the family you found - they do sell a lot of maps. Rendlesham also has magnetic north arrows on the top of the posts to help map alignment.
It would be good if the course could be used by school groups who may want to walk the forest first and do some kind of star relay things - this may mean moving the start, or having a suitable control that this activity could be set up around.
Rendlesham also has anagrams of tree names when you've visited the correct controls - this goes down well with kids - when I did a school day, and didn't give them an anagram they were most perturbed.
Peter Bylett (BOF Dev) is organising a consulting group on POCs aiming to address a lot of the questions you're asking - but I think we need to get this done before the results will be published.
Any one else like to add their comments - I have at least two other POCs that are in a similar (or worse) state to High Lodge that we need to do something about.
We put up a POC at Rendlesham this year and had three easy path based courses and two with off path controls. The length of those last two are 3.9 and 4.5km, approx light green /green standard.
I think it would be good to have something in between a red and a blue (bearing in mind at High Lodge it is difficult to have a TD4 control let alone TD5).
I've had phone calls asking for more technical courses for experienced orienteers on the POC, but I think the take up at High lodge is a lot of day visitors - like the family you found - they do sell a lot of maps. Rendlesham also has magnetic north arrows on the top of the posts to help map alignment.
It would be good if the course could be used by school groups who may want to walk the forest first and do some kind of star relay things - this may mean moving the start, or having a suitable control that this activity could be set up around.
Rendlesham also has anagrams of tree names when you've visited the correct controls - this goes down well with kids - when I did a school day, and didn't give them an anagram they were most perturbed.
Peter Bylett (BOF Dev) is organising a consulting group on POCs aiming to address a lot of the questions you're asking - but I think we need to get this done before the results will be published.
Any one else like to add their comments - I have at least two other POCs that are in a similar (or worse) state to High Lodge that we need to do something about.
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PorkyFatBoy - diehard
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Make sure that you have some information (perhaps printed on the map) about the local club, how to join, perhaps a web address (but make sure you have up to date info on there) so that users can continue orienteering and it isn't just a one off thing. Surely permanent courses are an ideal source of new orienteers....
Clare
Clare
- Guest
Isn't giving kids anagrams of tree names to do going against the whole nope idea of selling the sport as a fast, furious racing sport?
POCs are great, but surely they need to give an experience of the closest thing to O possible? This sounds mysteriously like a treasure hunt to me...
POCs are great, but surely they need to give an experience of the closest thing to O possible? This sounds mysteriously like a treasure hunt to me...
Will? We've got proper fire now!
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Becks - god
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Point taken, Becks - but can you really get a feel for the fast furious racing sport on a POC, on your own? Ultimately I guess they're a compromise between the potential users, school groups, youth organisations, experienced orienteers and families who just want to try it with no intention of ever running. Most POCs are in very public places (like High Lodge) and judging by the number of maps they sell, it is probably lots of families - who probably don't see it as a sport, rather an activity. They won't take up MTB racing either, but will ride their bikes around the forest.
I wonder whether we could include an introductory leaflet with the maps, perhaps include them in the bag if it is a resealable type, that promotes the sport locally and nationally.
I wonder whether we could include an introductory leaflet with the maps, perhaps include them in the bag if it is a resealable type, that promotes the sport locally and nationally.
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PorkyFatBoy - diehard
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I have produced a tri-fold for the club - now in its second incarnation (Mr H. deleted my original master copy by mistake - but the new one is much better ) i could send you one to have a look at if you wanted to copy it. Also i think the BOF leaflet " an Adventure sport for all" (The one with Streaker's silhoutte on) is actually quite good and would make a good introduction - but it's not cheap as i recall. PM me if you want to.
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Mrs H. - nope godmother
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