Can anyone recommend a suitable first time event to travel to abroad for a family? We have been put off by horror stories of communal toilets! No way will my kids put up with that! Not so keen myself for that matter.
We are used to the British multi-day events but think it might be time to venture abroad.
Alternatively we could leave the kids at home and try something like the Venice event.
Recommendations for first time O abroad
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Re: Recommendations for first time O abroad
It's got to be the o-ringen - totally life changing experience. I agree Folly - shame about the clash
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Mrs H - god
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Re: Recommendations for first time O abroad
The O-Ringen is a "must do", but there are plenty of other good overseas events you could try first before going to something as big as that. France, Belgium, Germany, Holland all put on multi-day events that are friendly and generally well organised.
The calendar here list everything (though not much has been put in for 2012 yet):
http://cal.worldofo.com/
The calendar here list everything (though not much has been put in for 2012 yet):
http://cal.worldofo.com/
Martin Ward, SYO (Chair) & SPOOK.
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I'm a 1%er. Are you?
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Spookster - god
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Re: Recommendations for first time O abroad
We have only been to the Oringen and Czech 5 day, both I can recommend. Czech very warm and excellent forests, very cheap lager and food. Oringen expensive (Sweden) but a must do, to take in the enormity of such and event, you still end up running on your own for most of your course (well I did ) even though there 16,000 other runners lurking in the woods. Next year CROESO (as I am organising a day) and 2013 will be Oringen way up in Northern Sweden (note to self take midge repellent).
World of O has all the info you need (calendar link).
World of O has all the info you need (calendar link).
- PhilJ
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Re: Recommendations for first time O abroad
Thanks for the recommendations.
So which country has these communal toilets I've been ordered to avoid?!
So which country has these communal toilets I've been ordered to avoid?!
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HarryO - orange
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Re: Recommendations for first time O abroad
Having just got back from an excellent week there, I feel I should put in a plug for the OOCup in Slovenia. It's a bit smaller than some of the others mentioned on this thread, but has some of the most fantastic forests I have ever run in, brilliant organisation, real portaloos, and is (relatively) rather cheap. I've been twice and will almost certainly be going again
http://www.oocup.com/
http://www.oocup.com/
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"If only you were younger and better..."
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Scott - god
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Re: Recommendations for first time O abroad
You just have to go to Venice - it's brill - the kids'll be fine
Likewise for ORINGEN although I understand ORINGEN 2013 is going to be on better terrain than 2012 (Ravinous may know more). We have also done multidays in diverse countries such as Fin/Nor/Canada/Australia/NZ/Italy/Hungary/Switzerland without any toilet issues (long suffering girlfriend is also quite choosy about those sort of issues )
Burrah to Barossa down under will be hard to beat - 4 days of orienteering, 3 day red wine festival and then 3 days of orienteering. I was a bit shabby on day 1 of the 3 day event for some reason.
Slovenia, Czech and France still on my list of to dos
Likewise for ORINGEN although I understand ORINGEN 2013 is going to be on better terrain than 2012 (Ravinous may know more). We have also done multidays in diverse countries such as Fin/Nor/Canada/Australia/NZ/Italy/Hungary/Switzerland without any toilet issues (long suffering girlfriend is also quite choosy about those sort of issues )
Burrah to Barossa down under will be hard to beat - 4 days of orienteering, 3 day red wine festival and then 3 days of orienteering. I was a bit shabby on day 1 of the 3 day event for some reason.
Slovenia, Czech and France still on my list of to dos
hop fat boy, hop!
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madmike - guru
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Re: Recommendations for first time O abroad
Madmike is biased re: Venice as he now lives in Italy I believe. Urban races are likely to have more individualised toilets, although with Venice, the problem is the lack of them and the huge queues stretching down the staircases - I went into a hotel on the way to the start last year - very cheeky!
O-ringen 2012 is Halland, by a big lake and more sanddune type terrain and not as pure Scandinavian as many parts of scandinavia. I havent seen all the maps but I think it will be more like Scotland in fact than most o-ringens - ie more runnable, less rock.
The thing with O-ringen 2013 is it is Boden, north of the artic circle. These areas by contrast could be physically tougher due to it being rocky and bigger hills (more technical running) - but again I have not seem all the maps of all the areas. Both will be good in a way that o-ringen being big and well organised, is good. (Early entry deadline is 1st Nov.)
But o-ringen is expensive and it is better to decide now to save money on entries, etc!
However, why spend all that money next year when you can go to the welsh 6 days - Croseo - and support your local economy.
I think it unusual these days that you get communal toilets but it does happen. Typically, at standard Scandy events, there will be proper portaloos in assembly and cardboard boxes for example at the start, places in a circle maybe so you can chat to your friends! and behind screens. Simply yet effective. These are avoidable of course by going to the loo in the assembly area or just using the vast amounts of forest you are surrounded by.
But really, what is the big deal with a communal toilet? The queues are normally shorter! You just mind your own business and get on with it. If you make a big deal about it, especially to the kids, then it becomes a big deal.
There is no one country that has them or doesnt. I've seen them in use in probably a dozen countries, but it is less common than they were.
I would forget about choosing your O holiday based on the likelihood of going to the loo in sight of others but focus, like these other good people, on the forests and the countries themselves.
December issue of CompassSport has a comprehensive list of Foreign Multiday events around the globe with recommendations and comments from vast experience. World of O can be good, but doesnt have everything but does contain a lot more one day World Ranking Event type races -- but if you are a family, this is perhaps less relevant.
Perhaps as a first event and you are feeling less adventurous, a 3 day in holland/Belgium/France type contries could be good. What about the Belgium Xmas 5 Days!?
O-ringen 2012 is Halland, by a big lake and more sanddune type terrain and not as pure Scandinavian as many parts of scandinavia. I havent seen all the maps but I think it will be more like Scotland in fact than most o-ringens - ie more runnable, less rock.
The thing with O-ringen 2013 is it is Boden, north of the artic circle. These areas by contrast could be physically tougher due to it being rocky and bigger hills (more technical running) - but again I have not seem all the maps of all the areas. Both will be good in a way that o-ringen being big and well organised, is good. (Early entry deadline is 1st Nov.)
But o-ringen is expensive and it is better to decide now to save money on entries, etc!
However, why spend all that money next year when you can go to the welsh 6 days - Croseo - and support your local economy.
I think it unusual these days that you get communal toilets but it does happen. Typically, at standard Scandy events, there will be proper portaloos in assembly and cardboard boxes for example at the start, places in a circle maybe so you can chat to your friends! and behind screens. Simply yet effective. These are avoidable of course by going to the loo in the assembly area or just using the vast amounts of forest you are surrounded by.
But really, what is the big deal with a communal toilet? The queues are normally shorter! You just mind your own business and get on with it. If you make a big deal about it, especially to the kids, then it becomes a big deal.
There is no one country that has them or doesnt. I've seen them in use in probably a dozen countries, but it is less common than they were.
I would forget about choosing your O holiday based on the likelihood of going to the loo in sight of others but focus, like these other good people, on the forests and the countries themselves.
December issue of CompassSport has a comprehensive list of Foreign Multiday events around the globe with recommendations and comments from vast experience. World of O can be good, but doesnt have everything but does contain a lot more one day World Ranking Event type races -- but if you are a family, this is perhaps less relevant.
Perhaps as a first event and you are feeling less adventurous, a 3 day in holland/Belgium/France type contries could be good. What about the Belgium Xmas 5 Days!?
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Ravinous - light green
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Re: Recommendations for first time O abroad
Ravinous wrote:Madmike is biased re: Venice as he now lives in Italy I believe.
Si vero
you got me bang to rights
hop fat boy, hop!
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madmike - guru
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Re: Recommendations for first time O abroad
Although close to the Arctic Circle, Boden is actually about 45 miles south of it. All the areas being used for the O-Ringen in 2013 are also south of the Arctic Circle but the plan is to have late starts on one of the days so that everyone gets a chance to experience the midnight sun. Could be something special if you've never experienced it before, especially when out in the woods. Some of the races are being held at the downhill skiing area at Storklinten to the north-west of Boden where the terrain is very nice. The others races are being held closer to the town where there are low, very rocky hills. Although the forest is not very dense, there is a lot of rock under the gorund vegetation which can make it a lot harder to run than you might expect. I've run on almost all the areas being used. There are some similarities with this year's O-Ringen terrain but generally it will be different from what most people have seen before. The weather at that time of year is normally really dry and warm (30oC is not unusual) although it was unusually wet this year. Still, I'd recommend taking the chance to head up to Norrbotten. There are a number of small towns and villages within easy travelling distance of Boden so you're not restricted to the town if you're looking for somewhere to stay.
- Domhnull Mor
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Re: Recommendations for first time O abroad
Mr H and I have been looking forward to this since it was first mooted. It will be extraordinary Ravinous posted me this link which may make a valid travel option if it comes off and you have plenty of time to make a real holiday of it - let's hope so
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Mrs H - god
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