"Lost" areas

[Arnold]

Was going through my map archive the other day and found quite a few races on great areas that don't seem to have been used for a while. Which is a shame, given they're great areas. Or it might just be me not aware of races on those areas.

So does anyone know whatever happened to...
- Docharn and Deishar & Rothiemurchus (Scotland)
- Trossachs (Scotland)
- Hawksmoor and Dimmingsdale (Midlands)
- Silver Howe & Holme Fell (my personal favourite) - Lakes
- Pembrey & Merthyr Mawr (Wales)
- Newborough (Wales) - yes I know the JHI is there but what about the rest of us?
- Bernwood, Great Hampden & Whiteleaf (TVOC)

and I'm sure there's more.

[Scott]

I've run on Merthyr Mawr in the last eighteen months - only in a closed event, but I would assume that it's still in use otherwise. Whiteleaf and Bernwood are certainly still being used by TVOC - some ill-advised forestry work and a very out-of-date map had turned the latter into my least-favourite forest in southern England last time I was there, although there's an event there this Wednesday if you want to check it out for yourself (I think the map, at least, has now been updated).

[xtophe]

I've run at Pembrey 1 year ago (and 3 years ago) for a SBOC Welsh League and next day for the 2x2 relay.

People were saying it's getting more overgrown every year. Might be why there is less events on it

[EddieH]

Sadly there has been a change of owner of at least some of Docharn and Deishar. I am not sure what may be available.

[RJ]

Holme Fell and Silver How are both still in use.

[PhilJ]

Pembrey & Merthyr Mawr - both SBOC areas:

Pembrey - there's event there on 1st July - 3km 'O' plus 10km MTBO - teams of 2 or do both courses yourself. Granted it is not as good as it was 10 years ago but we had an extension done a while back and included pembrey burrows (marram (?) grass - complex dunes).

Merthyr Mawr - weds night event there on 22nd July (Y/Or/Lgt Gr/Gr) still good on the bottom slopes, don't use the top section any more - to rough underfoot. Think EAJS were down a few weeks back and did some training there.

Pembrey (again) - weds 26th august (Y/Or/Lgt Gr/Gr)

Newborough - all to do with access I'm afraid - no matter what ERYRI try they have problems getting onto it. I'm hoping to have a run there after the Juniors (JHI) have had theirs.

Thanks for the free publicity

[Scott]

Merthyr Mawr - don't use the top section any more - to rough underfoot.

Does that mean no legs going straight down that massive sandy slope?

[PhilJ]

massive sandy slope

aka the Big Dipper - we haven't for a few years, although I did the Merthyr Mawr Pudding race at Xmas and it started at the bottom (as usual) - ooh my legs were burning by the time I got to the top. Allegedly the second highest sand dune in Europe !

[graeme]

- Bernwood.

...was always so horrible that they had to change the name after every event.

Rothiemurchus was a nightmare to plan on - its riddled with SSSIs and we never got permission again after the six day. Docharn is still usable I think , but like every forest
round there it's jam-packed full of "rare" birds .

[Stodgetta]

Hawksmoor & Dimmingsdale is a man-eating bramble fest

[mharky]

Rothiemurchus was a nightmare to plan on - its riddled with SSSIs and we never got permission again after the six day. Docharn is still usable I think , but like every forest round there it's jam-packed full of "rare" birds .

does that affect the right-to-roam, or can we still go in there for solo missions?

[greywolf]

does that affect the right-to-roam, or can we still go in there for solo missions?

That'd depend on who you ask. You could try Scottish "Natural" Heritage, the quango responsible for promoting your right of responsible access as enshrined in part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and described in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code...

or you could try the quango responsible for restricting public access to the countryside for conservation purposes....oh, that's also SNH.....

however, given that a) they are mostly a bunch of desk-bound numpties who wouldn't dream of actually going out into a big dark scary forest and b) they wouldn't recognise a rare bird if it flew up their collective rectums (their scientific advisory group once looked at some horse chestnut seedlings in a tree nursery and asked why i was growing cannabis ) I should think you're better off not asking anyone at all and just getting on with it...

[LostAgain]

(their scientific advisory group once looked at some horse chestnut seedlings in a tree nursery and asked why i was growing cannabis )

I take it you replied "It helps me get through these meetings "

[geomorph]

does that affect the right-to-roam, or can we still go in there for solo missions?

as per usual the legislation is woolly.
The key to me is that you do not engage in any organised games etc and do not use any vehicle.
The woolly bit is that they often use the term 'rambler' or 'walker'.

Carrying the best detailed map you can get hold of is critical for safety reasons, and to ensure that you do not stray into unfenced protected areas. Obviously an orienteering map is a prime example of such an aid.


I have a great deal of difficulty understanding the reasons for the lack of access at Newborough forest (not the warren mind you). The management of the area seems to have declined in quality over the past few years and general usage erosion is creeping over an ever-widening area, but I admit I am not aware of any environmental changes that may be hastening this.

I ran round last Spring on the BOC map as a safety aid, dodging bikes and loose dogs and watching unattended children destroy steep unstable slopes (within 200m of beach only).

[pyrat]

Apparently there is a world ranking event on the Trossachs next year? Can anyone confirm this?