Lakes 5 Days

[Homer]

awk > I wholeheartedly echo the sentiment of your post.

Me too.

I also struggled to read the map in Eggerslack Woods but had no problems with the maps at O Ringen. Interestingly O Ringen still use offset printed paper maps in plastic bags.

Maybe I should just stop putting off the inevitable and get some glasses?

[mykind]

The vote at the AGM was about who decides what scale should be used. it had nothing whatever to do with what goes on the map or how the map is printed

[RS]

[quote]Its always been clear how the Lakes5 run their event. If you want things done differently with hoopla and extra stuff then come to RaceTheCastles (which is also cheaper).

There will be a goodie bag. For all full-package preentrants there will be free T-shirts, there will be free shortbread, there will be free oatcakes, there will be free porridge, there will be more great free stuff.

We hope that there will be no water at assembly, but this is Scotland in October so we can't promise ...[/quote]

How can £15 initial entry be cheaper than £15 RaceThe Castles initial entry And comparing urban prices, £8 at Lakes 5, £15 at RaceTheCastles?
Free stuff for those who can enter all events so the rest just entering the expensive urbans get nowt.

Sorry, Lakes 5 was an excellent event and the above quote was somewhat mealy-mouthed from someone who was not even there.

[charles2]

It has been said that Control 204 (tripod) was marked wrongly on the map which meant that courses 1,2 were effectively shortened.
But what about course 4. This course was shortened as well, finishing at control 14 (171) [excluding 203, 200, 199]. Does anyone know why?

[buzz]

The best Lakes 5 day yet. Absolutely stunning assembly areas. Easily the most varied terrain of any multi-day event I've been to. No doubt some ridiculously complicated logistical problems overcome with apparent ease. Well done to everyone involved.

The lakes has some superb orienteering areas but with large numbers access and parking is a nightmare. I'm sure the orienteering could have been compromised in favour of convenience, by choosing other areas, but I think an excellent balance was struck.

As a family with young children we decided that we wouldn't all do every event - so only Dad did the long walks to the start on he moorland days - this worked well for us. I think it would be acceptable to highlight the logistical difficulties and encourage people to enter only the races that might suit them.

For those that chose to orienteer abroad this year - you missed a treat!

BUT......

[denbydale]

I also struggled to read the map in Eggerslack Woods but had no problems with the maps at O Ringen. Interestingly O Ringen still use offset printed paper maps in plastic bags.

When I got home I compared the 2006 map with this year's and, admittedly from an armchair, found the 2006 much easier to read - the inks are less dense.

[DM]

It has been said that Control 204 (tripod) was marked wrongly on the map which meant that courses 1,2 were effectively shortened.
But what about course 4. This course was shortened as well, finishing at control 14 (171) [excluding 203, 200, 199]. Does anyone know why?

From comments made on the day I think 203 was placed, wrongly, and from that place, 204 was placed, also wrongly.

[buzz]

..... what happened to the course planning on Day 5!!!

I was really looking forward to the challenge of what should have been the best orienteering of the week, but of the 18 controls on course 2, only two were in the limestone pavement area. We dived straight onto slope, proceeded to zig zag up and down in an effort to accumulate as much climb as possible, disappeared for a loop around one of the least interesting bits of the Lake District to the south of the map, yomped back over the hill for a couple of controls in the limestone pavement before embarking on a traverse of a steep boring strip of woodland.

The kids courses were excellent with lots of rocks to scramble over - great views and a variety of big line features to follow.

Mrs Buzz's W40S course was superb visiting all the best bits of the area with every leg a challenge, but many felt they were too tough and would have enjoyed a bit of a respite.

It felt like the planner thought that long courses had to be more of a physical challenge in some way, but we'd had plenty of hill running on previous days.

[EddieH]

203 was clearly not on the correct feature which seemed very obvious to me and judging by the elephant track to most people.

The final wood was a total contrast to the rest of the area and whilst it had few features, the subtle widening of the contours on Bilbo's map made the proper sites quite fair in my opinion.

I was however surprised that a Bilbo map should be almost impossible to read (at least in pouring rain) in Eggerslack due to all the back dots. I suspect that had the event provided offset litho printed maps there would have been no problem.

I stand by my earlier comment about the overall week.

[EddieH]

and one other thing. Rally good toilet provision - hardly ever a queue. Clearly no economic stinting here, and having seen masses of portaloos at every bus stop, car park and venue at the Commonwealth games quite a wonder that there were any available in northern Britain.

[RichT]

Thanks to the volunteers from all of the clubs who helped during the week.

I am aware that there was a Technical Director in Dick Towler.
I believe he invited the Planners & Controllers of each day to consider the provision of 1:7500 maps.
Of course it is down to the preference of Planners & Controllers, given the area of their event, as to whether they feel a larger scale is required.

I cannot comment on the difficulty of reading the map on the slope of Eggerslack Woods as my course 8 was entirely within Hampsfell. But I also have the 2006 map which looks clearer, and presumably is due to the printing.

In 2006 the maps were printed by Pony Boy Printing. This year Iain only printed maps for Days 1, 2 and 4 (I believe). I do not know which printer was used for Day 5. Comparing the two maps, the 2014 Limestone pavement screen is much darker, and the contour lines darker (although this may be that the 2006 lines were thinner?).

[DavidHH]

The Lakes 5 Days was our first multi day event orienteering holiday. To us the areas used seemed excellent, particularly days 1 and 4, quite out of the ordinary for us southerners. The organisation and production of results also seemed excellent.

We treated the event as a holiday and with no internet connection were not searching for results each evening, and were happy to read the results the next day that were posted at the event.

The request for competitors to bring water/drinks to the event was also clearly stated prior to the event so we came prepared and this was not not exactly arduous.

Our group also contained a mixture of adults and juniors. The juniors did not find the treks to the start too much of a problem and by all accounts day 4 and the separate area of Blea Tarn was their favourite.

I must confess I did find the Eggerslack Woods section of the day 5 map difficult to read. Some of this might be down to lack of experience and tiredness by the 6th day (urban included), but with the darkness of the wood I do think 7,500 would have helped.

All in all the event to our eyes was excellent and we only hope our next multi day is as good. Congratulations to all at Lakes 5 days.

[DavidHH]

....and one other point. In addition to the 'string' course there was a 'no string' course. I don't know if this is new idea, but we had not come across it in our 2 and a bit years of orienteering. An excellent way to progress.

[graeme]

How can £15 initial entry be cheaper than £15 RaceThe Castles initial entry

because Race the Castles at £50 for five races is less than £15 per race?

[awk]

The vote at the AGM was about who decides what scale should be used. it had nothing whatever to do with what goes on the map or how the map is printed

It had everything to do with it! The issues that led to this, and the experiences upon which most people based their judgement, are very much down to production standards used in the UK. Most times, 1:7500 is only needed/wanted when one or more other standards (quality of mapping/printing etc) are being compromised. There are exceptions (Swiss Day 5, far more complex than most Lakeland terrain for instance, was at 1:7500 as this was one of them), but they would be much rarer. This has been more than adequately demonstrated by the Swedes and the Swiss.