I've just moved down sarf to Weymouth in Dorset and have discovered that this area (west Dorset especially) seems to be a bit of an orienteering blackhole.
Hopefully I'm wrong, and if so I'm sure someone will let me know. However, this got me wondering, are there many other areas in the UK where little or no o'ing happens?
P.S. I think I'll just specialise in the major events from now on...
Orienteering Blackholes
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Re: Orienteering Blackholes
I think you local club would be Wessex - perhaps try getting in touch with them? Be warned that SW orienteering does generally go into hibernation over the summer, at least compared with that in the SC/SE regions.
British Orienteering Director | Opinions expressed on here are entirely my own, and do not represent the views of British Orienteering.
"If only you were younger and better..."
"If only you were younger and better..."
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Scott - god
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Re: Orienteering Blackholes
Well, you can see the black holes (for June and July) on Oliver O'Brien's orienteering event map.*
Isn't Wessex one of the clubs in the "increasing participation" project?? If so, and if it goes well, the black hole might be filled next year. I'm sure they would welcome another experienced orienteer getting involved.
*but this doesnt include all local events
Isn't Wessex one of the clubs in the "increasing participation" project?? If so, and if it goes well, the black hole might be filled next year. I'm sure they would welcome another experienced orienteer getting involved.
*but this doesnt include all local events
- SeanC
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Re: Orienteering Blackholes
LOCAL ORIENTEERING EVENTS OPEN TO ALL – MAY/JUNE
Wimborne Orienteers covers most of the Dorset area outside Poole & Bournemouth. http://www.wimborne-orienteers.org.uk/
Wessex Orienteering Club cover the Poole, Bournemouth & Christchurch area
http://www.wessex-oc.org/
Sarum Orienteering Club cover the South Wiltshire (Salisbury) area and North West Hampshire (Fordingbridge/Romsey) area.
http://www.sarumo.org.uk//
Sat 14th June: Wimborne Orienteers “Come & Try it” at Moors Valley Country Park. (see information below) http://www.wimborne-orienteers.org.uk
Saturday 14th June: Wimborne Orienteers ‘Come and Try It’ event Borough Gardens Dorchester
Details from http://www.dorchester-tc.gov.uk/Whats+On
Saturday 21st June: Wimborne Orienteers Mountain Bike Orienteering Event – Ringwood Forest and Moors Valley http://www.wimborne-orienteers.org.uk
Saturday 21st June: Christchurch Physical Activity Festival at The Grange School, Christchurch. Come & Try it Orienteering event http://www.wimborne-orienteers.org.uk
Saturday 28th June: Wessex Orienteering Club and Poole Festival of Sport – Carter Community College, Hamworthy. http://www.wessex-oc.org
I hope this helps - we are in the rather 'quiet' season at the moment and not all local events are published in fixtures.
I tried to e-mail this to you but it said you did not exist - sorry
All the best and look forward to meeting you soon
Wimborne Orienteers covers most of the Dorset area outside Poole & Bournemouth. http://www.wimborne-orienteers.org.uk/
Wessex Orienteering Club cover the Poole, Bournemouth & Christchurch area
http://www.wessex-oc.org/
Sarum Orienteering Club cover the South Wiltshire (Salisbury) area and North West Hampshire (Fordingbridge/Romsey) area.
http://www.sarumo.org.uk//
Sat 14th June: Wimborne Orienteers “Come & Try it” at Moors Valley Country Park. (see information below) http://www.wimborne-orienteers.org.uk
Saturday 14th June: Wimborne Orienteers ‘Come and Try It’ event Borough Gardens Dorchester
Details from http://www.dorchester-tc.gov.uk/Whats+On
Saturday 21st June: Wimborne Orienteers Mountain Bike Orienteering Event – Ringwood Forest and Moors Valley http://www.wimborne-orienteers.org.uk
Saturday 21st June: Christchurch Physical Activity Festival at The Grange School, Christchurch. Come & Try it Orienteering event http://www.wimborne-orienteers.org.uk
Saturday 28th June: Wessex Orienteering Club and Poole Festival of Sport – Carter Community College, Hamworthy. http://www.wessex-oc.org
I hope this helps - we are in the rather 'quiet' season at the moment and not all local events are published in fixtures.
I tried to e-mail this to you but it said you did not exist - sorry
All the best and look forward to meeting you soon
- Barny of Blandford
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Re: Orienteering Blackholes
Although theres no defined boundaries, I would have thought that Romsey (and New Forest East for that matter) is much more within SOC (Southampton Orienteering Club - http://southampton-orienteers.org.uk/).
Welcome to the region, hope you find a club and some events that suit.
Welcome to the region, hope you find a club and some events that suit.
- stsam
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Re: Orienteering Blackholes
Romsey isn't really very near Weymouth WSX or WIM are much better!!
- Tatty
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Re: Orienteering Blackholes
I did think that as orienteers use maps they might also be fairly good at Geography - obviously I thought wrong.
Weymouth used to have it's own club but due to falling numbers (doesn't just happen in schools) it is no longer and most existing members joined WIM and WSX. To the north you have QO and to the east you have DEVON. So you have plenty of choice. It is fair to say that virtually all the clubs in this area overlap each other in membership and events with a fair number of events, but certainly not all, being in the New Forest area.
Weymouth used to have it's own club but due to falling numbers (doesn't just happen in schools) it is no longer and most existing members joined WIM and WSX. To the north you have QO and to the east you have DEVON. So you have plenty of choice. It is fair to say that virtually all the clubs in this area overlap each other in membership and events with a fair number of events, but certainly not all, being in the New Forest area.
- Barny of Blandford
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Re: Orienteering Blackholes
Barny of Blandford wrote:I did think that as orienteers use maps they might also be fairly good at Geography - obviously I thought wrong.
I should have used the quote feature to identify the text of your post to which I was originally responding:
"Sarum Orienteering Club cover the South Wiltshire (Salisbury) area and North West Hampshire (Fordingbridge/Romsey) area."
but if youre going to post to criticise someones geography, perhaps you should consider your own cartographical skills.
Barny of Blandford wrote:and to the east you have DEVON.
I think you'll find Devon to the West of Weymouth.
- stsam
- string
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Re: Orienteering Blackholes
Sorry - always did have trouble as a left hander with my left and right
- Barny of Blandford
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Re: Orienteering Blackholes
If you enter your postcode into my Maps page (which is similar to my Events page someone mentioned above) then, as well as seeing maps near to you, it also lists the five closest clubs to you - simply based on which club "owns" the nearest maps.
For Weymouth there is certainly a "black hole" of maps. In Weymouth's case, WIM and WSX are indeed the nearest.
For Weymouth there is certainly a "black hole" of maps. In Weymouth's case, WIM and WSX are indeed the nearest.
Stop talking, start running.
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Angry Haggis - blue
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Re: Orienteering Blackholes
Of course, one of the reasons for the dearth of O-maps around Weymouth is that there isn't much land to the South (except Portland) but there is rather a lot of sea, which might explain it!
During the summer. the Forestry Commission doesn't allow orienteering events to take place in the New Forest area between April and August/September in order to protect ground nesting birds and other wildlife living in the heathland. Indeed, with global warming allowing birds to start their breeding seasons earlier, it is quite possible that the ban will begin in March in future, which could cause major problems to orienteering in our region.
This year, for the first time the FC decided to apply the same ruling to the Dorset forests and declined permission to use certain areas which meant that WIM have had to cancel a number of intended events. The FC have since had something of a change of heart, realising that they meant to prevent orienteering on the heathland areas in Dorset forests during the summer, but not necessarily the commercial woodland.
So we have been allowed to organise an MTBO event (this coming Saturday) but it was not possible to re-instate other events - hence the black hole as far as summer events goes. Normal service resumes in September and through the winter months.
During the summer. the Forestry Commission doesn't allow orienteering events to take place in the New Forest area between April and August/September in order to protect ground nesting birds and other wildlife living in the heathland. Indeed, with global warming allowing birds to start their breeding seasons earlier, it is quite possible that the ban will begin in March in future, which could cause major problems to orienteering in our region.
This year, for the first time the FC decided to apply the same ruling to the Dorset forests and declined permission to use certain areas which meant that WIM have had to cancel a number of intended events. The FC have since had something of a change of heart, realising that they meant to prevent orienteering on the heathland areas in Dorset forests during the summer, but not necessarily the commercial woodland.
So we have been allowed to organise an MTBO event (this coming Saturday) but it was not possible to re-instate other events - hence the black hole as far as summer events goes. Normal service resumes in September and through the winter months.
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kedge - light green
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