We hope you enjoyed your 'Orienteering Taster' event at Wandlebury.  Orienteering events take place across the country most weekends.  Most of them are suitable for beginners where you can just turn up, register and compete.  More information about orienteering can be found in the article What is Orienteering or to find out more about your local club WAOC and how to join us read the article Welcome To WAOC 

Next local event:  5 December 2004 - Maulden Wood, Clophill.  Beginners welcome.

Family Orienteering Taster Event Results
Saturday 13, Nov 2004

Wandlebury Country Park

Organisers Comments

Around 18 families, involving over 30 children and over 30 parents and grandparents, came to Wandlebury to try orienteering, most for the first time.  Many knew Wandlebury as visitors and were keen to try a new activity. The day was sunny and dry, but cold, which encouraged the good attendance figures. Wandlebury staff offered a range of activities, including map diagrams, a map orientation game using a flower pot grid, map walk to school area start point, star exercises and mini courses using the school / youth group area, string trail and yellow course. Many families thought that they would try orienteering again, perhaps at future WAOC events, and took WAOC introductory leaflets.

This event was a long time in the making. Back in Spring 2003, WAOC members Bruce Marshall, Russ Ladkin and Jean Sinclair (also a Wandlebury Assistant Ranger) resurveyed the park and updated the map. In Spring 2004, all the Wandlebury Field teachers and Head Ranger Jon Gibbs attended BOF (British Orienteering Federation) Level 1 coaching course, and Jon Gibbs, Frances Cooper and Jean Sinclair also attended a Level 2 course. At the same time, Pauline Olivant, BOF Schools Development Officer, and Ursula Oxburgh of WAOC advised about designing a special course and map for school and youth groups. Jean Sinclair designed the approximately Yellow standard course and fixed orienteering symbols on new or existing posts. WAOC used Wandlebury for Wednesday evening events in summers 2003 and 2004, plus a SMILE event in 2004.

Cambridge Preservation Society / Wandlebury Country Park will make Yellow Course maps available to visitors at £2.50 per map, and can offer teaching / coaching sessions to school and youth groups - for details, contact the CPS office on 01223 243830.

String Trail
Name                                 Age         Time
Patrick Campbell (2nd run)            10         3:00 mins
Patrick Campbell (1st run)            10         3:30 mins
Charlie                                7         4 mins
Todd Cooper (2nd run)                  7         4 mins
Mollie Gibbs                           6         4:50 mins
Rebecca                                9         4:50 mins
Todd Cooper (1st run)                  7         5 mins 
Navise (2nd run)                       6         5 mins 
Ellie                                  9         5 mins
Christy (2nd run)                      8         5:50 mins
Lewis Cooper (2nd run)                 5         6 mins
Jenny Rogers                           4         7 mins
Jessica                                9         7 mins
Daniel Gibbs                           9         7 mins
Henry Smith                            8         9 mins
Isobel                                 3        10 mins
Michael                                3        10 mins
Duncan Cooper                          4        10 mins
Lewis Cooper (1st run)                 5        10 mins
Lucy Clemons                           6        10 mins
Alice Clemons                          8        10 mins
Ben Swannack                           8        10 mins
Christy (1st run)                      8        10 mins
Navise (1st run)                       6        10 mins
David Swannack                         5        13 mins
Rebecca & Daniel Moorcroft           7&4        13 mins
Anthony                                7        14 mins
Annabel Ross                           5        15 mins
William Ross                           1        16 mins
Aphra Hiscock                          6 (just) 17 mins
Isidore Hiscock                        4 (just) 17 mins
Owen                                   4        24 mins
Amber                                  5        24 mins

Yellow (Short - omitting control 26)
Name                                 Age         Time
Laura & Chloe Devlin                13&9        0:30:00
Beth & William Archer                5&4        0:40:00

Yellow (Long - including control 26)
Name                                 Age         Time
Yao Shi & Damian Bell              12&12        0:25:00
Jenny, Christine & Rebecca Rogers  4,7&9        0:36:00
Ben & David Swannack                 8&5        0:46:00
Nicky & Emma Saville                13&?        1:01:00
Jack Tunbridge                         7        1:05:00
Anthony & Michael Wharton            7&3        1:10:00