Evening Event
- When:
- Wednesday 6 September 2023
- Where:
- Ecclesall Woods - Sheffield
- Category:
- Local
- Results:
- View Results
- Splits Analysis:
- View Splits Analysis
Details
Hope you all enjoyed your runs around ecclesall this evening. Thank you to Euan for planning, Robyn for organising and Ian for some last minute map updates and the rest of our helpers (especially those collecting the controls in the dark!). Results and splits are available on the link above. Apologies for those on the Blue course for a couple of issues introduced during setting the maps up for printing, as it is a local event we have left the results as is.
Ecclesall Woods is a beautiful ancient woodland and an excellent orienteering area offering challenging technical orienteering to the experienced orienteer along with a good path network for newcomers.
Entries
All entries must be made in advance on the SYO Entry System. Entries are now open and close on Tuesday 5th September. There will be no entry on the day.
Parking & Travel
There is a bus stop on Ecclesall Road South, adjacent to the area. You can use the Travel South Yorkshire website to plan your travel.
Parking is in the car park on Whirlow Playing Fields - see map below. The car park could be busy with footballers. If so, please park on The Crescent by Whirlowbrook Hall or on Whirlowdale Rd, as indicated on the map below.
Nearest postcode: S17 3ES, What3words: again.shakes.chats.
Assembly, start & finish
Assembly is adjacent to parking. The start & finish are located in the same field.
Timings
Starts 5.30pm to 6.45pm. Courses close 7.45pm promptly. Please make sure you are back at the finish by this time even if you don't manage to complete your course. If you think you might take a long time, please come early.
Sunset is at 19.44. Later starters may benefit from taking a headtorch to read the map as the woods will be quite gloomy.
Courses
Yellow - Easy navigation - 2.2km, Ideal for younger juniors.
Orange - Navigation of medium difficulty - 2.7km. A good place for adult beginners to start.
Short Green - Navigationally Hard - 2.8km
Green - Navigationally Hard - 4.4km. Crosses Abbey Lane.
Blue - Navigationally Hard - 5.8km. Crosses Abbey Lane & Whirlowdale Rd
Distances are straight line route through terrain - you will run further than the distances stated. Ecclesall Woods is navigationally challenging at this time of year. If you are debating between 2 courses, go for the shorter option!
SI controls and timing will be used. Controls will be SIAC enabled.
Road Crossings
The green & blue courses cross Abbey Lane. This is a very busy road. You will cross it twice in the same place. There will be a 2 minute timed-out crossing in both directions and it will be marshalled. If the marshal tells you to wait please do so. When told to cross, please double check it is safe to cross.
The blue course also crosses Whirlowdale Road. There are no timed out crossings. This is not a busy road but some cars do travel quickly. Please take care when crossing.
Map & Terrain
Resurvey 2021/22, minor updates 2023 by Ian Cooper. Map to ISOM 2017-2
The woods are mixed deciduous & holly with an extensive & complex path network. There are curiosities such as the grave of George Woodley, a woodsman who apparently now haunts the woods. Hides which are transient & significant trees are not mapped, the latter because there are too many.
There are many out of bounds on the map. Please do not cross them unless there is a marked crossing as this is a requirement of our use of the area. These are all ecological. Some OOB are marked with a border, these are not taped on the ground but are to make the areas to avoid clearer on the map. Some streams have purple uncrossable boundaries on them, with crossing points marked in the normal way. Ecclesall Woods is a fantastic area but we do need to ensure that we are able to use it in the future, so must take care of all its ecology. It is heavily used by the public so is under a lot of pressure.
Costs
£6 adults (£5 members), £3 juniors & students.
Pairs / family groups just pay for one entry, extra map £1. Dibber hire free.
Newcomers
Newcomers are very welcome. Come along to the green tent when you arrive and someone will expain what you need to do.
Volunteers
We need volunteers to enable this event to go ahead. Control collectors also required.
If you can help in any way, please
Additional Safety Information
This area is well used by members of the public - please be courteous. Full leg cover is essential for all courses except yellow.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition that you need us to be aware of in case of emergency, please complete a medical form and leave it at enquiries.
Nearest hospitals
A&E for adults: Northern General Hospital S5 7AU
A&E for children: Sheffield Children’s Hospital S10 2TH
Minor Injuries for adults: 8am-8pm. Royal Hallamshire Hospital. S10 2TA
Event Officials
Planner - Euan Tryner
Organiser - Robyn Stanyon
Series Co-ordinator - Pauline Tryner.
Safety & risk
A comprehensive risk assessment will have been carried out by the organiser, but participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event. If a competitor has a pre-existing medical condition that they think should be declared, please complete a medical form at enquiries. The sealed envelope will only be opened in an emergency.
Photography
SYO has an agreed policy on the taking of photographs at events, based on national guidance. This provides a sensible balance between the benefits and risks associated with the taking and use of images. If you are unsure about acceptable practice, please speak to the event organiser. Read our photography policy.
Privacy
When entering our events your personal details (name, gender, age class & club) will appear in the results section of this website. Read our privacy policy to see how we look after your personal data.
Venue
Ecclesall Woods comprises over 100 hectares (300 acres) of mature deciduous woodland of variable runnability and is notable for a large number of thickets. The gently sloping land is divided by two roads and a network of bridleways, footpaths, streams and ditches. Some of the minor paths have become overgrown or are difficult to discern when covered by autumn leaves.