After a break over the summer the local orienteering Galloppen events are starting again, time to dig out the compass and get lost. The first one I can get to is at Tarn Hows. Sounds like a good area. One thing I have learned from doing a few events is that I prefer the more open fell type courses to the woodland ones. This was a mixture of both, but a few more trees than I would like.
I go for the usual 'blue' course. 6km and approx 200m ascent. Straight from the off I am in a bit of trouble. I know I am near the first control and recognise features from the map but just can't find it. There are a lot of people running around. Quick re think. Pick up a feature, stream, and follow to the kite. It works but I have lost 5 minutes before really getting going. The next few controls follow in pretty much the same way after which I am more on my own. Now I concentrate on what I want to do and things start to go better.
To add to the difficulty the bracken, although dying, is still high and made small features, re entrants etc quite hard to locate. Where the map showed complicated ground between me and the control I sometimes took a longer but easier to follow route. The 'Take a bearing and straight line it' option not always working.
I am glad when the end gets near, tired and annoyed with myself for the obvious mistakes. I guess that is orienteering. I am out over and hour and a half. On similar open fell I would be near the hour. Lots to learn. Or maybe move to Norfolk and take up cycling.
Russell
