NICS 3 Gortalughany
NI Colour Series 3 2023
Venue Gortalughany (what3words location link – factoring.either.revolts)
Date Saturday, 20 May 23
Starts 11:30 to 13:00
Directions:
From Enniskillen follow road signs for SLIGO (A4). After approx. 2 miles take a LEFT turn on to the (A32) towards Florencecourt and SWANLINBAR. Continue on the (A32) – past the turn to Florencecourt – then approx. a further 3 miles. Look for a turn to the RIGHT on to a minor road signposted GORTALUGHANY VIEWPOINT (‘O’ signs also).
This road winds uphill. It has steep zigzag bends towards the end just before reaching the car parking. This will be at the small viewpoint car park and along the roadside beyond it; please park closely and leave room for cars to exit back past you. All terrain adjacent to this road is OUT–OF–BOUNDS.
Entry details
- Online entry at SiEntries.
- Entries close on Sunday 14th May 2023.
- There won’t be a White course.
Entry Fees
- Senior Members (Age class 21 and over) £10 Non-members £12
- Junior / Student Members £5 Non-members £6
- Maximum charge for a family Members £25 Non-members £30
- If you are entering a family and it comes to more than £25 then please contact the organiser after you have paid for the individual Senior, or Junior/Student entries and we will arrange refund of the difference. Parents accompanying children go free.
- SI timing card hire is free but is charged at replacement cost £30 if lost.
Terrain notes:
This is a challenging area.It is open moorland with occasional areas of scrub woodland often where blanket bog meets limestone terrain. There are very few tracks but some fences which may prove helpful. It has good contour detail particularly depression features; some of these are entrances to very deep vertical potholes and cave systems. Very deep or less obvious ones are coloured purple and should be avoided.
Competitors are warned to take care crossing depression areas particularly were thick ground cover vegetation or scrub woodland limits visibility.
Conditions are expected to be generally wet underfoot with some ‘poached’ ground. Vegetation is generally runnable. There are small numbers of cattle and sheep on the terrain.
It should be obvious from the description above that this is not terrain for BEGINNERS! It will however offer a very suitable challenge, both physical and technical, for those who wish to IMPROVE.
Facilities
There are no toilets at Gortalughany.
Course Safety
Whistles will be compulsory; cags will be required in adverse weather; don’t forget to bring these. At this altitude misty conditions are not uncommon.
Registration
Not required if using own SI Card – proceed directly to start. Hire cards can be collected from the Organiser in the carpark.
Start
Start times are in 15min blocks with up to 6 runners on each colour in each start block. There will be no clothing transfer (hopefully the weather will be benign at this time of year!)
Provisional Course Details TBC
Map
1:10,000 with 5m contour intervals for courses Green, Blue and Brown. 1:7500 for Short Green, Light Green, Orange and Yellow. The map was professionally updated in late April 2022. Descriptions will be in text on the map for Yellow.
All loose descriptions will be IOF symbols.
Finish & Download
After finishing proceed to download in the carpark.
Provisional Course Details TBC
Planner: Philip McGoldrick
Controller: Damian Gribbin
Organiser: Raymond Finlay
Covid related guidelines
We will be following British Orienteering’s current Covid Guidelines and trust everyone will be using their common sense to ensure that all competitors are as safe as possible. Please adhere to the British Orienteering Participant Code of Conduct
Emerald Isle Fermanagh Sprint
Emerald Isle Fermanagh Sprint
Venue Florence Court National Trust
what3words location link –knees.manual.handsets
Date Wednesday 3rd May 2023
Starts 12:00 – 14:00
Event Description
Welcome to the National Trust property at Florence Court Co. Fermanagh. This splendid Georgian Mansion is set in extensive parkland surrounded by Florencecourt Forest. The event will take place around the Mansion buildings and its delightful pleasure and walled gardens. This venue was used for the Irish Sprint Championships in 2019.
Facilities
Toilets are in the courtyard, 150m from parking. Signed and taped. No dob spikes or very muddy shoes please!
The property offers House Tours (bookable in advance directly with National Trust). There is a café in the courtyard.
Entry details
- Online entry at SiEntries from Sunday 5th March.
- Entries close Tuesday 18th April at 22:00.
Entry Fees
(These include a Parking charge – NT members are eligible for a refund of this parking charge; see organiser at Assembly)
- Senior Members (Age class 21 and over) £8 Non-members £10
- Junior / Student Members £4 Non-members £5
- Maximum charge for a family Members £20 Non-members £25
- If you are entering a family and it comes to more than the above price then please contact the organiser for a refund of the difference. Parents accompanying children go free.
- SI timing card hire is free but is charged at replacement cost £30 if lost.
Parking
At the entry kiosk inform the NT official that you are attending the orienteering event. Then follow orienteering signs up the main avenue and past the mansion house to parking.
Terrain Notes
This area is crossed by a network of access roads and walking paths; many are wheelchair accessible; a little hilly, the gradients are generally not steep. It is fast running terrain though some route choices through woodland may encounter small areas of windblow, brashings and low bramble.
A number of areas are mapped as olive green. Competitors MUST stay on the paths which pass through them. Access roads in particular are edged by hedges, some only beginning to mature. However, they are mapped with the dark green, ‘Impassable hedge’ symbol. Only mapped gaps or light green sections may be crossed.
Course Safety
Underfoot grass areas and embankments may prove slippery particularly after wet weather; courtyards are cobbled which can also be slippery.
Registration
Not required if using own SI Card – proceed directly to start. Hire cards can be collected from the Organiser in the carpark.
Start
The Start (50m) will be close to the parking area but the Finish will require a walk back of about 450m. This is a low-key event so there are no ‘out-of-bounds’ competition areas – early finishers may want to visit the House or other sights; only fleetingly glimpsed earlier! Competitors can start at 1 minute intervals on each course. Start times will not be allocated in advance.
Map
1:4000 drawn to ISSOM 2007 standards.
Finish
After finishing don’t forget to download.
Course Details
| Course | Length km | Height |
| Long | 2.8 | 45 |
| Medium | 2.24 | 40 |
| Short | 1.42 | 20 |
Planner: Robbie Bryson
Controller: Raymond Finlay
Organiser: Teresa Finlay
NI Night Championship Results 2023
NI Score Results 23
NI Score and Night Championships 2023 – Final details
Parking
As you arrive at Todd’s Leap the normal Centre car parking area on the left is likely to be full. (70+ clients morning and afternoon!). Orienteers will be sign posted to a sharp turn right up a narrow steep tarmac road to park on hardstanding areas outside several Centre activity buildings. No toilets available here – you need to walk back down to the Centre for toilets.
From Parking the route to Start of the Score is in a northerly direction and will be signed and taped along a track and then a small path through thick conifers (approx. 400m)
Later, after the Score, The Centre carpark below may have emptied sufficiently to park down there for prizegiving and the Night Champs.
Safety
These are winter events in typically rugged terrain in a remote setting. All competitors will be expected to have available to them suitable clothing, footwear, a WHISTLE and a wind/waterproof CAG. These will be made compulsory if the weather is judged to be adverse.
In addition, on the Night event it will be essential to have a bright head torch and competitors are also advised to carry a spare light. (To get you back in case of an outage to your main light!)
Score event – Dunmoyle Forest Map scale 1:10000
Mass start at 2.00pm. Please arrive at Start at least 10 minutes early. Time limit 50 mins. 33 controls. ALL controls are worth 20pts (max.660) with 10pt penalty for every minute or part minute after 50 mins. Please check if you have an old SI card (type 5 or 8). It may not hold enough control visits. You may borrow a suitable one if you contact Teresa before Saturday.
Courses close with flags being lifted from 3.30pm.
Night event – Todd’s Leap Activity Centre Map scale 1:4000 (Not a Sprint map)
We would intend to start as soon as it is dark hopefully no later than 6.15pm. Courses will close at 8.00pm.
Further terrain and map notes
Some of the streams in both of these areas are ravine-like with very steep sometimes craggy sides. They should never be followed up or down and only crossed where they flatten out.
The Night’s 4000 scale map has non-standard symbols for tracks; thinner to provide clarity.
There are two large hard-standing areas common to both maps which the Centre uses to stash old or obsolete items around the edge. These are indicated by the use of a wide purple line symbol which should not be crossed. On these areas there is also UNMAPPED stacked or parked mobile activity equipment and vehicles which will need to be negotiated as seen!
There is an Out-of-bounds area common to both maps marked with purple crossed lines (the paintball area!) It is not planned to be in use on Saturday but please avoid entering it.
General
Toilets are available at the main Centre Building through the Reception door turn left.
Consuming your own food is not permitted inside the Centre building or the covered outside Beer Garden. The Centre offers a Pub Grub menu.
The NI Prizegiving will be upstairs in the main Centre building in their conference room. Going through the Reception door the stairs are on the left. We would intend this to start at approx. 4.00pm
Dogs are not permitted on site, even on leads.
Finally
Please remember you enter Orienteering events at your own risk. You have an obligation and a responsibility to:
- arrive fit and well and with appropriate clothing and equipment;
- ‘find your way’ safely;
- report to the organisers at download when you have finished or even if you retire from the event.
NI Score and Night Championships 2023 (Updated)
NI Score and Night Championships 2023
Fermanagh Orienteers invite you to the Score and Night Championships and NI Prizegiving.
Venue Todd’s Leap Activity Centre – liver.warping.seabirds
Date Saturday, 25th February, 2023
Directions From Belfast/Dublin/Enniskillenfollow A5 from Ballygawley towards Omagh. After approx. 2miles from Ballygawley roundabout turn right onto Tullyglush Rd (Brown – Todd’s Leap signage) then Todd’s Leap Rd. Entrance to Todd’s Leap Activity Centre is on the left.
From Omagh follow the A5 towards Ballygawley. After approx. 14 miles turn left onto Tullyglush Rd (Brown – Todd’s Leap signage) then Todd’s Leap Rd.
Parking Look for signage to Orienteering parking.
Facilities Toilets available in Todd’s Leap Activity Centre. Food/drinks available from Bar Menu (contact centre for times and menu).
Please note:- the centre will have a large number of clients onsite taking part in various activities so it will be very busy.
Entry details
- Online entry at SiEntries from Thursday 2nd February 2023.
- Entries close at midnight on Sunday 19th February 2023.
The NI Prizegiving will be held after the Score. See below.
Entry Fees
| Member | Non-Member | |||
| One Event | Two Events | One Event | Two Events | |
| Senior (aged 21 or over) | £10 | £16 | £12 | £18 |
| Junior or Student | £5 | £8 | £6 | £9 |
| Maximum charge for a family* | £25 | £40 | £30 | £45 |
| *If you are entering a family and it comes to more than rates in the bottom row then please contact the organiser after you have paid for the individual Senior, or Junior/Student entries and we will arrange a refund of the difference. Parents accompanying children go free. SI timing card hire is free but lost cards are charged at a replacement cost of £30. |
Score Championships Dunmoyle Forest (adjacent to Todd’s Leap, Co Tyrone)
Mass Start 2pm
Classes
| M/W Open |
| M/W Vet 45+ |
| M/W Super Vet 55+ |
| M/W Ultra Vet 65+ |
| M/W18- |
| M/W14- |
Map This forest was mapped in late January 2023. The scale is 1:10,000
Terrain notes This is a mixed mainly conifer woodland with some rough moorland and recently felled areas. Extensive mature areas give generally fast running. There is a network of forest roads and an extensive pattern of unofficial mountain bike trails not all of which are mapped. There are steep slopes and ravines to be negotiated.
Toilets available in Todd’s Leap Activity Centre. Outside ones opposite the ‘Beer Garden’ and indoor ones (no studs please.) through the reception entrance.
Officials
- Planner – Raymond Finlay
- Controller – Robbie Bryson
- Organiser – Teresa Finlay
NI Prizegiving
This will take place in the Todd’s Leap Activity Centre. If you know you are a prize-winner, please try to stay on to collect your prize. We would urge even those members who are not winners and/or not staying for the Night Champs to come along to applaud the prize winners. We aim to start at 4.00 pm. (Course closure on the ‘Score’ will be 3.00 pm)
It will take place in the Centre’s Conference Room upstairs through the Reception door. Please note the Centre provides a reasonably priced ‘Pub Grub’ menu but does not permit the consumption of your own food in the Beer Garden or the indoor bar area so please eat any food brought with you at your car. Access to the Centre’s many and varied activities must be pre-booked. Their website is toddsleap.com
Night Championships Todd’s Leap Activity Centre, Co Tyrone
Directions As above. Fees as above.
Starts available from 6.00 – 7.00pm. Courses close 8.00pm.
Course/Class combinations
| Course | Classes | Provisional |
| 1 | M Open, W Open | 3.0 km 180m |
| 2 | M45+, M55+, W45+ | 2.4 km 140m |
| 3 | W55+, M16-, W16- | 1.9 km 110m |
Map This Centre was mapped in late January 2023. The scale is 1:4,000 for clarity. It is not a Sprint map
Terrain notes the event will mainly be within the narrow and very unusual and compact grounds of the Activity Centre. These grounds sweep down along a very steep wooded East and South-east facing slope split by deep ravines. The woodland on the slope is passable. There is a very complex and confusing maze of tracks (many churned up by 4×4 vehicles!), paths, rough trails and fences mostly crossable. These all weave up, over and across the slope. There are a variety of unusual point features; animal sculptures and activity equipment! (There is also numerous unmapped small mobile activity equipment!) The ground is generally wet with a few streams and ponds. All courses will visit some rough moorland with the Long and Medium also crossing to the other side of the main road (very quiet but take care!).
Officials
- Planner – Raymond Finlay
- Controller – Robbie Bryson
- Organiser – Teresa Finlay
NI Score and Night Championships 2023
Fermanagh Orienteers invite you to the Score and Night Championships on Saturday 25th February 2023.
The NI Prizegiving will be held after the Score.
We hope to have a new map for these events and will publish details in early February. SiEntries will also open then.
Frostbite 23 – 3 Florencecourt West end
Sunday 15 January 2023
Don’t let the shortness of the courses fool you! It is a ‘barebones’ type of event where participants are expected to be experienced orienteers and who come with all necessary clothing (for very cold/wet winter conditions) and equipment including a plastic bag (A4) for map cover (plain paper and printed on ink-jet). Please ring 028 66348937 or email raymondfinlay@btinternet.com at least 24 hrs in advance to book a map.
Activity charge £5 for all participants.
Registration between 9.15 – 9.45. Starts between 9.30 and 10.00am Courses will close at 11.30. (so that everyone can have Sunday Lunch!)
Terrain notes: Courses negotiate well featured open limestone grassland hillside descending into mature conifer interspersed with winter levels of undergrowth and occasionally negotiable clear-felled areas. On the ground decisions may pay dividends, or not!
Assembly: located on Marlbank Road (on a bend 400m beyond the left turn mentioned below)
https://goo.gl/maps/5zxsyoMj3FgqejGbA
10 miles from Enniskillen following directions for Sligo then Marble Arch Caves. Through Florencecourt village and then 3 miles west. Sign then indicates to turn left to Marble Arch Caves.
Parking is limited to roadside and care is needed to ensure safe parking and vehicle access to the field gate.
Courses – None of these are suitable for beginners or young juniors! Please choose carefully as terrain is demanding.
Long 4K 145m
Short 2.8K 120m
Very Short 2K 90m.
Starts are a 10-minute uphill walk following tapes from parking.
Finish 5 min walk back to parking.
Planner Damian Gribbin
Frostbite 23 – 2 Crossmurrin
Travel directions
Follow road signs for Marble Arch Caves. Coming from the Enniskillen direction go past the Caves entrance approximately 1 Km to the second of the Killykeegan Nature Reserve carparks where registration/download is situated.
GR 110340 Any3words – flattens.staining.submitted
Don’t let the shortness of the courses fool you! It is a ‘barebones’ type of event where participants are expected to be experienced orienteers and who come with all necessary clothing (for very cold/wet winter conditions) and equipment including a plastic bag (A4) for map cover (plain paper and printed on ink-jet). Please ring 028 66348937 or email raymondfinlay@btinternet.com at least 24 hrs in advance to book a map.
Activity charge £5 for all participants.
Registration between 9.15 – 9.45. Starts between 9.30 and 10.00am Courses will close at 11.30. (so as everyone can have Sunday Lunch!)
Terrain Notes
This is not a place for beginners! The courses are technically difficult and will mainly use the West side of the area. The terrain in the West consists of complex limestone upland, clothed in places by low visibility scrub woodland and rough open farmland. The ground conditions vary, with rough and stony limestone pavement, boggy moorland and short grass meadows. Fences and walls will need to be negotiated, some of which are in poor condition. Please report any damage.
Courses – None of these are suitable for beginners or young juniors!
Long course – 4Km (140m)
Short course – 2.8Km (70m)
Very Short course – 1.9Km (30m)
Frostbite 1 Callow Hill
Saturday 31st December
Course 1 – LONG (TD5) 3.5Km 150m
Course 2 – SHORT (TD5) 2.4Km 125m
Course 3 – Very SHORT (TD5) 1.6Km 90m
Don’t let the shortness of the courses fool you! It is a ‘barebones’ type of event where participants are expected to be experienced orienteers and who come with all necessary clothing (for very cold/wet winter conditions) and equipment including a plastic bag (A4) for map cover (plain paper and printed on ink-jet). Please ring 028 66348937 or email raymondfinlay@btinternet.com at least 24 hrs in advance to book a map.
Activity charge £5 for all participants. Registration between 9.15 – 9.45. Starts between 9.30-10.00. Courses close 11.30 (so as everyone can have Sunday Lunch!)
From Enniskillen follow A46 signs for Belleek then as you leave the town take a left on to the B81 for Derrygonnelly. Towards the end of the main street in Derrygonnelly turn left towards St Patrick’s RC Church. At church, turn right onto minor road immediately after large carpark. Follow for 3km. Restricted parking on very narrow road (please don’t block entrances). Car share if possible. Start and Finish close to Registration
GR 087 527
Steep, hilly very fast heavily contoured limestone with rock features. Excellent for testing and practising technical map reading skills. Mostly open grassland with scrub woodland areas. Take care crossing old, dilapidated fences and report any damage. . The area is exposed, so in adverse conditions (remember the time of year!) cags and whistles will be compulsory.
Results NICS 6 Castle Archdale
Brown 6.5km 190m 1 Valdas Tylunas 3ROC M45 00:57:57 2 Steven Linton NWOC M55 01:03:58 3 George Savell LVO M21 01:06:42 4 Chris Colwell LVO M21 01:27:19 5 Michael Burton LVO M60 01:27:31 6 Michael Young NONE M21 01:34:18 7 Alan Elwood LVO M50 01:35:15 8 Stephanie PruzinaLVO W55 01:54:38 9 Ross Walker NWOC M40 02:06:07 10 Sarah Knight LVO W21 02:18:36 11 Billy Fyffe FERMO M65 02:21:16 Blue 5.4km 140m 1 Philip McGoldrickFERMO M45 01:07:48 2 Ciara Largey FERMO W35 01:16:09 3 Damian Gribbin FERMO M50 01:19:45 4 Bobby Smyth NWOC M50 01:20:07 5 Brian Johnston LVO M50 01:22:40 6 Moire O'SullivanLVO W45 01:23:31 7 Richard Gamble LVO M45 01:25:35 8 Kenny Weir LVO M60 01:27:15 9 Anastasia MahlychLVO W16 01:32:57 10 Heather Cairns LVO W55 01:34:27 11 David Blair NWOC M65 01:35:53 12 Susan Lambe LVO W40 01:37:55 13 Chloe Reed LVO W21 01:39:32 14 Stephen Gilmore LVO M60 01:47:48 15 Anthony McGonigleNWOC M65 01:55:54 16 Philip Baxter LVO M70 01:55:59 17 Geoffrey CollinsLVO M55 01:59:53 18 Lesley Young LVO W40 02:05:41 19 Mac Philpott NWOC M55 02:05:52 20 Peter Gamble LVO M16 02:08:42 21 Henry MontgomeryLVO M55 02:31:01 Andrew Lennox LVO M40 rtd Green 4.0km 100m 1 Pauric Quinn FERMO M55 01:10:29 2 Per-Olov ElovssonFIN M60 01:12:25 3 Ann Savage LVO W65 01:12:35 4 Gerry Meehan NWOC M65 01:16:02 5 Helen Baxter LVO W65 01:16:21 6 Charlie Reid NWOC M60 01:22:42 7 Nigel Foley-FisherLVO M70 01:24:11 8 Teresa Finlay FERMO W70 01:24:15 9 Roxanne White DUO W55 01:26:01 10 Richard WilliamsonLVO M70 01:33:39 11 Bill Hopkins LVO M70 01:41:37 12 Ryan Fitzpatrick M35 01:49:29 13 Alison Collins LVO W55 02:22:47 Michael Murphy LVO M60 w3 Barbara Foley-FisherLVO W70 w3 Short Green 2.8km 50m 1 Ruth Blair NWOC W55 00:53:18 2 Peter Howe NWOC M60 01:09:28 3 Francis O'ReillyFERMO M60 01:12:29 4 Daphne Hamond LVO W65 02:01:43 5 Rosemary Croley LVO W80 02:10:24 n/c Mark Pruzina LVO M55 00:51:48 Light Green 2.9km 50m 1 Andrew Green NONE M21 01:20:03 2 Mark Hopkins LVO M45 01:34:32 3 Lauren Howe NWOC W21 01:37:13 4 Danny McBarron FERMO M35 01:41:38 5 Adrian Coyle FERMO M45 01:45:26 6 Ruby Linton NWOC W16 01:49:52 Orange 2.6km 70m 1 Jenny Orr LVO W70 01:21:36 2 Rachel Reid NWOC W60 01:23:39 3 Stefano Rizzo FERMO M21 02:05:41 Sam Lennox M14 w6 Yellow 2.2km 40m 1 Stefano Rizzo FERMO M21 00:23:44 2 Aran Power LVO M10 00:34:43 White 1.4km 30m 1 Cahal Power LVO M10 00:15:48
Fermanagh Orienteers 