Parking will be in the Wilton Golf Club car park.  Access is from the A174 near Wilton Site.  The postcode is TS10 4QY and the What3words reference is ///snaps.script.desire.

Click on the link to see a map.  You can zoom in (and, optionally, switch to Satellite mode) to see the details of the final approach to the event.  You can also get directions if you specify your starting location.

Please park in the lower (northern) part of the car park under the trees.  And please be aware that the car park to the east is privately owned by Wilton Castle and anyone parking there will be automatically issued a parking fine.

Broadleaf woodland with lots of very runnable beech.  There are also some coniferous and open patches and areas of undergrowth, brambles and bracken.  The whole competition area is on a steep escarpment with complex contour detail and large pits, which are the legacy of extensive ironstone mining.

Man-made features include some ruined buildings and lots of paths and tracks, some dating from the mining activities and others created by walkers, horse riders, mountain bikers and off-road enthusiasts.  Several of the off-road wallows may have deepish standing water.

Two major power lines travel along the escarpment, supported by the usual massive pylons.

Follow these links to view the competition map from the event in Wilton Woods & Lazenby Bank in December 2022.

Please note that:-

• You must carry a torch – preferably a head torch – and we recommend that you take a back-up torch.  Also, please consider taking a mobile phone with you on your run.
• Full leg cover is required.  No shorts.
• Due to the nature of the area and the time of year, it will be compulsory to carry a whistle.  Whistles will be checked at the Start.  If you don't have a whistle, please come to Enquiries, where we will have some whistles to lend out.
• Depending on the weather, the Organiser might make it compulsory to wear or carry a cagoule.  Please make sure that you come prepared, and look out for signs in the car parking area.
• Many of the paths are covered in leaves, making them difficult to see and very slippery.  In fact, the whole area can be very slippery during the winter.  Please take care.
• There are some areas of brambles.
• Some old paths and abandoned mountain bike tracks have not been mapped.
• The final parts of the courses are on the golf course.  Please note that the greens and bunkers are out of bounds.

To be eligible for the Northern Night Orienteering Championships and the NE Night Orienteering Championships and to score points in the YHOA Night League, you must run a course for which you are eligible.  Most people will run the course allocated to their age class, but you can 'run up' if you choose to do so.

If you are running up, you can specify which class you would like to compete in.  For example, an M70 running the Long course can choose to be compete in the Men Open class or the Veteran Men class.  You must choose before the event.  If you are 'running up' and you don't specify a class then you will be deemed to be competing in the class closest to your actual age class.  (In theory, you could choose to compete in different classes for the Northern Champs, the NE Champs and the YHOA Night League ....... but let's not get silly, okay?)

To be eligible for the Northern Night Champs, you must be a member of a club affiliated to YHOA, NEOA or NWOA.  To be eligible for the NE Night Champs, you must be a member of a club affiliated to NEOA.

The course lengths have been measured along straight lines between the controls.  In practice, you will run significantly further.  The lengths are also subject to final controlling.

Special note for Ultra Veteran Women:  The YHOA Night League normally allows UVW to score points on either the Medium course or the Short course.  One possible advantage of running the Medium course is that its winner scores 90 points, while the winner of the Short course scores 80 points.  However, because this event is also the Northern Night Championships, the following will apply:-

• Ultra Veteran Women who run the Short course will score points based on 90 points for first, 89 points for second, etc.
• Ultra Veteran Women who run the Medium course will be deemed to be running up and will not score as UVW.

When selecting a course to enter, please bear in mind that you will be running in the dark and the courses will be planned to be suitable for a Championship event.  In particular:-

• We recommend that you only enter the Medium course if you have prior experience of completing a Light Green standard course at a night orienteering event.
• M/W12s and under should be shadowed.

The Very Short course will be planned to be suitable for families and novices ...... but please be aware that orienteering in the dark is intrinsically fairly challenging.

1:7,500 scale   A4 size

Control descriptions will be printed on the maps, and loose copies will be available at the Start.

SPORTident electronic punching will be used.

The control boxes will be activated to enable SIAC cards to operate in touch-free mode ..... but please note that you will need to punch the conventional way at the Start and Finish.

If you need to hire an SI-card (£1), please order it via the Racesignup online entry system and collect it from Download before your run.  Remember to return it as you download, and take care of it, as there will be a £20 charge if you lose it.  A limited number of SI-cards will be available for hire on the day, but please pre-order via the online entry system if at all possible.

If you wish to participate in this event, please pre-enter via the Racesignup online entry system.

The entry deadline is midnight on Sunday 18‑Jan‑2026.  After that, you will still be able to enter until midnight on Wednesday 21‑Jan‑2026, but there will be a £2 late entry surcharge for Seniors and your choice of course may be limited by map availability.

There will be very limited entry on the day subject to the availability of maps (and, of course, the late entry surcharge) ..... but please make every effort to pre-enter if you possibly can.

5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.       Courses close at 8 p.m.

If you have not finished by course closing time, you must immediately abort your run and go directly to Download.  We do not want to have to worry about missing competitors after dark in January.  (If you're injured and unable to get to Download, that's a different matter.  We'll come and find you.)

The Start is 900m from the Golf Clubhouse, with 125m climb.

Because we will only have access to the golf clubhouse until 6:30 p.m., prize-giving for the two Championship events will take place in the clubhouse bar at 1 p.m. on Sunday.  There will be trophies for the first man and the first woman on the Long course and certificates for the class winners.  Please stay for the prize-giving if you can.  The bar will be warm and cosy, and food and drink will be available for sale.

Results and split times will be available at www.clok.org.uk as soon as possible after the event.

Changing rooms and toilets in the golf clubhouse until 6:25 p.m..  Please note that:-

• Muddy shoes and orienteering shoes with studs are not allowed past the clubhouse entrance area.
• The clubhouse will be closed and locked at 6:30 p.m.

No drinks will be provided.  Please bring your own after-run refreshments.  (Last orders in the golf clubhouse bar will be at 5:30 p.m.)

First aid at Download.

British Orienteering members are covered by British Orienteering's public liability insurance while participating in this event.  Non-members are not covered.

Note: Public liability insurance covers you against liability for causing harm to someone else.  For example, it would cover you if you were sued for accidentally injuring a member of the public or causing damage to property during the event.  It's fair to say that most people go through life without worrying about public liability insurance.

A comprehensive risk assessment will have been carried out by the Organiser, but please remember that competitors take part at their own risk.  Orienteering is an adventure sport – your safety while orienteering is your own responsibility.

Please make sure that you download even if you do not complete your course.

You must carry a whistle while participating in this event.

If you have a relevant medical condition, please add this to your competitor details in Racesignup.  Any information provided will be treated in strict confidence and will only be used if you need medical treatment and are unable to communicate at the time.