Parking will be in the Greenfield Academy car parks.  Greenfield Academy is on the western edge of Newton Aycliffe.  The postcode is DL5 7LF and the What3words reference is ///boasted.wired.vegetable.

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.

If you would like to come to the event by public transport, Newton Aycliffe railway station is an easy 1.1 km walk from Greenfield Academy.  Trains from Darlington to Newton Aycliffe run every hour and take 14 minutes.  You will be able to leave your bags indoors (near Download) while you go for your run.

A few years after the end of the Second World War, Newton Aycliffe was built to house the workers in an industrial estate that had been set up on the site of the Aycliffe munitions factory.  It offers rather unusual terrain for urban orienteering, as it has lots (and lots) of individual residential buildings set in open grassland with a large number of individually-mapped trees.

The navigational challenge is not primarily about finding a way through to the next control or avoiding getting trapped in dead ends – there are plenty of gaps between the buildings.  The challenge is maintaining concentration and map contact as you pass through all the buildings.  The courses have been planned to give you lots of opportunities to lose track of where you've got to ..... and relocating can be tricky and time-consuming.

The Red course has been planned to give competitors more opportunities to run without having to maintain the same level of constant concentration on the navigation.  That doesn't mean its navigational demands are trivial, though!

Course H goes into a residential area with very little traffic.

Please note that entries are being taken by class rather than by course.  Most competitors will enter the 'natural' class for their age class – e.g. most M45s will enter the Veteran Men class and run Course B – but adults can run any course they wish.  (Under-16s can also run any course they wish, but if they are running any of courses A – F they must be accompanied by an adult.)

If you wish to 'run up', simply enter a class that is allocated to your preferred course.  For example, a W60 wishing to run Course B could enter the Women Open class.  Competitors who run up will score points in the UK Urban League in the class that they have entered.

If you wish to 'run down', again enter a class that is allocated to your preferred course, even if it seems a bit counter-intuitive. For example, an M45 wishing to run Course H could enter the Young Junior Men class.  Competitors who run down will not score points in the UK Urban League.

The course details are subject to final tweaking.

Competitors on the Red course – which is designed for runners with limited navigational experience – will not score points in the UK Urban League.

The Length column gives the course lengths measured along straight lines between the controls.  The Optimum column gives the shortest running distances in the terrain.

Anyone under the age of 16 on the day of the event who wishes to run any of courses A - F must be accompanied by an adult during their run.

1:4,000 scale.   5m contours.   ISSproM 2019 standard.   New map created by Martyn Dean.

The maps for the Brown, Blue and Red courses are two-sided.

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 for Seniors, 50p for Juniors), 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 3‑May‑2026.  After that, you will still be able to enter until midnight on Thursday 7‑May‑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.

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.       Courses close at 3 p.m.

The Start is approximately [how far?] from the school.  Follow the signed route.  Please note that you must use the underpass to cross the road in front of the school.

Registration and Download will be [description needed].

Two separate sets of toilets will be available in the school.

No drinks will be provided.  Please bring your own refreshments.

First aid at Download.

A comprehensive risk assessment has 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.

CLOK recommends that you carry a whistle while participating in this (and every) orienteering 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.