THE WRITE TRACKNewsletter of

Issue 2011/4 December 2011

Editorial Dates

Thank you to all who have contributed to this edition. It is greatly appreciated.

Issue 1 articles by end of February for distribution at beginning of March

Email to crosbynicolaAThotmail.com or send to 29 Reedswood Crescent, Cramlington, Northumberland. NE23 6RW or hand to me at an event. Thanks, Nicola.

Date for Your Diary

Plessey WoodChristmas ExtravaganzaSunday 18th December

Location:Follow Country Park Brown signs from junction of A192 and A1068, south west of Bedlington.

Courses: White, Yellow , Orange, Light Green, Long, Plessey Challenge

Starts: 10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.mPlessey Challenge Mass start at 11:00 a.m.

Facilities: Toilets, Cafe and Tombola in aid of Club Junior Squad

Plessey 2010 (Photo NC)

Trail Orienteering and Precision Orienteering

Margaret and I are going to introduce a number of small taster sessions in the fine art of Precision Orienteering. We will start with a few controls at selected events in the area near registration. They will be in small clusters and full guidance will be given as how to take part. It is really very easy. All you have to do is to look at 5 kites and decide which one answers the control description and is in the centre of the Circle. We will continue to hold these events until July, when we will hold the Club Championships. This will have different classes so all will have a chance at being on the Podium.

For those who are attending the JK, there will be an opportunity to try Precision O (Trail O) after your main run. There is a reduction in the entry fee for those who have entered the main competition.

John and Margaret Crosby

OCAD usageOur Mapping Group want to ensure that we have control over the OCAD licences in the club’s possession to make best use of them. The first step is to get an inventory of what we have installed and where.

We have a number of licences for both the full product and the Course Setting version. The terms of the licence are that we do not exceed the installed number so we need to pass copies around as required for mapping and planning.

If you have a copy of OCAD on your computer, can you please let me have the Version and Licence Number, both of which can be found from the “About OCAD..” option in the Help menu.

You can email the information to me at orunnerATsky.com.

Thanks. Adrian Barnes

2011 Annual Awards EveningBy Paul Boyles

The First Annual Awards ceremony was held at the Badger Pub near Ponteland on the 11th October. Over 60 people turned out for a fun lively presentation evening to celebrate the club's successes with a couple of fun awards along the way. Not sure whether the Tetanus award was a good one to do, as looking at the last few events, there are quite a few people up for it for next year. (Competitors coming back with scratches, bruises and even running into lampposts). I still have a couple of trophies in my car, which I will get to the relevant people when I see them. It was great to see so many Club Members there are plans afoot already for next year.

Club championsMen Open Francis Shillitoe

Women Open Joanne Field

Veteran Men Alasdair Wilson-Craw

Veteran Women Jane Malley

Junior Men Joshua Boyles

Junior Women Aoife Lakey

Summer series championsWillard Wright Nicola Tilt

Oliver Wright John Phizacklea

Most improved orienteersHannah Brown (junior) Bill Burlton(adult)

Ruth Fletcher Trophy Andy Clarke

John Moore Trophy Tetanus Award Helen Rafferty Fred Miller

Best mapped areaAdrian Barnes (Leazes & St James Parks map)

Best/worst dressed orienteer Ian Smith

Muppet of the year Nicola Tilt for dropping her car keys down a portable toilet

Top ranked orienteer in 2011 David Smyth

Best run by a junior at a national event David Smyth

Acorn awardsLewis Hannah E Ben Robbie

Tree awardsHarry Hannah B Alex H Matthew Copse awardsAoife William Jenny Joshua

Wood awardsJonathan Alex C Oliver

[Photographs courtesy of Rachel Boyles]

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Who Are You….?

Chairman Paul Boyles

What job do you do? Store Manager for Wickes

What would be your ideal job, apart from your current one? There are many: P.E. Teacher, Outdoor Pursuits instructor, Chief Taster at the Indian Samosa factory, or failing that, being the guy who presses the red button on the National Lottery machine. I could do that.

When and why did you start orienteering? 1990 at School as part of the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. I did this most weekends for about 3 years whilst at School, at sixth form but then dropped off when at University. We started orienteering again in 2003 when Joshua was 4 years old. We went to an event at Grenoside near Sheffield where Joshua did a white course and we’ve being orienteering ever since.

What has been your best result so far? Always finished my course and never retired no matter how lost I’ve become or how long I’ve taken. No results of any note to mention.

Who or what makes you laugh? Peter Kay, Jason Manford, - observational comedians. Apprentice on TV makes me laugh at how inept some people are. Mock the Week.

What’s your poison? Curry, with onion bhaji’s and samosa. Once I start, I just can’t stop.

What do you listen to in your car? A wide variety of music and general current affair ranging through Radio 2, Five Live, Bon Jovi (Kids' favourite), cheesy 80’s music, Meatloaf, Take That. I am often seen singing along in the car at the top of my voice.

What’s your favourite film or book? The Beano or the Radio Times. I don’t read that much, not usually staying still long enough to warrant reading a book. I recently read the Peter Kay book and am currently part way through the Michael McIntyre book.

Which four people would you most like to meet?• David Beckham, Utmost admiration for the guy. Great role model• The bloke who nicked my mountain bike, 'cos I liked that bike and I’d like it back • Kylie Minogue. The love of my life for 22 years. I remember the posters on my wall in my bedroom.

• Nelson Mandela. Amazing man

What’s your most irritating habit? Too many to mention, but one that stands is talking and sleep-walking. Some notable occasions are as follows:

• When working in a Wetherby hotel reception whilst at University, one morning I proceeded to answer the alarm clock as a telephone. It rang. I picked it up and put it to my ear saying, “Good Morning! Thank you for calling Wood Hall Hotel. How may I help ?”• Whilst camping in a bothy near Ennerdale with school, I sat up in bed at 2 in the morning and started shouting Fire! Fire! Fire! Everyone out. Everyone proceeded to leave the bothy in a bit of a panic. I just laid back down in bed, unaware of what was going on. I wasn’t the most popular person that night.• One night, again working at the Wetherby Hotel, but this time in the laundry, I got up in the middle of the night. Rachel asked where I was going, to which I replied “I’m off to do some work in the laundry”. I walked downstairs to my kitchen, moved a few things around and then went back upstairs. Upon return, Rachel asked how did it go, to which I replied “Its been a busy day, I’m knackered”.• One day I had put up a ceiling fan in our bedroom. At approx 2am in the morning, Rachel awoke because the bed was bouncing. She was shocked to find I was playing Chicken with the ceiling fan, and trying to stick my hands between the blades as the fan spun round. She quickly grabbed me and threw me back on to the bed.• Whilst working at Aldi, one night I shuffled down to the end of the bed, taking all the duvet with me. I sat there and started operating a till serving customers. Rachel again grabbed me and threw me back in bed. • One night I got up, and started opening all the drawers in the bedroom. Rachel asked me what I was doing, and I said “I was looking for the toilet.” She said,”It’s not there. Go to your right. I then promptly went over to the wardrobe and opened the doors. I was just about to take a leak when Rachel shouted at me and showed me where the toilet was.

All true, although I cannot remember them as I was asleep, but am assured by Rachel and friends from school that they did happen.

As I’m usually quiet and sombre whilst awake, I come alive when I’m asleep!

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Mapping Bolam Lake Country Parkby Jeremy Lakey

Over recent years I have been trying to hone my mapping skills at various sites, so this year I thought an update of the venerable Bolam Lake map would be an easy task over a couple of days. Now having spent a lot more time there than I expected to, I have a lot more respect for this area which is familiar to us all. I have been blessed by some wonderful autumn weather but sadly the wet summer meant that I missed the best of the mushroom season. The added enjoyment of gathering a tasty tea always makes autumn mapping much more interesting. Having covered most of the park in great detail and collected no more than a single milkcap I met several groups of fungus gatherers but decided not to dissuade them since just getting out there this autumn was a treat. The first thing that became apparent is the large area of rhododendron that has been cleared, especially south of the lake. This has opened up some lovely, if small, runnable deciduous woodland and after a meeting with the assistant warden it seems there will be even more cleared in the years to come. Interestingly this hard work has been done by groups of scouts and sea scouts, so thanks to their efforts we have an even better area. Rhododendrons are lovely in the right amount but I think you’ll appreciate the improvement.

Elsewhere the complexity of this little area became apparent, over the years it is clear that many people have worked hard to shape the park we know. The drainage patterns and planting have been a real challenge to map and I don’t claim to have got them right. However you should get a real feeling for those whose muscle power shaped this area and whose spirits still pervade the woods. The excavation east of the visitors centre looks like an old quarry and in the north west some of the five ramparts of Slate Hill Iron Age Fort (approx 600 BC ) cross the dry stone wall from the farmland beyond. If you get time, look north to the Simonside Hills and Cheviots since the top of Slate Hill is a vantage point with clear views. The north bank of the lake has a set of steps and wall which look like the foundations of an old boat house so the land owner, Lord Decies in 1815, who first got his men to dam the stream may have enjoyed lazy days on his creation. With a good number of deer, woodpeckers and water fowl there is plenty to see in this little gem. Press reports from 2003 describe a Big Foot encounter “'An eight-foot howling yeti, with shining eyes and huge white teeth, has been seen prowling the

woodland around Bolam Lake in Northumberland” however later reports state “'I shouted for our driver to put the headlights on and I saw something standing, much taller than me and moving along quickly indeed”. Thus we can assume this was one of our Night Owl events and I’d appreciate if the NATO member responsible writes an article for the next Write Track. The warden told me of the wolf like dog which has been seen recently so there’s much to look out for. I hope to see you all there for the Hogmanay Hooey.

Picture of Slate Hill fort from the Northumberland County Council Leaflet “Exploring Bolam | Walk Number 1 Bolam Lake and Slate Hill”

Crypt-O CompetitionThe answers to September’s clues are:

1. Stream2. Fence3. Wall4. Spur5. Pit

New Clues1. Fellow finds two small learners in a ditch

(5)2. Prisoner's coach trip? (7)3. Very slow in the ring (5)4. Look out! Romans! (4)5. Sounds like the end is in Helsinki (6)

Very easy and no prizes but members can check their answers if they email Richard Field (richard.field33ATgmail.com).

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Can you help with NATO activities?An organisation like ours relies on unpaid volunteers to get things done and the Committee is always on the lookout for new or occasional members to get involved. The time committed would be up to you and your circumstances, and need be no more than a couple of hours once or twice a year.

The list of activity options is fairly extensive and ranges from the high profile jobs, like organising national events, to the less onerous like helping on the cake stall at Plessey. However, all the jobs are necessary and all of them help to bring members together in a sport where we are, all too often, running alone in a forest.

Examples include …

Event helpers – there are a variety of jobs available on the three main teams (Registration, Start and Finish) which require no specialised training. By being in a team, helpers will be asked to perform a simple task in the company of more experienced members. These tend to be very sociable jobs but may require a willingness to stand around in less than ideal weather!

Driving – our juniors are often invited to training events in the south of the region or even further away and so, if you have a keen junior in your family, you may be able to help with transport.

Administration – although often seen as the most boring of the club jobs, we are always looking for members willing to sit on the various Working Groups. Meetings are usually quarterly and fairly short or sometimes happen online.

Mapping – every area that we use has been surveyed and drawn by an orienteer, usually from within the club. If you like walking outdoors with paper and pencil this could be for you.

Coaching – this requires considerable knowledge of orienteering techniques and British Orienteering has a qualification scheme with various grades of coach.

Event organiser – a skilled job which requires training and knowledge

Course planning – a specialised job which also requires expertise and is at the heart of orienteering.Both these jobs cannot be taken on straight away. The club has opportunities for newcomers to learn the ropes and to practise as assistants to experienced officials at lower key events.

Other – every event will have other jobs which are less recognisable but equally important. They may include manning the car park, putting out and collecting in controls,

helping on the cake/tombola stalls, putting out flyers, writing reports for local newspapers, taking photographs, manning road crossings, etc. etc.

If you feel that you can help with any of these jobs then contact Patrick Smyth, Club Secretary, in the first instance, who will then direct you to the appropriate person in NATO.

Coaching.There was a Coaching Session on the 24th

September at Weetslade Colliery Country Park with the theme being compass navigation. This was attended by 8 juniors and 6 Adults and was followed by a BBQ lunch. The session on the 15th

October was cancelled. The residential on the 12th and 13th November was changed to a full day session. The format of Control Picking etc. was at Bolam Lake in the morning.

Some juniors left and the remainder travelled to Wallington, where we had the use of the classroom for lunch and a socialising session and some practical bearing experimental games.More juniors left and the remainder travelled back to Bolam for a night exercise and departure.

In total there were 17 juniors and 5 seniors. This was a mixture of full NATO juniors and members of the Chantry Middle School Orienteering Club.

The juniors then competed in the Yvette Baker Trophy Competition on the Sunday against CLOK, who were the winners. Our juniors did very well against the more experienced and older juniors of the CLOK team.

A contingent of club and school Juniors travelled to Linlithgow on the 20th November to take part in the British Schools Orienteering Championships. (See web site for results.)

The club training sessions are beginning to get quite popular and are a means of learning new or practising existing techniques. They are open to all club members of any age and experience and are another means of socialising with fellow club members.

Watch out for dates and venues on the website and information circulation. John Crosby

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Thank YouThank you to all the club members who sponsored me in my swim for Cancer Research UK. I swam 42 lengths and raised £116.

Hannah Brown

Unusual Map FeatureAlastair Wilson-Craw took this picture in 2008 of the car in Slaley Woods – is it the most unusual feature on a NATO map?

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