Dorset MapRun training course ma

The courses below were either used for training during lockdown or for the Summer & Autumn MapRun League in 2020. For the time being in 2021 we are leaving them available for people to use, and the courses are being registered as Virtual Permanant Orienteering Courses (VOC's). More MapRun League courses will be added as they become available.

Wimborne Orienteers

Blandford Bridges/Play areas Start and finish on Parkrun HQ Bridge by hospital car park (don’t forget that some of the parking nearby is time restricted and parking fines are issued). All controls are either bridges or park/play areas. N.B. there is a set of steps/footpath between controls 5 and 6 that is not on the map.
Blandford (Stour Meadows) Short Score Start in Langton Road Car Park
Blandord Stour Meadows Junior Score (Parking and start/finish all in Stour Meadows Car Park (free parking) which is behind Tesco: 15 controls and about 2.5km)
Blandford Post Box Challenge (Uses Open Orienteering Mapping). Fifteen post boxes to find in 60 minutes. Parking behind Blandford Hospital in Holland Way – do not park in hospital car park and remember parts of Holland Way are restricted parking and you can get a parking ticket! Start on top of Trailway Bridge at ParkRun HQ
Blandford Milldown Junior Score A shorter score event aimed at juniors & novices. Start/Finish & parking at Blandford Milldown car park.
Blandford St Mary Winter MapRun Sprints.(New 21/04) Map for Maprun Sprint 1 & Map for Maprun Sprint 2

Parking is at Stour Meadows car park (behind Tesco and free) but if the Covid Testing Station is in operation, they issue parking ticket fines and you may need to park at Tesco or elsewhere.
Both sprints to be done on same day but you can go and get a cup of coffee in between if you want before doing second one

Both courses are just over 2km and they are line courses (not score) for a change: the two times will be added together to give a total time.

Child Okeford New 1:5 000 urban map. Parking in Recreation Ground by Start/Finish or nearby roads if full. Please keep to marked footpaths crossing fields. Paths could be muddy, wear appropriate footwear. NB The driveway opposite Control 23 is also the public footpath! The road through the village is supposed to be 20 mph but mind the traffic.

Gillingham Start near Gillingham library/Waitrose.
Gillingham South Parking for Gillingham South is off the first roundabout in the industrial estate by the new Aldi store and Orchard Garden Centre Shaftesbury Rd, Gillingham, SP8 5JG – don’t park too close to the start/finish otherwise gps will start. The rough ground area shown there is now a large building site – so don’t take a short cut. NB:be patient. This is a large file and takes some time to download and process.

Hyde & Gorley (NB the map is 1:7 500 not the usual 1:5 000). The carparking is at Abbotswell and is free. Grid reference SZ178129, closest postcode SP6 2JD. The nearest pub is the Foresters at Frogham cross.

Merley Estate (New 21/05/21) Map Descriptions Parking and start/finish is the car park at Oakley Shopping Centre and Oakley Medical Centre, Oakley Lane, Merley Estate, Wimborne, BH21 1SF

Moors Valley CP MTBO A 90 min mountain bike Score course on an OOM map: map scale 1:12 500 so it fits on A4 sheet. Please note that if you use the one way cycleway you must only use it clockwise. There are plenty of good options which do not necessitate using it. Also note that the Play Area is Out of Bounds for cycling.
Moor Valley CP LongO A 90 minute score event on an OOM map: please note the map scale is 1:12 500 so it fits on A4 sheet.

Ringwood Map Control Descriptions Parking is at Blynkbonnie car park BH24 1DN charges apply. The start is to the South of this Car Park: if this is full the bigger main Ringwood town car parks can be used. The track within the river Avon flood plain will be wet & muddy so best avoided.It is permissible to pop off the mapped area using public roads if desired. The finish is the war memorial to the east of the start. Take care crossing roads. The B3338 Christchurch Road running North South is the busiest , control points are near pelican crossings to assist. Wednesday is Market Day, if allowed under applicable restrictions, it might be busier. Although Ringwood is in Hampshire, it is listed under Dorset in Maprun app,'Ringwood Winter League'

Shaftesbury This course uses a map made using the Open Orienteering Map system. To get all of Shaftesbury on an A4 sheet, unlike the others, this map is at a scale of 1:10 000.
Start/Finish are by Tesco's. Parking available either there or the nearby Angel Lane Car Park. Controls marked as x are post boxes Also note that there are only 29 controls on this course, Control 28 is missing (don't ask!)

Shillingstone MapRun Short Use the Trailway Car Park . You can also access the Start/Finish via the Shillingstone Church Centre, near control 3, and follow the footpath to the Start/Finish. Its OK to run it in shorts but there will be a few nettles lining some of the paths for the unwary. When you run through a field you must stick to the paths and only cross fences at the stiles or gates.

Sturminster Newton Maprun Park in Station Road Car Park:charges apply. The children's playground at Control 24 is open, but annoyingly the basketball hoop has been relocated. You will need to stand where it's marked on the map, not where it is now!

Verwood North MapRun Short Score (Start by Verwood Memorial Hall)
Verwood South MapRun Free parking in Morrisons, Chiltern Drive, Verwood BH31 6US

West Moors Winter League Map Control Descriptions Parking is at the West Moors Memorial Hall and Bowls Club. Brown sign indicates Bowls Club at northern end of West Moors , just south of Start/Finish on west side of main road. The forest bit is particularly muddy and in places wet depending on route choice.

Wimborne Town - Parking details: Allenview West car park is 60p for 1 hour, 70p for 2 hours. Charges apply 8:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m every day.
Wimborne ByTheWay Short Score Start near the ByTheWay car park. Updated map 27/06

Broadstone (Old 2020 course) The Start is at the junction of Kitchener Crescent and Soper's Lane. Optimum distance for all controls is about 10-10.5k.

There are sometimes links between paths and roads which are not indicated on the Open Orienteering Map - these must not be used otherwise people may be disqualified. Be careful crossing busy roads.

Broadstone Rec (June 2021) CAR PARK (indicated on map). Leave Broadstone shops SE down the hill on B3074. At bottom, narrow left turn before Barn Road, easily overshot. Signed but not very clearly. In football season avoid car park on Sat & Sun mornings. Instead use the far end of Barn Road and the SE foot entrance to the Rec. MAP SCALE 1:5200. Slightly different from standard but you shoudn't notice the difference!

Nearest toilets: Tesco's 5 mins drive away. Continue further SE on B3074 to join A349 at roundabout. SE on A349 through two sets of lights & take the right filter.

Canford Heath (May 2021 ) MapRun Map Control Descriptions Please note the following: the recommended car parking is at Asda where the finish is located. Please ensure for your own safety that you fully comply with the out of bounds marked on the map that means the southern area of the map can only be accessed via the underpass close to Control 6

Canford Heath (Start is in Asda Car Park) Please note: the posts at control 16 have recently been removed. But if you get to the correct place, your GPS will still record the control as being visited!

Christchurch (Not a League event) Start is at Wick Slipway) This is a line course (5.3k) rather than a Score course, courtesy of WSX & Ian Sayer.

Christchurch Friars Cliff Map May 2021 (As used for Dec 7 Night League). Descriptions There is plenty of street parking nearby or else there is parking at Mudeford Wood Community Centre near Control 4 at the top of the map. NB The original map was 1:4000 A3 sized, but a map printed out on an A4 sheet is quite useable.

Poole Town Winter/Spring 2021 MapRun League- (opens April 17) Map Parking at Baiter Car Park, Catalina Drive. Use underpasses to cross railway. Please make sure you use the very latest (16/04/21) version of the map: controls 20 & 26 have been moved a little)

Poole Summer Maprun League (map) Poole control descriptions Parking at Baiter car park. Please note - The OOB on the NW corner of the Poole map can be run along the SE edge (between 5 and 21). It's only marked OOB because the road layout has changed.
Queens & Kings Park Map Control Descriptions - a lovely mix of parkland, woods and residential streets, well-known to Night League competitors! It's a Straight Score - distance about 9.75k. The Start is in the Queens Park Golf Club. PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHER USERS, PARTICULARLY GOLFERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN CROSSING FAIRWAYS. Control descriptions are not on the map so are provided separately. Parking is at the Queens Park Golf club

Upton MapRun 60min Score (Park in main car Park at Upton C.P Start adjacent)
Upton Winter MapRun Free Parking in the dog-walkers car park opposite Pony Drive. Take care crossing the busy roads.

Wareham NEW - A bonus course originally intended for the 2021 Night League before the January Lockdown. Parking on Streche Road

Greenberry A course in the New Forest. Please read the stipulations about staying on the paths and off the marshy areas carefully (links to WSX website).

Sarum Orienteering Club
Tisbury Score course Detailed instructions The start is by the war memorial in the square and the finish by the free parking on the Avenue. Please park in the free car park and not on the High Street.

Dorset MapRun training course maps (VOC's)