Many orienteering maps are initially derived from copyright Ordnance Survey material, and it is currently a condition of our use of such materials, on which we pay licence fees to the OS, that our maps or extracts from them are usually not published on web sites.
It is worthwhile stating here that possession of any orienteering map does not give right of access to an area - permission must be obtained from the landowner. Furthermore, illegal photocopying of orienteering maps could leave the user in trouble with both the orienteering club and the Ordnance Survey.
The club has access to many different types of terrain. Bovington is a mixture of Dorset heath, coniferous woodland and a military training area, whilst Avon Water is typically New Forest. Other areas such as Inside Park and Washers' Pit are areas of forested Dorset downland.
There are a number of independent schools in Dorset which are situated in attractive areas of mixed parkland and woodland. These have been mapped for the schools and the club use them for informal events and for the newly formed Dorset Schools League.

Forested areas of what was originally Dorset heathland suffer from the “giant furrows” created when the area was first planted and have given the Furrow Hoppers relay its title. Environmental concerns (principally the protection of ground nesting birds such as the Dartford Warbler and Nightjar) mean that we are unable to use many of our forested or heathland areas between March and July/August, so our summer events tend to use parkland or urban areas (see below)

Avon Heath Country Park - 1:7 500 John Warren 2011     Originally mapped in 1983 when it was known as Avon Forest Park and used until 1987. Has now been reverted to Dorset Heathland with the removal of most of the coniferous woodlands. Now available again for orienteering after a gap of over 20 years. A permanent orienteering course is being developed for use from 2012

Avon Water, Brownhills & Set Thorns 1:10 000 John Warren 2008, incorporating older surveys by the late Mike Tween, John Warren, Colin Hicks & Rod Postlethwaite. Copyright held jointly by WIM and SOC
Typical New Forest area. Used for badge events and larger colour coded events. Last used 2008. Used for a Regional event in 2011.

Bryanston School, Blandford Forum 1: 10 000 originally John Warren 1994, survey JW, Dick Keighley and WIM members. Revised 2001, 2003,2004 Updated by Chris Branford in 2009
Mixed woodland, open fields and school campus on with steep slopes on W. side of River Stour. Available only in school holidays. Used for WIM Gallopens in 1995 and 2002, also for ‘97 Boxing Day Canter, Furrow Hoppers relay 2009 & 2004 and various smaller scale events. a long, thin area which suits score events. 

Blandford Camp, Blandford original 1:10 000 John Warren 1996 revised 2000, from Steve Nobbs’ survey with extensive amendments 2000 and again in 2006. Produced for Royal Signals OC. Resurveyed & redrawn in ISSOM Sprint format by Steve Mallison Summer 2011
Largely open with small patches of woodland : many buildings. (The Signals allow us to use the area occasionally - access sometimes difficult. ) Used for a Furrow Hoppers relay in 2006 & 2011

Bovington Ranges 1:15 000 and 1:10 000 updated John Warren Spring 1999 & 2005 from original Dudley Budden map (‘94) and again by David Bland in 2006
Our best area. A complex mixture of army training areas and woodland was used for the 1999 Caddihoe Chase in September ‘99, Day 1 of which was a National Event. Used for the WIM Gallopen in Oct 2000 and again in Oct 2001. Used for a Regional event in February 2005 and for the Caddihoe Chase in September 2006. The northern half of the map is also used separately under the name Chamberlaynes Heath

Canford School, & Merley 1: 5 000 John Warren, July 1996 with later revisions up to 2008
School campus, playing fields and woodland. Made for the school in 1996, used by the club for small scale events eg. Night Owl and Dorset Schools League Feb ‘99, 2001 and 2002 and the annual BBQ event, now generally incorporating the urban area of Merley by Chris Branford

Clayesmore School & Iwerne Minster  Clayesmore School surveyed 1: 5 000 John Warren 1996 Survey Dick Keighley, Colin Evans, revised RK 2006 Completed resurvey to ISSOM at 1:4 000 by Dick Keighley in 2007, with the addition in 2010 of the village of Iwerne Minster
Largely open area with some woodland. Mainly for school use. Stages Dorset Schools League events.

Cranes Moor 1:10 000    Chris Branford and David Bland 2007, updated 2010,2011-12
An area adjoining the S & W sides of the main  Bovington map and incorporating a small part of that map. Forest and army training areas surrounding the Bovington camp residential areas, first used for the British Schools Championships in Nov 2007, since used for a Regional event in 2010 and scheduled for 2012

Ferndown Forest, Ferndown 1: 10 000 Dale Paget 1990 based on John Shucksmith’s 1982 map with resurvey by BS, RW & DK.
Largely coniferous plantation, now in need of updating following felling and replanting. Used for various colour coded events and relays over the last twelve years but recently 'rested'.

Godshill, Turf Hill & Millersford, New Forest 1:10 000 John Warren Autumn 1997, updated for Regional event in 2006 & for Galoppen in 2011
Two overlapping A4 sized maps covering a long thin area of coniferous plantation and deciduous woodland linked by open heath. Badge event Jan ‘98 used Turf Hill with the longer courses also using Godshill. The Gallopen in Nov ‘98 used mainly Godshill with the longer courses also visiting Turf Hill. Also used for informal summer events.

Gore Heath  Wareham  1: 10 000 John Warren 2004 revised Chris Branford 2007/9
A small but excellent area used for a regional event in Jan 2004.and for the WIM Galoppen in October 2004, then for a British Schools selection race in 2007 and the inaugural SW Middle Distance Championships in 2009.

Hordle Walhampton School, Lymington 1: 5 000 John Warren 1999
An area of woodland, lakes and playing fields on the edge of the New Forest. Produced mainly for internal school use but christened at the Furrow Hoppers relay in July ‘99 and used again in July '01. 

Hurn Forest North 1: 10 000 - John Warren, incorporating survey by  Brian Sutton & Ron Wilton 1997, updated 2003 and again in 2009
A small area of coniferous forest, used for schools and informal events. Also used for MTBO events

Hyde Common 1:7 500 Chris Branford 2011 A small area of new Forest Heath and old gravel workings, used for club training and Dorset Schools events

Ibsley & Rockford 1: 15 000 Updated John Warren 2007. Original map Peter Child (‘86) and Mike Tween (‘89) from a pg plot. Used for a regional event in 2007
Open area of New Forest heathland. Well contoured, good technical area- used for Harvester in ‘86. Current map used for an Army Championships in May '97and WIM Gallopens in‘97  and '99 as well as the Furrow Hoppers Relay in ‘98. The area, formerly owned by Lord Normanton, is now owned by the National Trust. Access and Parking are becoming increasingly problematical. Smaller events have used Moyles Court School for parking.

Inside Park, Blandford Forum 1:10000 - John Warren, 1996, survey JW + WIM members 1995, map updated JW 2002 & 2004, minor modifications RK 2006, Chris Branford 2008-9
A small area of mainly deciduous woodland surrounding a campsite first used for WIM’s 1996 Gallopen, the ‘98 Night Owl, a couple of Boxing Day Canters, two schools events and the 2000 Furrow Hoppers relay. Pleasant area, ideal for junior training. Used for a Night event and a schools event in Nov 2004 and again in Feb 2006. In 2009 & 2010 it hosted 3-events-in-a-day MTBO/Schools League/Night Owl, to be repeated in 2012

Kingston Lacy, Wimborne 1: 7 500 John Warren 1995 resurveyed during 2000
Mainly open, some wooded areas. Produced in co-operation with the National Trust. Largely used for introducing school groups to orienteering. Sometimes used for small informal events. Access currently under review - we hope to be able to use it again in the near future.

Kingston Maurward 1:4 000  John Warren 2002, revised Di Tilsley 2009-10
Parkland, woodland and open farmland around Kingston Maurward Agricultural College near Dorchester. Used for small scale, informal events.

Milton Abbey 1:5 000 John Warren 1998
The school Campus and grounds plus a steep, well-featured formerly runnable woodland. Mainly for internal school use, but used with success for small informal events in August ‘99, 00 & '01. Increasingly overrun with brambles in some parts of the forest & currently being 'rested'..

Milton Abbey - the forest is the wooded hill in the background to the left of the picture.

Moors Valley Country Park 1:10 000 -  John Warren, originally May 1999 now updated annually as the Country Park expands its activities
Formerly known as Ringwood Forest South and incorporating the small area previously mapped as Jack’s Garden. A large coniferous plantation,  available after a nine year gap in the '90's whilst the forest was redeveloped as a Country Park and as near to the club's 'headquarters' as O-clubs ever get.  A permanent course has been constructed funded by grants from the National Lottery & East Dorset Council and is now in operation.  A permanent Trail-O course was also  developed here with the aid of a grant from BOF ( currently closed for re-development after felling), and an MTBO course is also now available. Widely used for schools events, Boxing Day Canters and club training.

Ringwood Forest North 1:15 000 updated John Warren 2003 et seq. Used for a SW Galoppen in 2010
Large area of very variable, largely coniferous forest. One of our best areas. Used for an army championships in ’97 and the WIM Badge events in ‘98 and 2000 and the Boxing Day Canter in Dec '00. Part of the Northern area was used for the relay at the 1999 junior inter-regionals in July. Recently used for a round of the CompassSport Cup, the 2003 Furrow Hoppers relay and the 2003 Galoppen. There has been considerable "harvesting" of mature timber in the last few years and the very north of the area has now been lost to gravel extraction. Also used for MTBO events. A permanent MTBO course is also now established.

Somerley Park 1:10 000 John Warren 2006
Part of the Somerley estate .Open parkland and mixed woodland. First use is set for a Local event in October 2006. A private estate and Golf course surrounded by extensive woodlands, unfortunately heavily infested with rhododendron. The central area is suitable for small events. The entire area, when added to the contiguous Ringwood forests, would make a splendid and challenging MTBO area. Access has become problematical again recently.

Washers Pit, Ashmore 1:10 000 original survey & cartography Map Works , Autumn 1998, Revised John Warren Autumn 2000. New edition Chris Branford 2009
A new & well-contoured area of mixed deciduous woodland and coniferous plantation, first used for WIM Badge event in Jan ‘99. Surprised many people by the technical and physical challenge it posed. First used for a Badge event in February 2001 and a Galoppen in Feb 2003.  Recently used for a Galoppen in Nov 2009 & S. Night Championships under snow in Nov 2010.

Urban Maps

With the recent developments of urban orienteering and sprint events, Chris Branford has recently produced ISSOM maps of areas of Blandford Forum, Poundbury in Dorchester, Gillingham, Merley (incorporating Canford School), of the large  area Parkstone, Hillside & Broadstone Rec which is used for Community Orienteering. These areas tend to be used in the summer months when access to many of our main areas is not possible for environmental reasons. There are also maps of Sturminster Newton (Dick Keighley 2008), Shaftesbury (made by Mike Hampson of OD in 2011) and older maps, dating from the Foot & Mouth outbreak in 2001, by John Warren, of Ringwood, Wimborne & St Ives.


Other Areas

Jack’s Garden A remnant from Peter Brett’s days. Now added to the Moors Valley Country Park map. May well resurface as a small map for schools events.

Hyde House, Wareham 1:5 000 - John Warren, 1994
An interesting area of Golf course and thick woodland astride the River Piddle and incorporating three lakes formed from old gravel workings. Used for the Furrow Hoppers relay in ‘95 & ‘97 and a couple of schools events. Formerly used as an Outdoor Education Centre, the area has now been sold to a new owner who has put up “Private” signs. Now lost to orienteering for the foreseeable future.

West Moors 1: 10 000 Peter Brett 1982
A small area of typical Dorset Forest, with giant furrows much in evidence. The last of Peter Brett’s many maps. Now much in need of up-dating. Used almost annually until 2002 for an informal event

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Last Updated Monday, November 07, 2011