Ditchling Village walk

South Ashdown Blue course

Chailey South SOG Blue course

Ditchling Beacon bimble

Lakeside bimble

WalkO
Another opportunity to practise some navigation and orienteering in an absolutely hoofin area.  First half of the course was out on rough open ground with a little venture into the trees.
A steady start along the rides to get the eye in and then using the ground relief to lead me towards control #1 where a minor water channel would lead me onto the stream and the control.  Except the whole area appeared to be wet.  Arrived at the stream and found the control.  Sure there had been something on the start line about best place to cross the stream but I opted for Route 1, straight in, straight out and climbing steeply on my way.

Long leg between #3 and #4 and I opted to take the ride route.  Bimbling along enjoying ticking off features and getting into the map, obviously I looked comforatable and uncompetitive as I was stopped by another Oer for some relocation advice.  I happily pointed out where we were and the thankful Oer said they had become completely confused.  I know that feeling so well and was happy to help.
Final part of the leg to #4 was a compass bearing over rough tussock ground, using a few trees to help bring me onto the control and suddenly, the spring sprung up in front of me, perfect.
Almost came a cropper with #5 where the vegetation didn't quite correspond with the map, or should that be the map didn't correspond with the vegetation?  But I managed to fathom it out and dibbed another control.
#6 had been visible on the other side of the valley for most of the leg towards #5 but I pretended to use my compass to walk on a perfect line straight to the control.
All going well and enjoyable in the sun so decided to have a little wobble on way to #7.  Control was an earth wall, walked on bearing and found the tiny pond and then should have easily walked onto the control but confused with what appeared to be two earth walls together, both with lots of gorse on so the control was not seen.  Quick check of control description for further clues to location but nothing.  Little wander about then decided to try and find pond again to have another go.  Standing on earth wall and I hear Neil Crickmore  declare there's the pond so knew it was just a little further north to control.  bingo.
The next half of the course took me to the central north area of the map.  An intricate and very detailed wooded area with the stream running through it.  I slowly picked off #8 and #9 and then headed back towards the bottom of the valley and found Linda Hulley who was unfortunately dibberless.  A bit of a chat, enough for me to lose my location on map and then I declared that I now needed to concentrate cause I was hunting a depression in amongst a world of holes and micro details on the map.  Very slowly over the next few controls with a lot of magnifying effort to try and see the detail of the map.  Mostly making sense of the map and ground I somehow managed to walk on to each of my controls with only a few doubting moments.  Absolutely no way I could run and navigate in this area.  Managed to avoid being distracted by other controls in depressions too which was unusual. 
A little bit sloppy towards #12 but remembered the pre course instructions had talked about the mapper putting in the waterfall on the map next to my earth wall control.  Never saw, or heard the waterwall but somehow found my control.
So onto the nemesis of #13.  It's just a number, and I can actually make a complete mess of any control whatever it's number.  But today #13 was perhaps the easiest control.  Short distance, good bearing.  For once I could actually see the prominent platform that I was going to use as my attack point and I dropped straight on to the control in the gully.
Sloppy route towards #14 but crossed the mass of erosion gullies, almost made an error with the stream but compass sorted out which section of stream I was on and I walked  through the trees seeing a number of re-entrants.  The re-entrant with the control was identified by the number of people all surrounding it waiting to dib.  Short walk up the hill to pass the final control and on to the finish.
Really happy with the course and my navigation.  Running this course would have been a totally different story, with about a gazillion words.
Great to be out in the sunshine on  a beautiful course enjoying some navigation.
Ironically, as everyone else on the course appeared to be either much older, or younger.  I was first M55, faux glory at its finest on a sunny Sunday morning.  (mostly morning, I couldn't finish before mid day!)

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LITTLEdave Cumins

South Ashdown Blue course

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Ditchling Village walk

South Ashdown Blue course

Chailey South SOG Blue course

Ditchling Beacon bimble

Lakeside bimble

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