WRNL3 - Studland Dunes North

23rd November 2024 Starts 6:00 - 7:0 p.m.
WRNL3 on Studland North map is the 3rd of the 2024/25 series of Wessex Region Night League score events.

Start and Finish Times
Starts are from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Course closes at 8:15 p.m. Please try to be back by then or you may find controls have been collected in.

The start and finish are close to the assembly and download, at either end of the central barrier in Shell Bay car park.

Timing
SI (Sport Ident) timing control boxes (apart from Start and Finish) are SIAC enabled, on stakes with full size O kites.
Dibber (SI Card 5) hire is available for £1.
Printed Score showing splits will be provided at download.
Results will be available on-line later on the same night.

Terrain
Sandy heath on a mature dune system with patches of gorse and a few trees. There is a lot of contour detail and a few well defined mapped paths and a smaller number of indistinct paths. There is no road network nor any light apart from what you bring. Unfortunately you will not get any help from the half moon, as it does not rise until midnight.

Safety
In view of the challenging terrain (emergency services were required to rescue someone from a marsh in summer daytime this year) and the absence of any natural light on this ocassion, we will be operating a "no whistle - no run" policy. You will also be required to show some form of backup light at the start.
Safety bearing is E until you find either a clearly defined path or the sea shore, then NE and follow the shoreline around to the NW.

If the weather forecast looks bad the organiser may also insist that cagoules are either carried or worn by all competitors, so please bring a suitable one along.

Parking
The nearest parking is in the Shell Bay National Trust Car park - FREE to park for National Trust members. Otherwise for cars - price: up to 2 hours = £3. up to 4 hours = £5. Signage at the car park indicates that it is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. but there is no entry after 4:30 p.m. In any event FREE parking on the Studland side is available here 150m+ SW on Ferry Rd

Limited FREE parking is also available in Panorama Rd on the other (NE) side of the chain ferry (£1 return for foot passengers or £5.20 each way with car) Departures from Sandbanks side are on the hour and every 20 mins after. On Sandbanks side use either Panorama Rd or Brownsea Rd

The chain ferry is scheduled to return from its annual maintenance on 20th Nov, however in previous years it has sometimes been delayed. Therefore anybody planning to use the Ferry should check on its website that is operating on the 23rd.

Map
1:5000 scale A3 map overprinted with control codes and their points value. Map updated for this event to reflect some vegetation changes and fence removal. Some of the smaller paths have also been added.

The road on the west side of the competition area is out of bounds

Course and Score Information
You have 60 minutes from the Start to Finish via as many controls (out of 30) as you can. Controls are worth between 10 and 40 points up to a maximum total of 500.
Late penalty: if late, you lose 10 points per minute – or part minute – over the hour.
Bonus points (10 per full minute under the hour) are available but ONLY if you managed to visit every control.

Facilities
Toilets
Toilets at the Shell Bay car park close at 4 p.m. The public toilet on the Sandbanks side (here) is open 24 hours.
Food & Drink
Unfortunately, according to their web site the Shell Bay Seafod restaurant 100m North of the event centre is only open for lunches from November, so.....
The nearest pub is the Bankes Arms in Studland with adjacent parking will serve food Saturday & Sunday: 12.00pm – 9.00pm. Here's a link to the menu. Parking in adjacent NT South Beach car park (linked above) should be free after dusk.

Event Officials
Planner: Martin Miller
Assistant Planner: Robbie Miller
Organiser: Roger Crickmore