Spring Local Series 2025: Stocksfield

• Date: Sat 29^th Mar 2025
• Registration opens: 10:00 am closes: 11:00 am
• Starts from: 10:00 am

First in series of low key local Saturday morning events, in and around Tyneside, with a league to encourage participation and competition. Courses suitable for beginners and the more experienced wanting some training competition.

The area covers the “Painshawfield Estate” plus, for the longer courses, extensions into Branch End, Ridley Mill and Guessburn.  The ISOM map first was created in 2007 from the old NN club night map.  Last used at club nights in 2013 although after this used for other community events.

Painshawfield comprises a block of quiet roads with mostly large detached houses set in spacious often wooded grounds.  It also contains a small common and some narrow footpaths.  Branch End is a mix of Victorian terraces, large detached housing and a typical 60’s housing estate.  Guessburn is a mix of social and Victorian housing set alongside the Stocksfield Burn.  Ridley Mill features buildings dating from the 16^th Century in a quiet rural setting.

The area includes some steep climbs so visualisation of the contours will be essential for good route choice!

Travel: Take A695 Gateshead>Hexham road. West bound at Branch End the road takes a severe curve to the right. Immediately round this curve turn left into Cade Hill Road.
Eastbound past the school the road curves right and climbs up to Branch End. Just before the second severe curve turn right into Cade Hill Road.
In both cases follow Cade Hill Road to its end at a left turn into Meadowfield Road where registration is by the next junction.
Note that the bridge over the Tyne from Ovingham to Prudhoe is closed. Alternative crossings at Bywell or further dowstream.
Bus 10 Eldon Square to/from Hexham to Birches Nook on the A695 between the two road bends referred to above. 1 km. via Cade Hill Road to registration.
Rail to Stocksfield Station (Hourly Newcastle > Hexham) is 2.25 km. to/from registration.
Google Maps

Parking & Registration: Registration is at the junction of Painshawfield Rd & Meadowfield Rd ///town.proves.hunk) (Nearest postcode NE43 7QX).  Parking along Painshawfield Road and on Meadowfield Rd but please park carefully so as not to block drives and also allow passage by larger vehicles on these rather narrow roads.

Entry: Senior £5.00 Junior £2.00 Family £5.00 on the day only.  Please provide exact change. A card reader will be available. Large groups should give prior notice, please, via this website contact page.

Courses:
Yellow (1.5 – 2.0 km.) ~ Orange (2.0 – 3.0 km.) ~ Long Orange (3.5 – 5.0 km.).
Maps ands Controls
Sites will be marked with a miniature O sign and orange tape secured with a clothes peg. Markers will have a code letter in permanent marker to be written on the control card. Carry a pen.
Electronic timing will be used for start and finish. All runners will be issued with a loan dibber.
Scoring:
100 points for the winner of each course, 99 for second, 98 for third etc. Anyone running in a course above their class will get a bonus of 5 points (10 for 2 courses above) and, likewise, anyone running a course below their class will be docked 10 points. Best three scores count.

Safety: Orienteering is an adventure sport. Risks have been assessed and mitigated as far as possible . However, participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event.
Please bring your own requirement of water.

League scores

The Juniors present have not been allocated league scores as they were understood to be accompanied.
If in any individual case this is not so, or that they were merely shadowed and made their own decisions, please contact via the contact page and they will be scored.