Mixed woodland at TL870280. Click here for location map. Map 1:10000, 1997 survey.

It was a bit muddy, but at least no rain fell during the event. I have been assured that by early in the next decade, when all the conifers have been removed, the normal 25 year coppicing cycle will result in far less damage to the tracks.

My thanks to Mark and Mark, planner and controller (or the other way round), those SOS members who helped on the day, and Essex County Council and Forest Enterprises for land access.

In the results ESSOL competitors have generally been categorised by B or G and school year rather than the normal orienteering categories.

Found - A key ring man on a spring.

Mike Powell Davies (01376 562657)

Planner's Report

From the start I new that the challenges of planning at Chalkney would be to overcome the limitations imposed by numerous map corrections, rampant brambles and man(person)-eating mud. To my horror, just as I thought that I could make a decent stab at overcoming these difficulties, part of the wood started to disappear (felling in the NE corner) and the finish track was re-opened to vehicles, making it a quagmire. I do apologise to anyone who suffered on account of the mud (especially the few who actually fell over in it!) and I hope that this did not detract from your overall enjoyment.

We new that on the longer courses that there may have been some temptation to visit controls out of order. However, this was a trade-off against revisiting some of the more overgrown parts of the map and we felt that we could rely upon your integrity at an event of this kind.

This was my first attempt at planning for more than fifteen years and I had largely forgotten the "tricks of the trade". Consequently I feel that I placed more than average demands on the controller and I would especially like to thank Mark for his support and guidance. Will I have another go at planning in the future? Of course, but perhaps not at Chalkney.

Mark's first attempt at planning resulted in some good courses which made the best use of the area and attempted to minimise your exposure to mud and brambles.

Mike and his team ensured that everything ran smoothly.

Thanks to all the Stragglers who turned out to help on the day.

All in all I had very little to do!

I hope that you enjoyed your visit to Chalkney (in spite of the mud) and hope to see you at our next event which will be held at The Naze on 16th April.