Lakes 5 Days of Orienteering 2010
Posted on 27 Aug, 2010 by Lynne Walker | Filed under Blog • Orienteering
A contingent of six folks from EckO headed for this event 22nd – 27th August 2010. This was during the school term in Scotland so no EckO families were able to attend. Andy & Marieke, Alan, Carol, Paul & Lynne headed for ‘Carol’s house’ just north of Penrith. The event centre was Coniston, so there was quite a bit of travelling a couple of the days.
Day 1 – Sunday 22nd August – was close to us at Swindale north. We all had late start times so had a relaxed morning before heading off. It was bright and sunny, but a little windy and this had an effect as the area was all open moorland. The walk to the start was 2.6km with 200m of climb. There was also a walk back from the finish of 1.8km. This is quite characteristic of the Lakes 5 day event; they have problems parking the large numbers of cars (for about 1600 competitors), there is a lot of bracken on lower slopes so they try to give the best orienteering which involves this walk.
Monday was a long drive to Coniston to run at Guard’s Wood & Tarn Hows south. The cloud was down and it was threatening rain. We walked the 2.5km from the car park to assembly, put up the small shelter tent and the club flag. The rain started as most of us headed for the start.
It rained during our runs, while Carol was getting changed (she should have taken longer on her course!) but went off briefly for the rest of to change after the run. The storm clouds were gathering and so we walked the 2.5km back to the cars getting thoroughly soaked in the process. Everyone was in the towns like Ambleside so we visited the Penrith supermarket for cake to have at the house.
Day 3 at Harrop Tarn was in doubt. We had received a ‘flier’ on Day 1 saying that heavy rain could mean cancellation of the day due to car parking problems and the police vetoing their contingency plans. In the late afternoon of Day 2 we had an email saying they were swopping the Rest Day with Day 3. Andy & Marieke went to Hadrian’s Wall, Alan & Carol visited one of her fish farms at Haweswater while Paul & Lynne went to the cinema in Carlisle. On return to the house we had an email to say that Day 3 had been cancelled as United Utilities would not allow use of the field after the rain. 
Another Rest Day and we were more active. Alan explored the footpaths around the house encountering blockages of brambles etc. Carol, Paul & Lynne strolled up Skiddaw at Keswick (Paul & Carol had to stroll as Lynne is so slow on uphills) while Andy & Marieke took the Derwentwater steamer, stopping every so often to walk a bit of the shore. The Lakeland Pedlar café saw good trade for the five of us.
Day 4 was again at Coniston on the open fell of Caw. A really long walk to the start along a narrow path and duckboards, then interesting orienteering with the potential for parallel errors followed by a long walk back to the cars meeting the later starters on the path (Alan had a cuddle from a lady who did not want to step off the duckboards and clung to him!). As we were early starter this day we then distributed Oban 2011 leaflets to all the cars. A new coffee shop in the village of Morland – just south of Penrith – was visited while Andy & Marieke took to Hardknott & Wrynose passes.
Helsington Barrows near Kendal was the final venue which meant a shorter drive and close to the M6 for the journey home. Another open area but limestone this time. Really annoying mistake at control 3 where I passed within about 5 metres of the control meant that it was not one of my best results. The navigation was not hard; quite different to the limestone area we finished on three years ago at Broughton.
EckO had mixed results at the event. With the best three out of four races to count:
Andy M40L 3rd= (out of 46)
Paul M50L 44th (out of 78)
Alan M60L 31st (out of 117)
Carol W40S 5th (out of 17)
Lynne W55L 14th (out of 53)
Marieke ran Light Green and they did not produce overall results for this category.
It was a very sociable week; we had three meals together in the house (each pair cooked one), a meal out at the local pub and many late night conversations which all did not join in with as some of us like a little more sleep!!
I am a level 4 orienteering coach and a qualified Assessor & Coach Educator. I have been orienteering for xx years and have coached on many foreign tours.