Sunday 19th April 2009

HEADON WARREN

Planner's Report

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Light spring turf, gorse in full bloom, magnificent views in all directions and interesting

terrain - that is Headon Warren in springtime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Osman the farmer, kindly allowed us to use his field as a carpark and base, which

meant we could use the far end of Headon, which would otherwise have been beyond

the reach of the two shorter courses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Headon Warren is a fairly compact area and is barely large enough to accommodate

the normal length of a green course.  The alternative is to send competitors up onto

the High Down opposite, which this planner decided not to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lower parts of Headon are fairly confusing and most competitors found they had

to use care to avoid making navigational mistakes. We use a 1:5000 map which allows

a larger scale and makes map reading easier than the more normal 1:10000 map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The planner was fairly unfamiliar with the area so two visits were made in the weeks

leading up to the weekend of the event.  The weather remained very kind, to the extent

that the planner even managed to remove his shirt on the hills in early March!

Two Adders were also sunning themselves rather too close to control number 17 on the

green course!  I am unsure if it is the reason why one competitor missed this control.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apologies for the minor technical error that one or two competitors experienced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the top course, Richard Eastaff(M25) pipped Pete Bartlett(M50) by 6 seconds, the

difference probably arising as a result of wind resistance through Pete's new beard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newcomers Tina Barter and Aaron Bradley won the Orange with the only time

under an hour on their course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to those who provided valuable help - Iris and Christine for turning up at 8.30am

when it was especially chilly , Chris, Beryl and Frank at registration and to Eileen, Sue

and Glyn for collecting the controls, with the Allen family rewinding the String.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All this much welcomed help, allowed the planner to leave Headon by mid-afternoon

after a successful and enjoyable event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ian  Ralph