Thorncombe Wood Permanent Orienteering Course
established by Wimborne Orienteers with the permission and support of Dorset Council, May 2019
Part of Hardy's Egdon Heath, here is a beautiful mixed woodland of oak, sweet chestnut and beech. It extends to Black Heath and Rushy Pond to the east and patches of hazel coppice in the south. Numerous swallet holes shape the terrain, and the area is crossed by the Roman Road that once ran from Dorchester to Badbury Rings.
How to get there
Thorncombe Wood is 4 km NE of Dorchester in Higher Bockhampton. It can be approached from the A35 at grid ref SY 725 929 or from the Stinsford Roundabout at SY 708 912.
The car park is close to the Visitor Centre at SY 724 922. There you will find seating, toilets, information and the delightful 'Under the Greenwood Tree' cafe.
Find out more on the Hardy's Birthplace Visitor Centre pages.
The Map
The area was surveyed and mapped by Mike Kite (Wimborne Orienteers) in 2019. The map shows the Start, Finish, and location of the control markers.
Control markers are fixed to wooden structures like gates, posts & benches. They look like this:
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At the top is a 2-letter code, like 'MU'. You need to make a note of these if you're doing a course without the smartphone app.
At the bottom is a black-and-white QR code. You need to scan these if you are using the Oriento app. |
With the Oriento app...
Download the Oriento app on your smartphone. Find nearby courses and choose one. Scan the QR code at the Start, each control, and the Finish. The app will give instant feedback, remind you which control is next, and record your times.
Without the app...
If you prefer using the 2-letter codes, that will work fine though of course your times won't be recorded. As well as the map, you need to download & print the Courses List.
On the Courses List there are three columns for each course.
The first column tells you which control to head for. The control numbers are on your map.
The second column describes the exact location of the marker.
The third column is for you to write down the 2-letter code when you find the marker.
When you've finished, you can check the codes you found against the answers to see if you got them all right!
Download Map Download Courses List Download Answers
The Courses
Course 1 is a fairly easy 1.9 km path walk. The route is straightforward and controls are in obvious places.
Course 2 is a moderate 2.1 km. It's mostly on paths & uncomplicated but some route decisions are needed.
Course 3 is 2.5 km, of similar difficulty to Course 2 but it has a few longer legs between controls. Courses 2 & 3 share several common paths.
Course 4 is a harder 3.0 km. It involves choosing a good route and going off paths.
In case of comments or queries, email Mike Kite mike.kite@hotmail.co.uk
Wimborne Orienteers thank Dorset Countryside team for enabling this permanent course to be created, with a special mention of Ranger Claire Platten for her help and advice.