Nothe Gardens Permanent Orienteering Course
Launch Event on Sunday 7 April 2019
A large number of families converged on Nothe Gardens for the opening of the new permanent orienteering course on Sunday. The map was drawn by Di Tilsley (WIM) and updated & redesigned in 2019 by Jason Falconer (WSX). Di has used Nothe Gardens for Weymouth Schools championships many times and used her detailed knowledge to help create this excellent new facility.
Dick Keighley remarks: Phenomenal numbers attended the opening of the new permanent orienteering course in the Nothe Gardens, Weymouth today. We had well over 150 turn up, maybe nearly 200! The results are linked here.
Di Tilsley adds: The project involved Wimborne Orienteers, Wessex Orienteering Club, Public Health Dorset, Weymouth Town Council Parks, Beat the Street, Dorset Health & Wellbeing and Active Dorset!!
Due to local government re-organisation on April 1st, there were delays & very tight timescales because the new council logos weren't available & personnel were extremely busy with re-organisation work.…. but we got there in the end…. just!
People who want to try out the courses can borrow a map from the chalet café near the Nothe Fort car park, the café on the stone pier, The Nothe Tavern or Nothe Fort. The map is also available to download from Wimborne Orienteers’ website.
You can also use your smart phone to record your run & see others’ results by downloading the free app from oriento.uk
Feedback from people who played Beat the Street said that they missed the fun & the competitive element of the game between family and friends. The orienteering courses are an opportunity to create some more healthy competition.
Three courses have been set up in the Nothe Gardens. The courses are permanent, so people can complete the routes as many times as they like and hopefully improve their finish times each visit.
It is hoped to establish future permanent courses at Lodmoor Country Park and Radipole Gardens.
Nothe Gardens Permanent Course Information
Dorset Echo article on Launch Event
Photographs by Chris Branford
