The BOK Trot 2012

A spring weekend in the Forest of Dean sounded very tempting particularly as this year's BOK Trot was to be held in the scenic area of New Beechenhurst  with large areas of beautiful runnable forest, sparkling streams, bluebells, and for the technical, physical types tough sections of navigation using the old mining spoil heaps. Even the car park at Speech House sounded good. A flat compact field with good catering facilities in a marquee adjacent. Sounds to be a good place for socialising.

BUT – It didn't work out that way!!!!!

Spring reverted to winter with temperatures down to 4degs C, the wind was hurricane force with trees shedding branches and the rain was continuous and torrential. Orienteers are a pretty tough lot and a comparison between pre-entry numbers and those who actually started showed that only about 70 people out of more than 400 did the sensible thing and stayed at home.

Memorable happenings, more or less in chronological order: At car park entrance vigorous waving by marshals to 'keep going' into a sodden field (for the first time the automatic skid warning lights came on in the car), trip to the loo and registration across a sodden field with a near 'uncrosssable' pond in front of the loos. Storm proof umbrella tested to its limit in conditions similar to those at the notorious British Schools Champs at Bovington. The walk to the start should have been through sylvan glades of bluebells passing a vibrant 'Visitor Centre'. It wasn't ! - Rapidly learned that the 'Ground moved' ie skidded in all directions in the mud on flooded paths and slid down steep slopes, Visitor Centre was totally deserted.

The start in tall conifers was a relative haven of tranquility with no wind, but the rain came straight down instead and by now everyone was soaked and frozen. Onto the course, path options looked to be the best decision  but in many cases this was also the option taken by the water and approaching some controls competitors' feet had produced pulverised mud almost knee deep. Streams were in spate and in  many cases verging  on being uncrossable roaring torrents with one instance on a junior course, a major path was ankle deep in fast flowing water. On any steep slopes up or down you were painfully aware of the force of gravity particularly if you fell head first downhill. Approaching the finish a well known local orienteer commented 'I haven't had so much fun for years!'

Fortunately for BOK the club had the use of a permanent pavilion for event administration, but for most competitors it was a case of a rapid visit to download followed by gymnastics in cars changing into dry clothes before hypothermia set in. To round off the event the exit to the car park had the same parking marshals encouraging you to drive as fast as possible to avoid bogging down.

The Car Park Team and all of BOK helpers deserve a medal for their good humour and fortitude under what must be some of the worst conditions possible for an orienteering event (unless you know otherwise!). In benign weather this would have been an outstandingly enjoyable event in superb surroundings.

P.S It rained all the way home as well and once back it took 8 separate rinses of O gear before it was fit to be washed in the washing machine!!

What a great weekend!!!

John Warren