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2003 Karrimor MM |
Wicklow Rogaine 2003 I originally enetered this with Jeff because he and his father had previously done it, but following his injury on the Lowe Alpine, I was forced to try and find another partner at short notice. I wasn't having much luck, but then just before I flew to Dublin, the organizer put me in touch with a local girl called Nina. We met at Glendalough hostel on the Friday evening for an hour to check gear and discuss tactics. Luckily we seemed to get on as potentially after a 24-hour event we’d be great friends or not talking! Nina explained that the annual Wicklow Rogaine was the only regular event of its type in UK and Ireland, although it is more popular in N. America and Australia. Teams of at least two have 24 hours to visit as many controls as they can in orienteering score fashion. Start and finish is at a central camp to which you are allowed to return to sleep and where food and drink are provided. Teams need only carry minimal gear (fleece, waterproofs, torch, bivvy bag) although they can depot food and camping gear as they compete. Around 30 teams gathered on a forest ride on the Saturday for a midday start. Having put up our own tent, we helped with the mess tent before being given our control list of 50 grid references scattered around the Harvey’s 1:30 000 map of over 400 km2. The main choice appeared to be to do two outings returning for a decent sleep or a large 24-hour circle. We opted for the former strategy and planned a 25-mile route to the south, shying away from the delights in the north such as Source of the river Liffey high in the peat hags. Everyone soon dispersed and after the first control we saw no one until late afternoon when another team dropped into a peat reentrant control where we were resting. They were doing a similar loop in reverse but whereas we were just finishing our peat and heather trek, they were just starting. Nina was a real bonus with her local knowledge, although most teams were familiar with the area. Early evening we descended into Glendalough and the village of Laragh, past a quiet pub followed by some road and track sections. Several teams passing later were ‘handicapped’ by visits to the pub (allowed within Irish Rogaine rules!). Nina recounted that one year a novelty control was placed in the back garden of a house warming party and very few teams got past that control! Our final legs took us back over the hills and as luck would have it via the ‘mystery chocolate control’. Being one punch short, the planner had left a bag of mini-mars bars with instructions to bring back a wrapper as proof of visit. Just what we needed for the final descent into the dark forest and do battle with the emerging midges back in camp. We arrived at 11pm as one of the first teams back. Less than half the teams returned overnight, electing to keep going or bivvy-ing in what contrary to the forecast was quite a chilly night. We had the luxuries of dry clothing, plenty of food and a comfortable camp. We spent an hour chatting around the campfire followed by 3 hours much deserved sleep. Hot drinks, breakfast and half an hour of hobbling around soon proved that Nina’s feet weren’t up to another outing despite her enthusiasm. It was suggested that I should go out again on my own, I think in an effort to stop me eating all the food instead! I didn’t need a torch for long as the sun rose between patches of mist on the way to my third control. The western valleys that my route took in are probably seldom visited and were full of deer. I headed home having completed 20 miles as the other teams converged on the camp and we exchanged stories of how they had shivered during the night. When the scores were compiled, Nina and I had won the Mixed class with our first 12 hours and my combined score, had it been competitive, would have been second overall. Good Craic but the organizers
take no responsibility for their team-making arrangements! |
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