MV SE League event at White Downs & South Ranmore

South East League Event, 15th February 2026 at White Downs and South Ranmore

This National ranking event is on White Downs & South Ranmore, an area through which the North Downs long-distance path runs. The nearest town is Dorking. The White Downs comprise runnable wooded areas running east-west along the Downs with a slope along its entire southerly length which is steep in places, enabling fantastic views south across Dorking and to the Greensand ridge. None of the courses will use the very steepest slopes! The competition area is bounded by Ranmore Common Road to the north, farm land to the south, White Downs Lane to the west and Denbies Hillside to the east. Pictures of the woodland in the autumn are shown below. The ridge has a number of remaining wartime pillboxes.

Entries
Via Racesignup: https://racesignup.co.uk/white-downs-south-ranmore-se-league-event
A full range of SE League Courses are available. Anybody can run their preferred course – age classes are those expected by the SE League.

Parking

Please try to share cars wherever possible as space will be limited.

Main parking, on hard standing, is at St Theresa’s School, Effingham, off Critten Lane: ///what3words.com/boot.crops.cost / google maps. From here it’s a 1.5km (25 min) walk to the assembly area.

Over 80s and families with children competing aged 13 and under may park at Stony Rock NT Car Park on Hogden Lane: ///ropes.shells.plots / google maps

If you’re coming straight to the event on foot or by bicycle, or are signed up as a helper, Assembly is at Ranmore West NT car park (participants are NOT to use this car park as we only have permission from the National Trust to use part of it for assembly and it gets busy with local visitors). What3words for assembly: ///broke.with.flute / google maps. 

Public Transport
Dorking Railway Station is almost 5 km from assembly. You are recommended to use the car sharing element of racesignup to arrange a lift.

Route to assembly

The 1.5km route to Assembly is very muddy in places. Consider wearing wellies and putting on running shoes at Assembly. Please follow signs and tapes to Assembly. You will be guided across Ranmore Common Road to/from the Assembly car park by a marshal. Please take care on the minor road from the school and when crossing Hogden Lane.

Assembly and facilities
The Assembly area will contain Registration/Enquiries, Download, First Aid, a key drop box, clothing dump. Start and Finish for all courses are adjacent to Assembly. 

Toilets
Two sets of toilets at the school. Four Portaloos at Assembly.

Entry Cost
Senior BOF members £14; Non-BOF member £16 (additional £2 from Monday 9th February)

Senior and family groups on White/Yellow/Orange £10

Juniors and students £7 (additional £1 from Monday 9th February)

SIAC cards will be available to hire: SI dibber £1, SIAC dibber £2.

Family entries

First timers are very welcome. Look for our greeters in hi-vis jackets.

You can go around individually, in pairs or in a larger family group. From an entries perspective,  pairs and groups are treated as a single runner – it’s one entry, you get one map, one timing chip (“dibber”)  and one finish time listed in the Results.  We charge per “entry” not per person and it’s easiest to enter in advance – see Entering for the first time for more info on how to do this.

If you haven’t orienteered before, we suggest most people start with the yellow course. Young juniors, say primary school age, and family groups are better on white. People confident with a map and compass may start on orange. If you find your course too easy, club policy is to offer you a run on the next course up at no cost, provided there’s enough time and there are maps available.

Map
For this top quality area, the event will use a brand new lidar-based map produced by Philip Gristwood 2024-2025. 1:10,000 scale for longer courses (green and upwards), 1:7,500 for shorter courses (short green and below) with 5m contours.

Punching
SI Controls will be used and will be SIAC enabled. It will be a punching start and fly-by finish.  

Courses
Start times will be from 1030 to 1230 and are as entered on racesignup. Courses will close at 1400. Courses available are shown below. If you plan to do one of the longer courses, please choose a start time that will ensure you finish before courses close. Entry on the day may be possible while map stocks last and subject to payment (cash/phone signal permitting) – please email to book a map before travelling.

Results
Please note that there is very little mobile signal at Assembly so it is unlikely that we will be able to upload results to the server until later in the evening. If there are live results during the event via the QR Code on your printout it will be a bonus. Results will go up on the club web site as soon as possible after the event.

Catering
The school has kindly arranged for a coffee van to attend in the school car park. Although the mobile signal is weak, the school have provided wi-fi for card payments and for general internet use (see emailed Final Details for password).

Conduct
Please make yourself aware of and follow the British Orienteering Guidance for Participants (revised 19 July 2021). All competitors must wear full leg cover as per British Orienteering Rules published 2024 – page 11 Clothing and Equipment section 8.1.

Dogs
Allowed in the Parking and Assembly Areas but not on the courses. Please keep your dog on a lead and clean up after them.

Insurance

Safety and risk

A full risk assessment has been completed by the event team. Orienteering is a physically challenging sport. Competitors take part at their own risk. All competitors are required to carry a whistle. 

Safety bearing is North until you reach Ranmore Common Road, then head East or West (according to where you are on your course) to the Assembly car park.

Emergency phone number is 07434 640229 and is also printed on the map. You will probably have to text as the mobile signal is poor.

First Aid is located in the Assembly car park, provided by Pulse South Coast.

The weather forecast is for light rain all day and temperatures between 5 and 7 degrees; wrap up well and consider wearing a waterproof top.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the facilities staff at St Theresa’s School for their tremendous help in providing hard-standing parking, toilets, catering and wi-fi. Thank you also for permissions from the landowners: the National Trust, Wotton Estate and the Forestry Commission.

Officials
Planner: Tim Scarbrough (MV)
Controller: Mike Murray (SLOW)
Organiser: Ashley Tilling (MV)