Despite a foggy, a rather chilly, start to the morning it was good to see the sun burning through as the morning went on to give us a lovely clear day for the event.
We had a great turnout (which meant Steve printing some extra maps), and everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves on the ride whatever route they took. Having planned two previous events in the same area, I tried to “winterise” the controls to allow everyone to get a good ride without being bogged down anywhere – and I think I managed to achieve that whilst ensuring a reasonable mix of on and off-road controls. I tried to make the area smaller than before, but with hindsight I would have made it even smaller. The high value controls on Caulkley Bank made that a popular choice for route choice, with some choosing the road over the bridleway (although it was rideable) between 28 and 22.
Planner’s hindsight means there are a few control switches I could have made but it seemed to work out ok. I tried to avoid the inevitable “number on telegraph pole ” clues, and chose a mix of ‘ride through’ and ‘stop-and-think’ clues. I had a few comments about the maths involved but I like to test everyone’s skill, including reading historic plaques (control 11).
A couple of early returners couldn’t find control 2 so I thought it may have gone missing but later riders seemed to have found it – everyone got points and I’m sorry if it was harder work to find a 5 pointer!
The Malt Shovel is always a welcoming place and we are grateful for their hospitality. It was great to see so many happy, and mostly muddy, riders returning.
Thanks to everyone for taking part – the results are here (updated Sunday 17th 10:24): Hovingham Results (v3)
Dave
nymbo : north yorkshire mountain bike orienteers 
As requested, our route, although we need to start with a confession. On recalculation we scored 380 not 395 – we think we marked an answer in two places on our sheet double counting a 15 pointer.
We headed north out of Hovingham picking up 28 and round by the road to 22, then 6, 20 and 25. We enjoyed the red cockerel on the postbox at 20. There we a good number of other riders taking the same route, who provided targets to aim at. We had the satisfaction of passing Tim Evans between 6 and 20, although he had the last laugh when he unlike us made the correct route choice later in the course. We were running summer tyres, which was fast for the roads, but decidedly dicey on any proper mud.
We wrote down our first set of accumulated clues at 25. The Rectors’ telephone number was too long to commit to memory. We then took in 23, 9 and 3 on route to 18 (although going direct was probably the better move to preserve time to take in a bigger loop). Then 30, 16, fell off in the mud and snow downhill to 19, then in and out of the cluster 21 and 10 and 17.
At this point we should have stuck to our plan and gone straight for the 30 pointer at Terrington, but deceived by our fast progress up to that point (and memories of fast summer tracks from a previous event) we went 12, 5 (intending to cut back in to Terrington – although that was not a good plan looking at it sitting down). Running out of time we went 14, 29. With 15 minutes left we did not like the look of the muddy bridleway north to 15 and irritatingly doubled back past 14 again – which was at least rideable all the way on to the ridge at 11 and then had a fast downhill tarmac finish off the ridge to the finish with a couple of minutes spare thinking we should have gone for 15 afterall.
Excellent weather and planning with route choices – thank you.
What a cracking ride, I was a bit worried at the start as I hadn’t been on the bike for a few weeks and wasn’t sure what the weather was going to do the forecast was fog all day but great that it lifted just as I left. I started by going north to 28 however looking at the start of the Bridleway I decided that speed was more important so shot down the road to 22, the first maths test of the day, then to 6 were the finger post was obscured by a car the owner of which had obviously been interupted by a few cyclist already and told me the answer. On the route to 20 team Parker past me and I was not fast enough to latch on and they clearly weren’t going to let me. I picked up 20 then onto 25 where I decided that now was the time to write down some answers as I wasn’t going to remember that telephone number.
I went up the hill to 23 and met team Parker coming back on their way to 9 . I decided that 10 and 3 were not worth it so rode straght up to 18 maths test number 2. down to 30 then 16, where I decided that as teh track loked okay I would ride to 19 as planned. Apologies for surprising the team I passed at the entrance to the wood I then got to 19 maths test number 3 and went straight to number 21 turning after checking for hidden chimneys round the corner then onto 17 where I reveresed again and rode to 10 where I once again met team Parker.
I then went south to Flatt Tops up another hill, then lost all the height dropping down to 24 and on finding the gate open assumed the padlock might have gone but it was still attached to the chain. I then climbed back up the hill to Terrington to find the second water pump. on arriving at teh track to 5 it was cleary rideable to I went down here instead of on to 29. Right along the track on the escarpment then drop down to 14 to meet team Parker again. I am glad the first bridleway on the left had a sign as it wasn’t obvious and didn’t look like it existed. I then rode back up to teh escarpment and onto 29 mysteriously coming across team Parker again. At 29 I turned North along the feint track deciding I had to give it a go, it was the best track of the day apart from my pen bouncing out , so the last points had to be remembered. I picked up 15 then went UP the hill, I attempted to ride but after two pedal turns it was obviously too wet so I slihered my way up knowing I only had 12 minutes left. I found the track to 11 seemed longer than I expected and an unmarked track off North made me concerned I had missed the road. I liked 11 put it was further North than I anticipated at already late I was rushing at this point so I pushed it all the way back to Hovingham picking up 4 on the way and finishing 5 minutes late, At this point I did maths test number 4 adding up my points and got it wrong. My route was 28, 22,6, 20, 25, 23, 18, 30, 16, 19, 21, 17, 10, 24, 26, 5, 14, 29, 15, 11, 4 which after checking is 420 not 410 my Strava log is http://app.strava.com/activities/41085841 for anyone interested
Thanks to Dave for a superb set of clues including the maths and thankfully only one telegraph pole and the Malt Shovel for the Hospitality
It was almost spring-like in the Howardian Hills once the early morning mist had lifted and it was great to see the tracks clear of snow for the first time at an event this winter. Dave Robertson had planned another cracking course giving us a sensible option between country lanes and bridleways. The Malt Shovel is always a welcoming event centre and the weather forecast brought out 51 riders including 10 novices. I enjoyed my ride until my rear mech jammed into my spokes at #24 so I limped home with a shortened chain only 10 minutes late.
Congratulations to the category winners – Tim Evans, John Rawden, Kathryn Lazonby, Steve Roberts & Karen Clark, Adrian & Nathan Parker.
They will be posting their routes on the NYMBO website.
Our next event is the first league event of the season in the Yorkshire Wolds on Saturday 23rd March. The event centre is at Woldgate College in Pocklington and Dave Evans is checking out the bridleways this weekend so hope to see you there.
The NYMBO and NEMBOS league fliers are posted on the web sites. Please print them off and take them to your local bike shop/club and get more riders to our events. We enjoy them and I am sure they will too
Message from Chris Dodd
Thanks for organising a great event yesterday. I have lost my red/black Cateye Enduro 8 cycle computer, and wondered if it had been handed in? If not, would you possibly be able to send a short email to everyone asking if they’ve seen it? I’m pretty sure I’ve dropped it around the start area or in the car park!
Please reply to this comment if you found it. I’ve rung the Malt Shovel but no-one has found it there