Potteries Orienteering Club

West Midlands Orienteering Association

Where do we orienteer?

Permanent Courses

Bathpool
Brereton Heath
Brough Park and Fields
Downs Banks
Ladderedge Country Park

Mapped Areas

Apedale
Biddulph Grange
Birchenwood and Clanway
Chatterley Whitfield
Festival Park
Hanley Forest Park
Kibblestone Scout Camp
Leycett
Maer Hills
Milldale Scout Camp
Park Hall
The Roaches
Springpool and Barker's Rough
Swynnerton Old Park
Tittensor Chase
Trentham Park and Gardens
Weston Heath and Bury Walls

Some of the areas used for orienteering are private. Do not assume that access without permission will be permitted.
 


Apedale

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 2003, 210 by 295 mm.

Terrain

Open fields and rough open; many of the wooded areas are out of bounds to protect wildlife.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

Bathpool

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 1995, 130 by 280 mm.

Terrain

Open ground in the West, mixed woodland on the valley sides in the East. The area is divided by a railway line and reservoir in the valley bottom, and is open to the public.

Read a long description of the area.

Permanent Course

A map of the permanent course can be bought for £1·50 from the Kidsgrove Sports Centre (tel: 01782 783 323); alternatively enclose £1·50 and a self addressed envelope (20 cm by 15 cm) with a letter to Alison Corbett, 16 Woodside Lane, Leek ST13 7AN (tel: 01538 384447).

   Area index   

Biddulph Grange

Map

Scale 1:5000, revised 1998, 270 by 200 mm.

Terrain

Parkland, with a wooded valley in the North and dense woods in the East. Open to the public. The area is used for local events and training.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

Birchenwood and Clanway

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 2003, 200 by 270 mm.

Terrain

Once an industrial area, now reclaimed for use as a public Country Park. A small additional area, linked to Birchenwood via a disused railway line, has interesting contour features and has been added to the map. This small area is used for local events and training.

   Area index   

Brereton Heath

Map

Scale 1:5000, revised 1989, 300 by 210 mm.

Terrain

Mapped by MDOC and used for local events and training. This small area, open to the public, surrounds a lake and is mainly flat.

Permanent Course

Maps are available only from the visitor centre. Groups are asked to telephone to check availability (tel: 01477 534115).

   Area index   

Brough Park and Fields

Map

Scale 1:5000, revised 2002, 140 by 270 mm.

Terrain

Urban park, parkland, rough fields and woodland. This small area is used for local events and training.

Read a long description of the area.

Permanent Course

Maps are available from the Brough Park Leisure Centre (tel: 01538 373505 or email: broughpark@parkwood-leisure.co.uk); alternatively enclose £1·50 and a self addressed envelope (20 cm by 15 cm) with a letter to Alison Corbett, 16 Woodside Lane, Leek ST13 7AN (tel: 01538 384447).

   Area index   

Chatterley Whitfield

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 1999, 140 by 320 mm.

Terrain

Includes spoil heaps from the Chatterley Whitfield mine, now reclaimed for use as a public Country Park. Mainly open, with an extensive path network, but with some small contour features. This small area is used for local events and training.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

Downs Banks

Map

Scale 1:5000, revised 2004, 210 by 295 mm.

Terrain

Open slopes, bracken-covered for most of the year, with some deciduous woodland. The area is owned by the National Trust and is open to the public.

Read a long description of the area.

From the club newsletter: Downs Banks - renovating the permanent course.

Permanent Course

For a map of the permanent course enclose £1·50 and a self addressed envelope (23 cm by 16 cm) with a letter to Alison Corbett, 16 Woodside Lane, Leek ST13 7AN (tel: 01538 384447). The permanent course is closed from April to June.

   Area index   

Festival Park

Map

Scale 1:5000, revised 2001, 260 by 200 mm.

Terrain

Mainly woodland, with an extensive path network. This city-centre park is used for local events and training.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

Hanley Forest Park

Map

Scale 1:7500, revised 1999, 270 by 200 mm.

Terrain

A reclaimed colliery, landscaped as a public park. Mainly rough open, with some scattered trees. The slopes on the partially wooded spoil heaps are devoid of interesting contour features. The area is used for local events and training.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

Kibblestone Scout Camp

Map

Scale 1:5000, revised 2004, 210 by 290 mm.

Terrain

Open grassland and wooded slopes. This small area is used for local events and training.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

Ladderedge Country Park

Terrain

Fields and woodland, with ponds, marshland and streams. This small area is used for local events and training.

Read a long description of the area.

Permanent Course

Maps are available from the Ladderedge Post Office (38A Ladderedge, Leek, Staffordshire ST13 7AE tel: 01538 385370); alternatively enclose £1·50 and a self addressed envelope (20 cm by 15 cm) with a letter to Alison Corbett, 16 Woodside Lane, Leek ST13 7AN (tel: 01538 384447).

   Area index   

Leycett

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 1995, 210 by 270 mm.

Terrain

Mixed forest and open farmland. Since the area was mapped, runnability has been impaired by brambles in much of the forested area.

   Area index   

Maer Hills

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 1998, 290 by 210 mm.

Terrain

Hilly, mixed forest. Mainly mapped as runnable, despite the prevalence of brashings and brambles. Courses can be technically difficult.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

Milldale Scout Camp

Map

Scale 1:2500, revised 2006, 210 by 290 mm.

Terrain

A very small area, mapped large. This area is used for local events and training.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

Park Hall

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 2000, 209 by 245 mm.

Terrain

Mainly open and fast run. The country park was an old aggregate extraction quarry which has been landscaped in places with maturing vegetation. However there are many confusing contours, with dangerous crags, rock features, steep drops and pond water features.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

The Roaches

Map

Scale 1:15000, revised 1983, 200 by 310 mm.

Terrain

Open moorland and fenced fields, with large and small crags and boulders.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

Springpool and Barker's Rough

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 1979, 140 by 190 mm.

   Area index   

Swynnerton Old Park

Map

Scale 1:15000, revised 1994, 230 by 170 mm.

Terrain

Mature and well thinned plantation with areas of recent clear felling. A well contoured escarpment.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index   

Tittensor Chase

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 1999, 210 by 240 mm.

Terrain

Runnable forest (mainly coniferous) with open parkland.

Read a long description of the area.

From the club newsletter: Tales of Tittensor Chase.

   Area index   

Trentham Park and Gardens

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 1998, 200 by 280 mm.

Terrain

A mixture of deciduous and coniferous woodland, rough open and neglected parkland, with steep slopes in the Southeast and Northwest.

   Area index   

Weston Heath and Bury Walls

Map

Scale 1:10000, revised 2002, 290 by 190 mm.

Terrain

Bury Walls is an iron age hill fort with a commanding position at the top of an irregular escarpment with contour detail (and dangerous crags). Regional event courses can be expected to be technically difficult and physically demanding.

Read a long description of the area.

   Area index