Leybourne Lakes - Come and Try It
Saturday 2nd May
Dartford Orienteers invite you to an event in this attractive country park with several lakes and some small areas of woodland.
There are a range of courses to suit all ages and levels of experience.
Newcomers are most welcome and guidance will be provided to get you started.
We are offering a range of Line courses and a 60 minute Score course so there's a course suitable for all ages and levels of experience.
The Start and Finish are close to the Event Centre.
Yellow 2.5km
Controls (checkpoints) are very easy to find, mostly on paths, ideal for younger children and complete beginners.
Orange 3.0km
Controls are on or near paths with some route choice. Good for progressing juniors and adults who are reasonably confident reading a map.
Green 5.0km
Suitable for those with considerable orienteering experience.
60 mins Score
There is a time limit of 60 minutes. 10 points per control and a 5 point penalty per minute or part of a minute for exceeding the allocated time.
There are 20 controls and you have two options
1) Find as many controls as you can in any order
2) Controls are in 2 sets, 50's and 60's. Start with either set, find as many controls as you want to in that set in any order then move onto the other set. No points for visiting controls in the first set once you have left it.
No need to decide on entry. There will be separate results for each Score course option.
Senior: £7
Junior: £3
Groups participating together (one entry, one map and includes chip hire)
Entry Fee: £9
For a group, only one person needs to enter but after the surname please type "+2" say to indicate that this is a group of three people participating together. One map will be issued to the group but extra maps can be provided on request to the organiser on the day at £1 each if there are still maps available for that course.
Juniors are under 21 on 31st December 2025.
Fee includes the hire of an electronic chip if you do not have your own.
Newcomers are most welcome
Follow the red and white tapes for 400m from the main car park, accessible from the roundabout on the A228 south of Snodland and north of the M20, to the tall dark blue DFOK sail banner near to our tent which is our Event Centre.
Parking is £2:30 for two hours, £3.50 for 2-4 hours and £5 for all day payable by cash, card or through the YourParkingSpace App.
Public Transport: Snodland Rail Station on the Strood to Paddock Wood Medway Valley line is a 20 minute walk, mainly on footpaths and partly through the country park, to the Event Centre.
Facilities include a recently installed attractive looking café very near the event centre with toilets nearby.
First aid cover will be provided on a largely self help basis with a qualified sports first aider present.
The map is 1:7,500 for all courses printed on waterproof paper.
These two short videos will hopefully give you a good idea of what you will be doing Videos.
The start is within 100m walk from the Event Centre. Follow the red and white tapes. It is a punching start for everyone.
Control descriptions are printed on the map. Loose control descriptions will be available in the start lanes at the event for those on the Green and Score courses.
It is a Punching Finish for everyone. After finishing, please proceed directly to Download (less than 100m). Download will be by the competitor. Your splits print out will be handed to you. Hired SI dibbers should then be deposited in a pink container nearby.
Results will not be on display at the event but you can access them on the DFOK website after the event www.dfok.co.uk. There will be a QR code with a link to live results on your map.
We are grateful to TM Active for enabling us to use the area for the orienteering event.
