WRNL13 - Studland Dunes N (by moonlight?)

24th February 2024 Starts 6:30 - 7:15pm approx.
WRNL13 on Studland North map is the 13th of the series of Wessex Region Night League score events.

Start and Finish Times
Starts are from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
Course closes at 8:30 p.m. Please try to be back by then or you may find controls have been collected in.

The start and finish are in the same location approximately 500m from the car park. Follow the boardwalk in the north east of the car park then the tapes along the beach.

Timing
SI (Sport Ident) timing control boxes (SIAC enabled) on stakes with full size O kites.
Dibber (SI Card 5) hire is available for £1.
Printed Score showing splits will be provided at download.
Results will be available on-line later on the same night.

Terrain
Sandy heath on a mature dune system with patches of gorse and a few trees. There is a lot of contour detail and a few well defined mapped paths and a smaller number of indistinct paths. There is no road network nor any light (apart from what you bring or nature might provide). If there is no cloud cover you may get some help from the micro full moon (coinciding with apogee, the point in the Moon's orbit farthest away from Earth) occuring on the 24th.
Safety bearing is E until you find either a clearly defined path or the sea shore, then NE and follow the shoreline around to the NW.

Parking
The nearest parking is in the Shell Bay National Trust Car park - FREE to park for National Trust members. Otherwise Cars, Price. up to 2 hours = £3. up to 4 hours = £5. Signage at the car park indicates that it is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. but online says until 4:30 p.m. This may indicate the period of charging, so you may find it's free after 16:30. In any event FREE parking on the Studland side is available either here in Shell Bay Car Park OR here 150m+ SW on Ferry Rd

FREE parking is also available on the other (NE) side of the chain ferry (£1 each way for foot passengers or £5.20 each way with car) Departures from Sandbanks side are on the hour and every 20 mins after. On Sandbanks side use either Panorama Rd or Brownsea Rd

Map
1:5000 scale A3 map overprinted with control codes (all controls are 20 points). Map updated for this event.

Course and Score Information
You have 60 minutes from the Start to Finish via as many controls (out of 25) as you can. All controls are worth 20 points for a maximum of 500.
Late penalty: if late, you lose 10 points per minute – or part minute – over the hour.
Bonus points (10 per full minute under the hour) are available but ONLY if you manage to visit every control.

Facilities
Toilets
Toilets at the Shell Bay car park close at 4 p.m. The public toilet on Sandbanks side (here) are open 24 hours.
Nearest pub
Bankes Arms in Studland with parking here will serve food Saturday & Sunday: 12.00pm – 9.00pm. Here's a link to the menu. Parking in adjacent NT South Beach car park (linked above) should be free after dusk.
The Shell Bay restaurant opposite the event centre appears to be closed for the winter.

Event Officials
Planner: James Crickmore
Assistant Planner: Roger Crickmore
Organiser: Julie Astin