Final Details - update

The content below is also available as a downloadable pdf from here. This is also available as a sheet included in your registration packs.

We hope that you enjoy our efforts, as well as our beautiful Welsh terrain and the wonderful Event Centre facilities.

Where there is any discrepancy between the information in the Final Details and the colour documents (green and blue folded programmes) produced a few weeks ago then the Final Details and the CROESO WEBSITE should be taken to be correct.

Weather
This has been the wettest April-July period since records began.

Our aim is to provide you with six days of events despite the drama of recent weather.

SHARING TRANSPORT WILL EASE THE PRESSURE FOR EVERYBODY. A notice-board will be available at the Event Centre for use by those seeking and offering lifts. We will be VERY HAPPY to make refunds for unused weekly parking.

The current (Wednesday 18th) forecast for Sunday is for increasing wind and light rain, and this is predicted to continue into Monday.

Improvement is forecast as the week goes on. Our Assembly Areas are on exposed hillsides. Please have suitable clothing. Notices regarding any compulsory carrying of rainproof jackets on courses will by provided as necessary at the events concerned.

‘Daily’ Updates
Printed and website updates will be produced by the mornings of Days 2, 3, 4 and 5. They will not be given out on arrival at events.

A3 versions will be posted on the results boards, and a supply of A4 versions will be available from Enquiries. Versions will be available on main website and on the Assembly Area WiFi system http://croeso2012 close to the download tent.

Reminder to all dogs
We love you very much, but orienteering competition and relationships with landowners are Croeso priorities. You are welcome to stay, on leads, in car parks but you are not allowed on Assembly Areas, on Courses, on the University Campus, or the Croeso Campsite.

Camper vans
Large camper vans are defined as those that are ‘coach built’ and higher and wider than normal delivery vans (Ford Transit and similar). Special parking arrangements are necessary for these on some days - please see details below.

Control Descriptions
Simon Errington of Happy Herts has kindly given us permission to use his sheet providing listings of pictorial control descriptions.

Copies will be available from Enquiries.

Plan A and Plan B
For each event there is a Plan A (fine weather) and Plan B (for days when we are determined to provide an orienteering event but when rain or other factors seem likely to make our principal car parks partially or completely unusable).

The weather has resulted in withdrawal of permission for the car park on Day 3. We are therefore using ‘Plan B’ at Hafod. See below.

On Days 1 and 6, Plan B is much like Plan A - we expect the facilities to hold up in almost all weathers.

On Day 2, Plan B will involve an increased use of ‘linear parking’ along long lengths of forest road, and will add to the amount of necessary walking to and from assembly and/or starts.

On Days 4 and 5, Plan B will necessitate parking remote from the Assembly Area for an increased number of competitors, and will require some use of bus shuttle systems. Our bus company is standing by, ready to provide the service if we ask.

Day Information, including travel
The peel-off windscreen sticker is your car-parking permit.

On all Days, please arrive at the car park NO LATER THAN 12:00.

Welsh roads have many twists and turns, and travel will be slow.

Please allow plenty of time, and drive with care.

Day 1
There are MAJOR roadworks on the route to Day 1, between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth. We have arranged that they will be manually controlled for our benefit, in order to reduce delays. Please allow an EXTRA 45 MINUTES for the journey from Aberystwyth.

Note that for Day 1 ONLY there will be yellow AA signs as you get very close to the event, as well as our own Croeso signs.

The turn towards the car park off the A470 road will take you very suddenly from a relatively fast road onto a narrow track. The track entrance will be marked with bunting and O kites. A section of the track is quite steep with a bend.

Campervans will normally park in the main parking field. If you are in a very large campervan that may not negotiate the steep bend then please use a cautious approach and follow signs for buses to park at the farmyard. Then follow the pedestrian route to Assembly.

Some pedestrians will be using the track, from the farm buildings next to the A470 to where it crosses the stream and begins to go uphill. PEDESTRIANS HAVE PRIORITY ACROSS THE BRIDGE, which is quite narrow. Pedestrians MUST keep to the cleared path through the hay field.

We hope that you enjoy our efforts, as well as our beautiful Welsh terrain and the wonderful Event Centre facilities.

Where there is any discrepancy between the information on this sheet and the colour documents (green and blue folded programmes) produced a few weeks ago then THIS SHEET and the CROESO WEBSITE should be taken to be correct.

Day 2
The turn towards the car park off the A487 has bends nearby. We are expecting the police to be in attendance, but in case they are not there then please take special care. The forest track has a good surface and is quite wide, but has some sharp bends.

Day 3
We are very disappointed that withdrawal of permission due to the weather prevents use of the intended main car park field. The following (Plan B) arrangements are now proposed: We are issuing ORANGE PARKING BADGES to a limited number of cars for competitors with early starts (10:00 to 12:00 ) and to families with very young children (10 and under) and anyone who is infirm. These badges will be valid ONLY FOR ARRIVAL IN TIME TO BE PARKED BY 10:00. You can leave this parking area carefully after 12:30 but please remember that some cars may be parked in a small section of the competition area where you may see runners.

Orange badges can be collected from Enquiries at Saturday Registration or on Day 1 and Day 2. Any family wishing to reserve one of these orange badges should email Anne May quoting their name and competitor number: [email protected].

Signs at Devil’s Bridge will send Orange Badge holders along the B4343 for 5km to the Hafod entrance. Parking will be on forest road up to 1.5km from the Assembly Area.

Campervans of all sizes, and cars without Orange Badges, will park on forest track at The Arch, which will be signed from Devil’s Bridge along the B4574. Buses will shuttle competitors to the Hafod entrance, and there will be a 1.4km walk downhill to the Assembly Area. Buses will run frequently, starting at 07:45. If you want to use a mountain bike, the distance is about 5km, downhill to Assembly.

Day 4 and 5
Llynnoedd Teifi is a superb technical upland area, but its remote location presents challenges. The following special arrangements are necessary: It is possible for camper vans to stay overnight on Wednesday and or Thursday at Pafiliwn Bont for a charge of £10 per night, payment being made at Enquiries. The money will go straight to the Trustees of the Pafiliwn Trust who have kindly offered this facility.

Day 6
For those staying at the University or the Croeso Campsite, cars should be left at the accommodation. For others, car parking itself will not be directed by marshals, with one exception - see below.

The following are available:

• Car Park X at Llanbadarn Campus (see map on the printed social programme): This has capacity for 500 vehicles. It is up to 1.5 km with a walk that involves road crossings and narrow pavements. Children must be supervised. As elsewhere on the University Campuses, NO DOGS are allowed.
• The Car Park on Clarach Road (see map on the printed social programme): There is capacity for about 200 cars here. DOGS are allowed here on leads. It is a similar distance to the Assembly Area, with an unmarshalled crossing of the A487; children must be supervised. Please note that it is ‘hard standing’ and there is no shade. There are footpaths (to open fields) nearby that are suitable for walking dogs before or after runs, but livestock may be present so dogs MUST remain on leads. If you would like to change to ‘split starts’ so that dogs need not be left in cars then please request this at Enquiries between Monday 23rd and Thursday 26th.
• Arts Centre Pay and Display Car Park: This has limited capacity and other users will be on the Campus. There will be marshals there and cars without children will be directed to alternative space. See Updates through the week.

The University will not allow outside caterers on the Campus. So for nutrition on Day 6 the choice is from the various University outlets.

Campus facilities
The event centre is the base for the University Guild of Students, also known as the Students’ Union. We have superb facilities on hand - including bookshop, café and bars, cinema, and Musicfest - in the University Arts Centre, which is very close to the Guild of Students (Students’ Union) Event Centre. Of course, we also have our own packed social programme - please enjoy.

The main parking space for social events is at the Campsite (Penglais School) but this may become full at times. The main alternative is the University Pay and Display car park, which acts in the same way as public car parks and so will also be used by other campus users. There is an additional Pay and Display car park at the National Library.

LARGE CAMPER VANS will use an excellent area of hard standing at Pafiliwn Bont in Pontrhydfendigaid (SY25 6BB). PLEASE ARRIVE BY 10.30. The bus group will call here between 10.30 and 10.50 on Day 4 and between 9.15 and 9.30 on Day 5 and some spaces should be available.

The buses will take people on to the ‘bus stop’ that is 1.5km walk from the Assembly Area. In addition, CAR DRIVERS with free space are asked to provide lifts - for which many thanks in advance.

There will be signs on the B4340 about 100m before the rear entrance to Pafiliwn Bont and drivers who can provide lifts are asked to turn right (a marshal will be at the entrance gate) and through the car park where another marshal will arrange lifts. PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT THROUGH THE VILLAGE IF YOU HAVE A SPARE SEAT IN YOUR CAR, unless directed by the marshal to do so. PLEASE FOLLOW THE MARSHALS’ INSTRUCTIONS.