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Recent developments

Brereton Heath (Congleton)

Posted On 1 Mar 2016
By Dave McCann
In

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Course Status
Last checked April 2019. Everything OK … but note that post H has been replaced on the East side of the thicket rather than the North-East side, so may not be exactly where you expect it to be, and you may find there are two XX controls (with the same code) visible on the South side of the pond.

Orienteering map details
Brereton Heath full-area map: A4 Landscape, Scale 1:5000. Last updated 2019.
Brereton Heath North small-area map: A4 Portrait, Scale 1:3000. Last updated 2019.

Start/Finish
The Start/Finish is by the side of a small building close by the North end of the car park, adjacent to the Visitor Centre.
Map detail showing the entrance road, car park and Start/Finish

Brereton Heath Start control

How to get a map

Brereton Heath Visitor Centre. Tel: 01477 534115
Or buy any map from Get a Map
Or order any map by post by downloading the Map order form

Park Facilities
K Car Park d Toilets Picnic areas
NB. the Car park is Pay and Display

Directions
Signed from A54, 4 miles west of Congleton.
OS Grid Reference: SJ 795 654 Postcode: CW12 4SU

Other useful information
Ranger Tel: 01477 534115
Cheshire East web site for Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve
Information and activities, including car park charges
Wikipedia entry for Brereton Heath
Nature Reserve Leaflet
Case Study

Course Maintenance
Maintained by Cheshire East Council.
Postwatchers, please click here to submit your report.

Peripheral

Page last updated by John Britton on Saturday, July 20, 2019 pm31 17:27 PM

Photo: Beryl Blackhall

Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve is a medium size, flat area of woods around a substantial lake, suitable for beginner and intermediate orienteers of all ages. There are a few small contour features, open areas, water features and a complex path network. Review comments 30/10/16: The map shows a bench near HD - this has been removed. The direct route from E to EE requires the use of a diversion to avoid the conservation area as the signs ask you to choose another route. There are newly-fenced areas surrounded by L/P/AA/EE and LD/W/X/A - the fencing is not shown on the map but all the controls are accessible.

Courses available (see Course Colours)
W
White is the easiest level of course, suitable for young beginners. Controls are fairly close together, and usually at path junctions, or junctions of paths and streams or walls; distance is typically 1-1.5km; the best route should be obvious, along paths, and require very few decisions.

Y
Yellow is slightly longer and harder than White. Controls may be further apart, and are placed at junctions or obvious features; distance is typically 1-2.5km; the best route should be relatively obvious, but not necessarily along paths.

O
Orange courses are of medium difficulty and distance, suitable for adult beginners - controls may be 50m from paths, and reading map detail such as contours may be necessary; distance is typically 2-3.5km; you may have several choices of route - some of which may be across terrain rather than along paths.

LG
Light Green is the easier end of difficult courses - controls may be on small features and contour shapes away from paths, but there will be a catching feature to stop you going too far if you miss it. Lengths are typically 2-4km.

Ch
Wheelchair courses are typically White courses where the path surfaces are suitable for wheelchairs; controls are visible from the paths; lengths are typically 1-1.5km.

SL
Star and Loop courses are where the group leader chooses a central base, and sends the students out to collect a single control, or pair of controls, and then return to base. They are particularly suitable for very young beginners.

S
Score courses are where you visit as many controls as you can, in any order you choose, usually within some kind of time limit - or see who can visit all the controls in the shortest time.

The small area Brereton Heath North map offers courses for wheelchairs and young beginners:

The Short White/Wheelchair course (1km, 7 controls) goes around the woods West of the lake.

The Long White/Wheelchair course (1.2km, 8 controls) goes round the lake anticlockwise.

The Yellow course (1.2km, 9 controls) goes round the lake clockwise.

There are also 10 extra controls which can be added in for Stars and Loops exercises, possibly best from a base in the open area North of the lake.

The full area Brereton Heath map offers courses up to intermediate level:

White and Yellow courses are the same as the Short White and Yellow courses for Brereton Heath North.

The Orange course (2.2km, 8 controls) goes round the lake and further into the woods.

The Light Green1 course (1.9km, 6 controls) and Light Green2 (2km, 8 controls) course cover the whole area, but in opposite directions.

There are a further 3 controls which can be added in for a Score course or to extend other exercises.

Course Status
Last checked April 2019. Everything OK ... but note that post H has been replaced on the East side of the thicket rather than the North-East side, so may not be exactly where you expect it to be, and you may find there are two XX controls (with the same code) visible on the South side of the pond.

Orienteering map details
Brereton Heath full-area map: A4 Landscape, Scale 1:5000. Last updated 2019.
Brereton Heath North small-area map: A4 Portrait, Scale 1:3000. Last updated 2019.

Start/Finish
The Start/Finish is by the side of a small building close by the North end of the car park, adjacent to the Visitor Centre.
Map detail showing the entrance road, car park and Start/Finish

Brereton Heath Start control

How to get a map
Brereton Heath Visitor Centre. Tel: 01477 534115
Or buy any map from Get a Map
Or order any map by post by downloading the Map order form

Park Facilities
K Car Park d Toilets Picnic areas
NB. the Car park is Pay and Display

Directions
Signed from A54, 4 miles west of Congleton.
OS Grid Reference: SJ 795 654 Postcode: CW12 4SU

Other useful information
Ranger Tel: 01477 534115
Cheshire East web site for Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve
Information and activities, including car park charges
Wikipedia entry for Brereton Heath
Nature Reserve Leaflet
Case Study

Course Maintenance
Maintained by Cheshire East Council.
Postwatchers, please click here to submit your report.

About us

GMOA is a volunteer organisation which creates and looks after Permanent Orienteering Courses in and around Greater Manchester. Its members come from the two active Orienteering Clubs which cover the area - MDOC (South Manchester) and SELOC (North Manchester).

Address

Email: enquiries@gmoa.org.uk
Phone: 0161 426 0301
Post: GMOA,
28 Turncliff Cres,
Marple,
Stockport,
SK6 6JP

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