Side 1 : Agricultural Beginnings
(Night MapRun – Tuesday 18th November)
An informal evening event using MapRun with a chance to socialise in the pub afterwards. You must “pre-enter” via email by Sunday 16th November to get a map (details below). Note: MapRun courses use a different part of Penrith to the urban event planned on 7th December with no overlap.
Event centre
Based at the Agricultural Inn in Penrith, Castlegate CA11 7JE.
Parking
Nearest parking is in Morrisons Supermarket (NB There’s only 2 hours free and they appear to have cameras). After 6pm it is possible to park free in Great Dockray (which is disk zone parking for 1 hour so anytime after 5pm is sort of free), or slightly further away there’s also Sainsbury’s where you get 3 hours. Other parking options include Bluebell Lane, not far from Morrisons (pay and display but also free after 6pm), and also some roadside along A592 Ullswater Road past the castle & station (although used by commuters as well). The pub isn’t too far from Penrith station.
Starts
Start anytime between 5:30 and 7:00 pm. Check in and get your map inside the pub. After your run, please make sure you report back to the pub to say you are back safe. Ideally everybody would be back by 8.15pm so if you expect to take a while then consider starting earlier rather than later. The start and finish are close to each other, a short distance from the pub. These are across a busy road; the route will be marked by a blue line on the map via a suitable crossing.
Courses
There are 2 linear courses: Long = 5.7km straight line (35m climb), approximately 8km real distance (Keith’s test running time 46 minutes); Short = 3.3km (25m climb), approx 4.7km real distance (Christine’s time 35 minutes). [Distances are based on a prelim test run of the courses – you may well run a little shorter or longer depending on the routes you take].
Please note that the short course is not a cut down version of the long, therefore if you decide to enter you do need to select which course you plan to run. There are also “artificial barriers” added to the map to add to the navigational challenge; an added little twist is that the barriers are not necessarily the same between the courses so you may see some runners passing through a barrier zone quite legitimately for their course!
Controls must be taken in the correct order, but depending on the route you take you may happen to pass by and “register” later or earlier controls, but even if you do, just like in normal orienteering, you must still execute the controls in the correct order for the course. Control “sites” are mainly things like trees, walls, seats, footpath junctions, buildings. All the control sites worked with Garmin watches, a couple didn’t work with mobile phone (but maybe because I didn’t wait around when my watch had gone off). In Maprun I have set the “punch” distance as 15m; if GPS works properly then this should be sufficient but there is always a degree of uncertainty. This is meant to be a fun event.
MapRun
We will be using MapRun “CheckSites”, although as it’s only a bit of fun you can just run using the map and not use MapRun if you wish. When you check in at the pub to get your map you will also get the CheckSites code to download the map & course onto your phone (or Garmin if you have a compatible watch & have installed the MaprunG app from Garmin Connect).
We may produce a very informal set of results with the times taken for the 2 courses which we may send by email (they will not be on the BL website).
For anyone who hasn’t come across MapRun, it’s a form of orienteering that uses smart phones and GPS for punching and timing, avoiding the need for control markers and SI boxes. Full instructions and help will be available on the night. It would help greatly if you download the free MapRun app to your phone in advance, but even this can be done on the night if necessary. There is some more information on MapRun on our own website here.
Map
A3 1:4000 Penrith urban orienteering map with 5m contours. Control descriptions will be combined pictorial and text printed on the front of the map. Where legs cross the A6, the busy road passing through Penrith, there are solid red lines across the control descriptions rather than additional text simply to reduce the number of lines.
Terrain
Courses do not go into Penrith town centre. Courses visit a mix of older residential housing, industrial estate, playing fields and some darker parkland where street lighting will be non existent. Mostly the surface underfoot will be tarmac or pavement but there are areas of grass which courses will need to cross. Both courses also cross the A6 where particular care needs to be taken.
Entries
Email Keith to reserve your map, indicating which course you would like to select. Please do this on or before Sunday 16th November (we will be map printing Monday). £2 per map, cash payable on the night – please bring the correct change if possible.
Safety, clothing etc
Sunset is 16:04. By 5.30pm it will be very dark. You will need a headlamp or torch – there are parts of the courses that have zero street lighting so in these areas it will be a true night event. Please wear something bright/hi viz and suitable warm clothing for the conditions. You may wish to wear shoes with a little grip and perhaps not your best clean trainers…..
U16s must be accompanied by a responsible adult. By all means run in pairs/groups if you wish. The organiser’s mobile phone number will be on the map. If you are using the Maprun app then you will have your phone; if you are using a Garmin smartwatch do consider still carrying your phone.
There will be vehicle traffic and pedestrians – please be patient and courteous. There are some narrow alleyways and underpasses. Please take corners wide, and make sure you do not run into anyone. The route to the start and back from the finish crosses a busy road via a Pelican crossing; please use this.
A comprehensive risk assessment has been prepared by the organiser but please be aware that you take part in this event at your risk and are responsible for your own safety. Nearest hospitals are in Penrith (Urgent Treatment Centre for minor injuries) and Carlisle (Full A&E department). Nearest defibrillator is located at Booth’s Supermarket.
Social
The pub really won’t mind if you stay and have a drink or food! It’s a good chance to chat to fellow runners and discuss routes. The Agricultural is a CAMRA pub and usually has a couple of guest real ales. It was named by The Telegraph as one of England’s best 500 pubs because of it’s more ornate wooden bar.
The Agricultural serves “pub classic” food – burgers, fish and chips, steak & ale pie, lasagne, chilli etc . The kitchen closes at 8pm so orders need to be in by no later than this time. They won’t want a rush of orders at 8pm so if interested in eating then consider running a little earlier. If you wish to place an order before you run that could work provided you have a reasonable estimate of your expected finish time.
Penrith urban race 7th December 2025
BL are holding a North West Urban League race in Penrith on Sunday 7th December, the last event in the NWUL series for 2025. There will be no course overlap between the MapRun activity and the urban race. Further details of the urban race here.
Contact
If you have any questions or need more information, email Keith.
Planned and organised by Keith Tonkin & Christine Kiddier.
Border Liners Orienteering Club 