Saturday 14th November 2026
Preliminary Details
Headlamps at the ready for a night orienteering event at The Beacon in Penrith where Border Liners are hosting this event as part of the North West Night League season for 2026/27.
BL are also holding a Sunday morning event at Brampton the following day and we hope that orienteers will choose to run in both events for a weekend of fun.
Entries now open here
Parking
Parking is road side at GR NY533311, what3words ///discussed.resolves.outsiders. The nearest postcode CA11 8SJ, Stagstones Road, Roundthorn, Penrith.
Please park with consideration and common sense. There is additional road side parking on Beacon Edge main road at what3words///atomic.listings.celebrate
Public Transport
Penrith Railway station is 2 miles away at what3words///purest.cakewalk.closet
Penrith Bus Station is also 2 miles away at Sandgate, Penrith CA11 7TP.
Registration/Download
This will be located in a parked car marked with a BL flag closest to the gate entrance into The Beacon.
Start and Finish
The start and finish are located just 50 metres from the Registration/Download.
Start times are 18:00 to 19:00.
No start times are allocated; just turn up and go (leaving a one minute interval).
Courses close at 20:30. As we will still have to collect controls in after everyone has finished, if you think you may be a long time on your course please consider starting close to 18:00.
Courses
| Course | Distance (km) | Climb (m) | Controls | Technical Difficulty (TD1 easy to TD5 hard) |
| Orange | 2.8 | 55 | 10 | TD3 |
| Green | 4.3 | 70 | 13 | TD5 |
| Blue | 6.1 | 110 | 21 | TD5 |
Blue course has a double-sided map
On the Green and Blue courses there is a section of tape to follow from a control into an old quarry area. The tape follows a path downhill to avoid any steep hazardous slopes.
Entries
Pre-entry via SiEntries.
Adults (21 and over) £7, Juniors (20 and under) and full-time Students £3.
Entries close at 23:59 on Thursday 12th November.
There will be limited entry-on-the-night for the Orange course. Please bring cash
If you are new to night orienteering and would prefer to go round as a group just enter one person and use the option to select any additional maps the groups would like at £1 each.
If you do not have your own dibber these will be provided at no charge, £30 if not returned. To pre-order, leave the SI number blank during the online entry process, and then collect dibber from Registration/Download on the night.
Map
1:7,500 with 5m contours. Updated 2026. Map from previous event can be seen here.
All course maps will be printed on waterproof paper with descriptions printed on the front (pictorial for Blue and Green, both pictorial and text for Orange).
The Blue course has a double-sided map.
Controls and Punching
SportIdent punching will be used for the event. Controls will be enabled for contactless punching for those with SIAC cards. The start and finish will need to be punched manually. If you don’t have your own dibber these will be provided on the night.
Terrain
Penrith Beacon is dense forested woodland, with a mixture of forest tracks, walkers paths and smaller trails. The forest is bounded on all sides by walls. The undergrowth is a mixture of grass, brambles, bracken, heather and forest vegetation. Some of the forest tracks are very runnable. The smaller paths are likely to be muddy and slippery. Terrain off the paths can be very dense with underlying rocks, ditches and holes. The heather, old bracken and brambles can create trip hazards.
There are areas of old quarries to the south of The Beacon, where there are steep slopes and quarry crags leading down to the southern boundary wall. The tops of the crags will be marked with hazard tape and these tapes should not be crossed to avoid falling steeply into the quarry area.
Clothing/Equipment
The forest tracks are very good, but elsewhere it may be muddy and slippy. Please wear appropriate footwear. We request full leg cover please as you may not see some of the vegetation in the dark. You will of course need a torch. For your own safety please carry a whistle and consider taking a backup torch and mobile phone (the planner’s phone number will be on the map). If the weather is particularly inclement a cagoule may be required; please come prepared.
Safety
- If you arrive at the event alone please leave something at download, eg car keys.
- If you get lost head South East. The Beacon is bounded on all sides by walls, so straying too far off course is not possible.
- You must report to download after finishing, even if you have retired.
- A comprehensive risk assessment has been prepared for this event by the organiser. Participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event.
- First aid available at download.
- The nearest hospitals are Urgent Treatment Centre, Penrith Community Hospital, Bridge Lane, Penrith CA11 8HX (01768 245555) and The Cumberland Infirmary, Newtown Road, Carlisle CA2 7HY (01228 523444).
- The nearest defibrillator is Penrith Building Society, 7 King St, Penrith, CA11 7AR.
- As the Beacon is close to Penrith town, please be aware that even at night you may encounter an occasional intrepid dog walker.
Facilities
No toilet facilities provided. The nearest public toilet is at Sandgate Bus Station CA11 7TP.
Planner/Organiser
Planner – Owain Rice (BL)
Organiser – Natalie Hawkrigg (BL), natalie@razzetti.com, 07817420532
Acknowledgements
Border Liners would like to thank the two landowners Lonsdale Estates and Lowther Estate Trust for permission to use the area, and also to allow access via the gate.
BL Membership
You do not need to be a member of BL or any other orienteering club to take part in this event. However if you are not already a member of an orienteering club do consider joining Border Liners. Membership details are here.
Note about Insurance
If you are not a member of British Orienteering please read the important note regarding public liability insurance here
