UBOC is hosting BUCS 2026

Version 1 - 18/01/2026

We're excited to welcome all universities to this year's BUCS, hosted in some of the Bristol area's highest-quality venues.

If you are interested in coming and no member of your institution is in the "BUCS 2026 Captains - Bristol" WhatsApp chat, please send an email to orienteering.bristol@gmail.com with your phone number.

Become Next Year's Host

If you are interested in hosting BUCS in 2027, please fill out this form by 27th January.

Thanks

UBOC would like to thank the local clubs who have helped to arrange BUCS with us - without their help, the weekend would not have been possible. We'd especially like to thank Bristol Orienteering Klub and North Gloucestershire Orienteering Club for organising, planning and controlling each event. We'd also like to thank Swansea Bay Orienteering Club for acquiring permissions for Merthyr Mawr and South Wales Orienteering Club for assistance in organising the individual.

Entries

Full details of the entry process will be made available once finalised, hopefully before the end of this week.

Friday Night Accomodation

If you're travelling a long distance you may want to book accomodation for Friday night. There are plenty of village halls and scout huts in and around Bridgend which are likely to be cheap to hire. UBOC has a lead for a hall located in Shirehampton, just off the M5 and about 1 hours drive to the day 1 event parking. Please get in contact with us for more information. We encourage groups to coordinate amongst themselves through the WhatsApp group.

Saturday - Individual Event at Merthyr Mawr

Final details will be provided in PDF format when finalised.

Details of associated public event can be found here

Car Parking

TBD. Access via narrow lanes and Merthyr Mawr village. Unsuitable for coaches.

Assembly Area

Near Candleston Castle.

Map

TBD

Terrain

This map has a mix of sand, scrubby undergrowth and some woodland grown over complex dune detail. The map's proximity to Porthcawl and Bridgend has resulted in an extensive and ever-changing path network meaning not all minor paths are mapped. These two factors create an area that is uniquely challenging and requires concentration for fine contour navigation.

The undergrowth has become quite thick in parts and is encroaching on most small paths so full leg cover is mandatory.

Runners are reminded to take care and watch for other members of the public. This is especially true for small paths and steep dunes that encourage fast descent. BUCS Men's/ Women's A and Men's B courses will have a spectate-able descent down the 60m "Big Dipper" dune which can be watched a short distance from the carpark.

Courses

BUCS Class	Technical Difficulty	Spectator Control	Approx. Length (TBD)
Men A	5	Yes	10km
Women A, Men B	5	Yes	8km
Women B	5	No	5.0km
Women C, Men C	3	No	4.0-5.0km

Start/Closure

One start for all courses.
Start window 11:30-14:30. Top competitors on A courses will be seeded.
Courses close 16:00.

Punching

Facilities

TBD

Safety

TBD

Officials

Organiser: Pat Macleod (NGOC)
Planner: Sophie Jones (TVOC)
Controller: Richard Cronin (NGOC)

Photography

TBD

Saturday Evening

Showers

After the individual race, it’s an hour's drive back to Bristol where we’ve arranged for the use of University of Bristol sports hall showers located at University of Bristol's Indoor Sports Centre on Tyndall Avenue. What3words: ///common.ends.fuel (Available here)
There is on-street pay and display parking nearby (e.g. Tyndall Avenue, St Michael’s Park). Parking can be purchased through the RingGo app.
Access is available all afternoon and early evening but please aim to stagger your entry so we don’t overwhelm the facilities!

Accomodation

Hall floor near Bristol city centre - details will be sent to the WhatsApp Captains chat prior to the weekend.

Evening Meal and Social

The evening meal will be hosted at an Indian restaurant in Bristol from 7pm.

After the meal, we'll head to the a pub, where we have a private room booked between 21:30 and 23:30.

After this, we'll head to a club.

Costumes

Costumes will be released soon after entries close.

Sunday - Relay Event at Clevedon Court

Final details will be provided in PDF format when finalised.

Details of associated public event can be found here

Car Parking, Assembly, Start and Finish

Parking and Assembly:
Clevedon School Sports Centre, Valley Road, Clevedon BS21 6AH.
What3words: ///aside.town.gates (Available here)
The entry to Valley Road is off the B3124 Clevedon to Portishead Road.
Signed to ‘Sports Centre’. Park in the school car park or in the overflow area as directed.
Parking is about a 750m (60m climb) walk from the start and finish.

Event arena, for the Start, handovers and Finish:
Based out of the Norton Wood Quarry area. Approximate What3words: ///groups.unhappily.publisher (Available here)

Terrain

Wooded flat topped ridge but with steep slopes to north, south and west sides. Many paths criss-cross the area which is generally runnable. Some smaller tracks are not mapped.

Clevedon Court Woods is private land owned by the Elton family and public access is allowed subject to various restrictions, please be respectful of other users. Conditions underfoot are rough, with rocks, mud and tree roots. All courses cross this rough and steep terrain. Full leg cover is compulsory and grippy footwear is strongly recommended.

Map

TBD. Drawn by Trevor Crowe in 2017, selectively updated for BUCS.

Courses

TBD.
Winning times for Men’s and Women’s Relay: 30 - 35 mins
Winning times for Adhoc Relay: TBD

Start/Closure

First mass start: 10:00
Second mass start: 10:10
Mini mass start for all remaining legs: TBD
Course closure: TBD

Punching

SI and SIAC (contactless) electronic punching.
All competitors must punch the Finish, and then Download promptly.

Facilities

Toilets and changing rooms are available at the School Sports Centre.
Please remove dirty O-shoes before entering the building.
A First Aider will be in attendance based at the Gym.

Safety

Please be aware and courteous of other users including dog walkers.
Please look out for all the large crags in the area. Some will be taped with black/yellow tape which must not be crossed. Others may also be unsafe to climb so please be sensible and do not take unnecessary risks.
The large quarry in the north of the map is now in private ownership and is marked as out of bounds. Please stay well clear. A former quarry in the middle of the map will be taped.
Competitors take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety. If travelling alone or with relevant pre-existing medical conditions you may wish to notify the Organiser.

Officials

Organiser: Kate Bosher (BOK), kbosher99@gmail.com, 07342 782953
Planner: Adam Potter (BOK)
Controller: Charles Daniel (BOK)

Photography

TBD.
There may be a photographer at this event and at the prize giving for the BUCS event. If taken these pictures will be available on the BOK website after the event.
Please contact the organiser if you or any member of your family does not wish to be included in any photographs or have them displayed on the club’s social media.