Rochdale Urban
26th September 2026 : 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Get ready to explore a brand new area for Urban Orienteering around Rochdale.
Based from the town hall, you’ll explore this hidden gem of an area which is part of the North West Urban League.
Date of Event
The event will take place on 26th September 2026 : start times 12:00 – 14:00
Location
Rochdale Town centre
Event Centre address: Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale, OL16 1AZ
What 3 Words /// rift.hooks.event
There will be one start in operation at this event, which is located close to the event centre
Terrain
Mostly on hard surfaces, some parkland and some contours. Trainers are recommended.
Timings
Starts are between 12:00 – 14:00, please select your starting block upon entry.
Courses closing at 15:15
Anyone new to the Sport along with inexperienced Juniors and Adults can be given some guidance prior to their Start.
Entries/ Fees
Pre entries will be available shortly through Fabian4 and close at 23.59 on Sunday 20 September. Limited entry on the day will be available.
Entry fees vary depending on the course you select.
Juniors under 16 on the day of the event may only enter courses 7 or 8 unless shadowed by an adult. The adult must complete their own course first if they wish to be competitive on it.
Courses: All except Red
Senior (BOF member) £10
Senior (non- member) £12
Juniors (BOF and non-members) £6
Courses: Red (Runners Course)
Senior (BOF member) £6
Senior (non- member) £8
SI card hire for all courses 50p.
SELOC members receive a £1 discount for any course.
Volunteers also receive a code to get 50% off your entry. If you can volunteer please contact Caroline Barcham on c.barcham@sky.com
Courses
The courses available are below. Full distance/ climb is subject to final controlling and will be published ahead of the event.
| North West Urban League | Maps | |||||||
| Course | Men’s Classes | Women’s Classes | Straight line (km) | Controls | Estimated Optimal (km) | Estimated climb (m) | Map size | Map flip |
| 1 | MO | 8.3 | 29 | 11.2 | 75 | A3 portrait | No | |
| 2 | MV | WO | 7.0 | 24 | 9.3 | 95 | A3 portrait | No |
| 3 | MSV | WV | 6.7 | 24 | 8.7 | 75 | A3 portrait | No |
| 4 | MUV | WSV | 5.3 | 18 | 6.9 | 55 | A3 portrait | No |
| 5 | MHV | WUV | 4.2 | 15 | 5.5 | 35 | A3 portrait | No |
| 6 | WHV | 3.3 | 14 | 4.3 | 50 | A4 landscape | No | |
| 7 | MJ | WJ | 3.0 | 20 | 3.6 | 35 | A4 landscape | No |
| 8 | MYJ | WYJ | 1.5 | 13 | 1.7 | 25 | A4 landscape | No |
| 9 Runners | 5.1 | 17 | 5.9 | 20 | A3 portrait | No | ||
| 10 Accessible | 2.2 | 12 | 2.6 | 20 | A4 landscape | No | ||
To The courses have NWUL age categories assigned. You are welcome to enter any course, but you may not be eligible for the NWUL if you “run down” by entering a shorter course than that assigned. If you would prefer to run a shorter course, you should select “Other course n” on Fabian4 . If you wish to “run up” on a longer course for which you are competitive then just enter that course.
The Si boxes will be set in Contactless mode for those with “Air” dibbers however all competitors must punch at both the Start and Finish.
Map
All courses will use a brand new 1:4000 scale map created in 2026 by Dean Thetford and Stephen Richards.
Parking/ Public Transport
Parking TBC
There are extensive public transport links to the centre of Rochdale available. More details to follow.
Facilities
There are toilets available at the event centre.
Officials
Planner: Paul Turner (SELOC)
Controller: Jean Lochhead (EPOC)
Organiser: Caroline Barcham (SELOC)/ Lee Ward (SELOC) (c.barcham@sky.com)
First Aid
First aid will be available at the finish by a first aider. An emergency number will be provided on the map should it be required.