The first White Rose Weekend was held in 1972 at Lownorth Park, near Harwood Dale. The idea of staging an orienteering holiday weekend came from Brian Jones, an EBOR member for many years and now a member of CAPREL and living in Switzerland.
Brian Jones at White Rose 2008 © Bill Griffiths
The first event in 1972 was organised by Brian Jones and planned by Peter Roberts, both supported by Alan Ross, Neville Myers and Stella Godderidge (now Lewsley). It was a success from both an orienteering and commercial viewpoint and it was decided that the event would continue.
In 1972, what was new to orienteering was using Lownorth Park as an event assembly – and having everything on the one site bringing orienteers together in a socially positive way. Click here to see the 1972 event flyer.
Brian couldn’t continue to manage the weekend in the following year, so it was run by a YHOA team. Later, Vic Roberts and his family took over White Rose weekend and they continued to manage it for many years. Later, as Vic took a back seat, the weekend was managed by Peter and Christine Roberts, who had already gained a solid reputation for O-mapping.
In the 1980’s and early 90’s the weekend was a key part of the O-calendar and at its peak attracted approaching 2000 entrants. Participation declined in the late 90’s and early 00’s as many other orienteering holidays became available but the White Rose weekend continued. In the mid 2000’s participation declined further as the weekend assumed an (undeserved) reputation for disappointing races in poor terrain with second-rate campsites.
This was addressed in the late 00’s and in 2008, and with good terrain and enhancement of the weekends activities by the introduction of additional races and activities, participation increased accordingly.
Over the last 40 years, White Rose weekend events have been organised at the following locations :
1972 Lownorth Park and Broxa 1973 Wykeham 1974 Dalby 1975 Langdale 1976 Wykeham – but cancelled due to fire risk 1977 Cropton 1978 Wykeham and Langdale 1979 Staindale 1980 Pickering and Cropton 1981 Wass and Sproxton 1982 Staindale and Bickley 1983 Pickering 1984 Wass 1985 Wykeham 1986 Dalby 1987 Langdale 1988 Newtondale and Levisham Moor 1989 Wass 1990 Dalby North and Staindale 1991 Harwood Dale and Silpho 1992 Cowhouse Bank 1993 Barns Cliff and Lownorth Park 1994 Levisham Moor 1995 Cropton and Cawthorne 1996 Wass Bank 1997 Duncombe Park 1998 Cropton and Wheeldale 1999 Cowhouse Bank, Heater Rigg and Ashdale 2000 Cawthorne and Keldy 2001 NO EVENT – Foot & Mouth 2002 White Horse, Kilburn 2003 Barns Cliff and Langdale 2004 Dalby Forest 2005 Heater Rigg 2006 Wykeham 2007 Pickering Forest 2008 Barns Cliff and Langdale 2009 Red Dike, Bixley and Ebberston Common 2010 Collis Rigg and Baxtons Strip 2011 Pye Rigg, Harwood Dale & Helwath Grains 2012 Wykeham Forest
