Nessie News - Day 6
Welcome to Glen Affric North, Satuday 8th August
PDF download of Nessie News for Day 6
Information for Day 6
Starts All competitors will have to cross the main track used by S6D traffic on their way to the Start. This crossing will be marshalled and all competitors must comply with the Marshall’s instructions.
Some Courses are not using their usual start colours today
- Courses 5, 6, 7 will leave from the GREEN start (1.2k + 125m)
- Courses 14, 16, 17 will leave from the RED/BLUE start (2.6k + 200m)
Runners on courses 15, 22, 27, 30, 32, 34 and 39 will come across a drink station at one of their controls. These drinks are for elite runners ONLY. Please leave these for the Elites, who are running up to 14k today. Apologies that we are unable to provide drinks for everyone but the logistics of supplying these plus the resulting rubbish meant it was not feasible.
All routes to the Starts and the String course leave from the eastern end of the parking field. Exiting the parking field using the main access gate is prohibited to all competitors. Please follow the taped route.
Additional Information for Elites
Elite runners should check their start times carefully and turn up on time. If you miss your start time you could have a very long wait for a gap on the start list.
M/W21E have drinks provided today. There will be 2 stations on M21E after roughly 38% and 80% of your course and 1 station on W21E at 69%. These locations are shown on your control descriptions. Please discard drinks containers and any other litter (empty gel packets) at the control sites to assist with clearing up afterwards. Rubbish bags will be provided.
Additional Informatio for Competitors
All courses from the Green and Red/ Blue Starts cross a high deer fence. Several permitted crossing points are marked on your map and the fence is shown as uncrossable (purple overprint). Please do not cross the fence at any other location as it is easily damaged.
Courses 1 & 8 (White) do not follow line features for a short distance. These sections will be taped and in some places will have a happy or sad face to help competitors stay on the correct route.
Courses 2 & 9 (Yellow) also have some happy faces to reassure runners. Both courses need to use crossing points over fences near to the finish; happy and sad faces will be there to direct runners across the correct crossings.
Red/Blue Start Once you leave the forest track and begin down the ride towards the Start the taped route must be adhered to as you have entered the competition area and the forest is now OOB.
All Starts Please EMPTY AND CRUSH your water bottles before putting them in the rubbish bag. Someone is going to have to carry the bag out of the forest so the lighter it is the better.
All courses cross some of the same terrain used by WOC competitors yesterday. This is a great opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the World’s best and the terrain is both demanding and spectacular - if you have the time to look around you!
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Forestry Commission for the use of their woodland. Thanks also to Nigel Fraser of Guisachan who owns the land and also to farmers Willie and Hilary Birnie.
Glen Affric protected area status
Longer courses venture into the western part of the mapped area. This forms the southern part of a large protected area complex surrounding Glen Affric designated at European Union level for native Caledonian pinewood, bog woodland, wet and dry heaths, nutrient poor lochs, otters, golden eagle foraging ranges, capercaillie, and a rich dragonfly community. The native pinewood is amongst the largest in Scotland and its location lends it characteristics of both western and eastern pinewoods, giving it a diverse range of species which prefer either an oceanic or continental climate. The trees host a rich lichen flora many of which are nationally scarce or rare. Planners had to carefully plan courses to avoid the most sensitive parts of the site.
WOC 2015
WOC2015 would very much like to thank everyone helping and working on the Scottish 6 Days event. We’re fully aware (as we have a large volunteer team as well), that these events simply cannot happen without the generosity, enthusiasm, skills and support of you, the helpers. Because of WOC, we know that there are some significant additional stresses and strains being placed on everybody. It’s also fair to say that WOC is dependent on the Scottish 6 Days. We couldn’t exist and make our event work without your support.
Hopefully the end result is worth it – witnessing the best orienteers in the world racing, live TV, and a fantastic set of Scottish 6 Day races. The orienteering world is watching us, and the feedback we’re getting is fantastic. I hope you’re all rightly proud of yourselves!.
Paul McGreal
Event Director – World Orienteering Championships 2015
Need to learn more orienteering?
You should get the Little Book of Orienteering by Jean Cory-Wright. Everything you need to know about navigation events. Sprint maps, forest maps and OS maps. Written by Jean Cory-Wright co-author of ”Teaching Orienteering” , ex GB team member and coach . This handy pocket sized book is being sold as a Fund Raiser for the juniors who travel furthest to JWOC. £10 only. Jean will be in the traders area near the tables and chairs.
More about Glen Affric
If you haven’t visited it yet, Plodda Falls is a spectacular waterfall dropping 46 metres and has a new and very impressive viewing platform reaching out over the Falls.
Glen Affric itself is often described as one of the most beautiful glens in Scotland. It is home to one of the largest remnants of the ancient Caledonian Pine Forest that once covered much of the Highlands. The only public road into Glen Affric is a single-track road from near Cannich. This road, some 10 miles long, has three car parks at Dog Falls, Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin and at the River Affric which is where vehicle access ends.
Things to Do West of Inverness
Congratulations and Celebrations
Jim Clark of ESOC is 79 today! Happy birthday from Janet, Walter, Hazel, Adam, Zoe, and Frosty the hamster!
Social Events
Highland 2015 PRIZE GIVING In the arena, near finish, 3 pm. Prizes to first three in Junior classes and Senior long classes. Also to first in Senior short classes. Order of Play: Elites, juniors, then the rest. Can’t stay? Ask a friend to collect your prize – they will NOT be sent on. Please support the Prize Giving.
Notices
TICKS and LYME disease. Ticks are around. Early removal prevents disease.
Alex Carcas, civiliserade hemarbetande M18 orienterare vill arbete , ett hem och orientering i Norge eller Sverige från och med september 2015 för ett år. E: T +44 7875 511313
Look out for last day delights of Black Isle Dairy ice creams and Tomich Residents Association home bakes - fruit cake & brownies selling fast!
Thanks and Farewell
Turas Math Dhuibh (meaning Bon Voyage or Safe Journey in Scottish Gaelic)
You have now spent 3 days orienteering in the beautiful Strathglass area so why not take a little memento of it home with you. Duncan Chisholm is a Scottish musician whose family roots lie steeped in the history of Glen Affric, Cannich and Strathfarrar. In 2008 he set out to compose and arrange fiddle tunes inspired by the landscape surrounding the three glens of his forefathers. Three albums were produced called Farrar, Canaich and Affric and they are some of the most beautiful and haunting fiddle music you will hear. Prepare to be transported back to the beautiful glens, mountains and forests you have been running through this week.
Thanks to you for attending our event and we hope to see you back in 2017 when the Scottish 6 Days will return to Royal Deeside from 30th July to 5th August. http://www.scottish6days.com/home/2017-royal-deeside