Glen Feardar is a great favourite with the Scottish 6 Days having been used previously in 2017, 2005 and 1993. The earlier events were on the western area while the east was first incorporated for the Scottish Championships in 2012 and then extended further for Royal Deeside 2017. Once again, in 2025 the areas will be split, West and East.
Glen Feardar West comprises mature coniferous plantation forest on the lower slopes with moorland and sparse Scots Pine forest above on the Meall Gorm ridge. Runnability is good with abundant rock and contour features.
Glen Feardar East comprises deciduous forest on the eastern slopes of the Feardar Burn with varied contour and water features. The moorland on the higher areas gives good views eastwards to Balmoral.
Since Royal Deeside 2107 Glen Feardar has been used just once for a Regional Event in 2019.
Glen Feardar is used with the kind permission of Invercauld Estate, a sporting estate which covers approximately 43,600 hectares who derive their income from stalking, shooting, forestry, agriculture, tourism, fishing and let properties. The extended area towards Craig Nordie allows us to stage the first two days from a shared race arena.
Location
Preliminary Details
Important Information
- Organising clubs
- Mar Orienteering Club (MAROC), East Lothian Orienteers (ELO) & Ayrshire Orienteering Club (AYROC)
- Organisers
- Sue Barrie (MAROC) & Trish Coombs (MAROC)
- Planners
- Drew Tivendale (MAROC) & Andy Tivendale (MAROC)
- Controllers
- Richard Oxlade (ESOC) & Tim Griffin (GRAMP)
- Directions
- The same parking area and race arena will be used on Day 1 and Day 2.
- Traffic will be routed to the event from the A93 near Inver. The minor road leaving the A93 is narrow with restricted passing places. After 1.4 km you will reach an unclassified (private) track which leads for a further 0.8 km to the parking area which is adjacent to the arena. Proceed slowly over the bridge immediately before the parking field.
Competitors will not be allowed to arrive after 1230 hrs or leave before 1300 hrs. - Parking
- GR: NO 213 938
- W3W: shipwreck.guides.vibrate
Post Code: AB35 5TQ - Arena
- Adjacent to parking.
- Starts
- Routes to all Starts leave the arena together for 900m where there is a three-way fork.
The White Start is a further 100 (10m total ascent), the Green Start is a further 300m (40m total ascent) and the Red and Blue Starts a further 1.5km (150m total ascent).
Note that the route to the Red, Blue and Green starts crosses the courses from the White start. This crossing point will be marshalled; please respect the competitors as they cross.
- Maps
- Previous maps by Deeside Orienteering and Leisure Maps (DOLM) based on LiDAR supplied by the Scottish Orienteering Association and photogrammetric plot by Stirling Surveys. Revised for Royal Deeside 2025 by DOLM 2024/25. © MAROC.
- View old map on Routegadget
- Terrain
- Open runnable hilltop, natural pine forest, birch woodland and mature plantation.
- Rock and contour detail is present throughout.
- In some of the open and semi open areas heather and young trees can impede running.
- The longer courses and some courses near the finish will encounter bracken.
- Finishes
- The Finish is adjacent to the arena.
- String and off-string courses
- The String course area is located 50m from the arena.
- Head through the gate to the club tent area, then to the right (NE) and slightly uphill.
- The String course area is similar to day 1 and has some short grass and extends to a rough grass hillside with many low rock features and occasional bushes. Sheep have been in the field recently, so participants are advised to wash their hands after doing the string course.
- Safety
- There is a high deer fence and two low barbed wire fences which can only be crossed at marked crossing points. The deer fence is crossed by high stiles which will be timed-out for the oldest and youngest competitors. Take care on the rocky slopes, particularly in the plantation area.
- Junior courses
- The early controls on the White Start courses are located in an undulating open area where line features are sometimes indistinct. A variety of line features are used throughout Courses 22 and 23 and taping and smiley/sad faces will be used as appropriate. All White Start courses cross the walk to the Red, Blue and Green Starts. This crossing will be marshalled and competitors will be ensured priority.
- BOF Registration No.: 84582
- Special Information
- Dogs are only allowed in the parking field and must be on a short lead.
- They may not be taken on the walks to the start.
Provisional Course Lengths
| Course | Class | Length (km) | Climb (m) | Controls | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | M21E | 9.6 | 380 | 21 | Red |
| 2E | W21E | 7.5 | 345 | 18 | Red |
| 2 | M20L M21L M35L | 7.5 | 350 | 18 | Red |
| 3 | M40L M45L | 7.8 | 305 | 20 | Red |
| 4 | M18L M50L | 6.9 | 270 | 18 | Red |
| 5 | M16A M55L W21L | 6.3 | 230 | 18 | Red |
| 6 | M20S M21S M35S W20L W18L W35L | 5.8 | 265 | 18 | Blue |
| 7M | M60L W40L | 5.3 | 190 | 13 | Blue |
| 7F | W45L | 5.1 | 175 | 13 | Blue |
| 8M | M65L M40S | 5.6 | 190 | 13 | Blue |
| 8F | W50L | 5.5 | 200 | 13 | Blue |
| 9 | M18S M45S M50S W16A W21S | 4.8 | 180 | 13 | Blue |
| 10M | M70L | 4.7 | 190 | 13 | Blue |
| 10F | W55L | 4.6 | 165 | 12 | Blue |
| 11 | M55S W20S W18S W60L | 4.0 | 150 | 15 | Blue |
| 12 | Green W35S | 4.4 | 185 | 13 | Green |
| 13 | M75L W65L W40S | 3.8 | 160 | 12 | Green |
| 14 | M60S M65S W45S W50S | 3.0 | 145 | 12 | Green |
| 15 | M70S W70L W55S W60S | 3.1 | 140 | 13 | Green |
| 16 | M80 M75S W75L W65S | 2.1 | 75 | 10 | Green |
| 17 | M85 W80 W85 W70S W75S | 1.7 | 50 | 10 | Green |
| 18 | M14A M16B | 4.3 | 130 | 12 | Green |
| 19 | Light Green W14A W16B | 3.4 | 115 | 13 | Green |
| 20 | Red | 4.7 | 165 | 17 | White |
| 21 | Orange M12A M14B W12A W14B | 3.2 | 105 | 14 | White |
| 22 | Yellow M10A M12B W10A W12B | 2.4 | 35 | 13 | White |
| 23 | White M10B W10B | 2.1 | 20 | 14 | White |
