Important Information

Organising clubs

Edinburgh Southern Orienteering Club (ESOC), Tayside Orienteers (TAY), Roxburgh Reivers Orienteering Club (RR) and Kingdom of Fife Orienteers (KFO).

Organisers

John Tullie (RR) & Jayne MacGregor (ESOC)

Planners

Ewart Scott (ESOC) & Clive Masson (TAY)

Controllers

David Summers (INVOC)

Directions

All competitor vehicles including motorhomes, should park in the main parking field.
If travelling from Ballater turn right into the parking field approximately 400m after the Welcome to Braemar sign.
If travelling from Braemar turn left 450m after the turn off to the centre of the village.

The race arena including routes to the start/finish are just across the A93 and there will be temporary traffic lights in use to allow participants to cross the A93. Please obey all instructions from marshals.

Competitors will not be allowed to arrive after 12:30 or leave before 13:00.

Two Stagecoach buses service Braemar – 201 & 202.

Cyclists and walkers can go directly to the arena where cycles can be secured close to the shelter.

Parking

GR: NO 152 919
W3W: pining.coil.lecturers
Post Code: AB35 5XR

Arena

The Arena comprises two fields – an upper field with spectacular views that will contain a “remote” finish, spectator control (on courses 1E to 7W) and String courses and a lower field with Download, Information, EOD, First Aid, Traders, Toilets etc. Club tents are allowed in both fields and there will be a site plan on entry to the Arena.

Starts

The White start and combined Red/Green/Blue starts are about 150m apart, roughly 1.4km (25m total ascent) easy walking from the car park and arena. Exit the arena at the SW corner and follow the pavement on the east side of the A93 southwards through Braemar. Please walk single file to allow faster runners to pass without stepping off the pavement. Turn left after 1km onto a forest road, just past the Youth Hostel. Parents should accompany younger juniors to the start. Access to the White Start is only for White Start competitors plus any adults accompanying young children. All other competitors must keep out of the White Start area before and during their run. No competitor toilets at the Start, ONLY in an emergency can one of the 2 helper toilets be used.

Maps

Original map by Contours Orienteering and Survey Services 2005. Survey and cartography by Deeside Orienteering and Leisure Maps (DOLM) 2016 based on LiDAR supplied by the Scottish Orienteering Association and photogrammetric plot by Stirling Surveys. Updated by DOLM 2024. © MAROC.

Courses 1E & 2E use a scale of 1:10,000; and all other courses use a scale of 1:7,500.
View old map on Routegadget

Terrain

Terrain is generally runnable with excellent visibility. All courses use the open, mature pine forest on the lower slopes of Creag Choinnich. Mid length courses also traverse some low, forested moraine ridges and the longest courses climb onto an intricate heathery area. Part of the hillside has a series of close and mostly parallel extraction lanes which for clarity are not mapped. Many controls are close to the minimum separation so accuracy is needed! Tracks and paths in the area are well used the general public, please show them due courtesy especially if there are dogs with them.

Finishes

The Finish is in the upper part of the arena with a taped funnel from last control.

Download is approximately 100-150m downhill in the lower field.

String and off-string courses

The String courses are located in a sloping field next to the upper arena field. The terrain is moderately steep so the course lengths may be shorter to compensate. The theme for Day 3 is “Fun with Flags” and the control pictures feature the flags of the 10 guest nations that have provided the most competitors. Displayed at the top of the String course field is the flag of Scotland, the Saltire, and it marks the location of a historical event that took place on 27th August 1715. On this date, at this spot, the Earl of Mar raised the Standard to start the campaign to restore James Edward Stewart to the thrones of Scotland and England, known as the Jacobite Rising. Why not visit Braemar Castle less than a mile north of the event to find out more.

Safety

In the competition area there are some seasonal ponds but these are clearly visible. Longer course cross a low point in a high deer fence at a marked crossing point. Longest courses will climb above some very high crags but are kept safely away from them; an area below these crags is marked Out of Bounds to prevent an unsafe route choice.

Please obey all Out of Bounds areas that surround the Arena.

Junior courses

Courses 22 and 23 follow distinct paths, tracks and fences with taped routes between their second-last and last controls.

BOF Registration No.: 84583

Special Information

Courses 1E, 2E and 2 to 7M & 7W have a spectator control beside the Arena. Dogs are allowed in both the parking and arena fields (on a lead at all times) but not on the walk to the Starts, so runners can walk on the East pavement unhindered. If you wish to walk into Braemar please use the West pavement.