Permanent Orienteering Courses in/near Edinburgh

ESOC has eight permanent orienteering courses in the Edinburgh area. More information and a location map can be found in the Permanent Courses section.

All map packs can be obtained direct from ESOC.

Send £1.50 per pack, cheques payable to ‘ESOC’, to: Janet Clark, 13 North West Circus Place, EDINBURGH, EH3 6SX; phone 0131 225 7771; email

In the map pack: - a map showing all the control points
- a description of each of the control points
- suggestions for combining them into courses of varying lengths and difficulty

Each control site is identified by a number and letter, and your aim is to match the letters to the numbers.
When you have completed a course successfully you can claim your certificate. Instructions are provided in the pack.

Blackford Hill and The Hermitage

Near: Morningside

Location:

Starting from The Hermitage of Braid Visitor Centre, Braid Road.

Grid ref. NT 250703

Terrain:

Wooded glen and open hill, steep in places.  Good path network.

Notes:

Map packs can also be bought at The Hermitage of Braid or Cammo Lodge Visitor Centres, (0131 447 7145 to check opening hours).

Location map: GoogleMap MS Aerial    Back to top

Bonaly

Near: Colinton

Location:

Starting at the car park beyond the Scout Centre at the end of Bonaly Road, Colinton.

Grid ref. NT 211675

Terrain:

Mostly steep open hillside with rock and contour detail; some wooded areas.

Notes:

Map packs can also be bought at the Pentland Hills Regional Park Office at Boghall, on the A702, during normal working hours (0131 445 3383 to check), and from the Hillend Ski Centre during its opening hours.  They can also be obtained at a slightly higher price from the Bonaly Corner Shop.

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Cammo Estate

Near: Barnton

Location:

Starting from The Lodge at the end of Cammo Road, off A90, a short distance west of Barnton junction.

Grid ref. NT178749

Terrain:

Parkland; mostly flat; good path network including an All-Ability loop.

Notes:

Map packs can also be bought at The Hermitage of Braid or Cammo Lodge Visitor Centres, (0131 447 7145 to check opening hours).

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Castlelaw

Near: Edinburgh

Location:

Three miles south of the city bypass (Lothianburn Junction), off the A702.  A brown signpost indicated “Castlelaw Hill Fort”

Grid ref. NT 230637

Terrain:

Mostly open hillside, with some wooded areas.  Some paths; steep in many places.

Notes:

Map packs can also be bought at the Pentland Hills Regional Park office at Boghall, on the A702, during normal working hours. (0131 445 3383 to check)

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Corstorphine Hill

Near: Corstorphine / Davidson’s Mains

Location:

Starting from Clermiston Road North or Cairnmuir Road, between A8 and A90.

Grid ref. NT 202747

Terrain:

Mostly wooded, with a good path network and plenty of rock and contour detail.

Notes:

Map packs can also be bought at The Hermitage of Braid or Cammo Lodge Visitor Centres, (0131 447 7145 to check opening hours).

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Glentress Forest

Near: Peebles

Location:

Off A72, two miles east of Peebles.

Grid ref. NT 287402

Terrain:

Forested area with good path network and also many mountain bike tracks.

Notes:

Map packs can also be bought at The Hub, the café and mountain biking centre at Glentress.

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Hillend

Near: Edinburgh

Location:

Just off the city bypass (Lothianburn Junction); off the A702 at the Midlothian Snow Sports centre, starting from the upper car park.

Grid ref. NT 244667

Terrain:

Open hillside, steep slopes but great views.  Adjacent to the Hillend artificial ski slope.

Notes:

Map packs can also be bought at the Pentland Hills Regional Park Office at Boghall, on the A702, during normal working hours (0131 445 3383 to check), and from the Hillend Ski Centre during its opening hours.

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Hopetoun House

Near: South Queensferry

Location:

Off A904, one mile west of South Queensferry.

Grid ref. NT 090790

Terrain:

Parkland; woods and open spaces; good path network.

Notes:

Map packs also available from the Hopetoun House Ranger Service when house and grounds are open; April to September.  (0131 331 2451 to check)

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