Bilston GlenSat 16 May

The event will be based in Burghlee Park in Loanhead, Midlothian with parking in the surrounding streets. Postcode for the event is EH20 9BH and What3words for registration is ///conquest.slyly.eminent

There are plenty of options for getting there. Please use public transport or share cars if at all possible.

By car: Parking in residential streets close to Burghlee Park in Loanhead, please be considerate of local residents.

Car share: Edinburgh based orienteers are welcome to join the newly expanded Edinburgh Orienteers - Car sharing WhatsApp group. Please contact email hidden; JavaScript is required for the joining link.

By Bus:

From Edinburgh Lothian Bus 37, from the east (Musselburgh) East Coast bus 140/141.  Get off at bus stop George Avenue, walk through Memorial Park and then down Burghlee Crescent (about 300m).

By Bike: 

A variety of quiet cycle route maps, including to get to south Edinburgh, are available on the Edinburgh City Council Quiet Routes web pages and these can be used to join up with Midlothian Council's waymarked cycle routes network (including the Loanhead to Roslin cycle route which goes through the competition area), download maps here

It will be possible to lock your bike close by Registration while you run and there will be a tent to leave bags.

Wooded glens around the River North Esk and Bilston Burn. Some slopes are very steep, but there are less steep parts with spur and re-entrant contour detail. There is significant ground vegetation in places, but this is not expected to be too bad in mid-May.

Assembly and finish are in Burghlee Park, which has open grassland and some woods. In other woods near Loanhead there are some bings and other features from former mining. 

There is a path network throughout, and some paths can be very muddy after wet periods. 

Map Scales etc TBC

General Safety (please note any course specific information below)

• Other Users: The area is very well used by the general public, including dog walkers, runners,  cyclists, motorcyclists and horses . Please respect their right to be there at the same time as you are orienteering.
• Please respect the Out of Bounds areas marked on the map with cross-hatching
• Dogs: Competitor’s dogs are allowed and should be kept under very close control at all times.
• SAFETY NOTE RE DOGS: Please give any dog walkers you encounter whilst running on your course extra space ie don’t run too close, especially if their dog/dogs are off lead. This applies to all competitors, not just those running with a dog. We always need to respect other people's right to be there.
• Course Closure Time: All courses have a closure time of 4pm after which controls will start to be brought in (before it gets dark. All competitors should be back at Download by 4pm.
• You must report to Download even if you do not complete your course, so we know you are back safely, and we don’t have to mount a search for you.
• Please check the weather forecast on the day and dress appropriately. parts of the area may be muddy so please wear the most appropriate footwear for the course you are entering.

As usual at ESOC events there are courses to suit all abilities

• White, Yellow for young juniors
• Orange and Long Orange (aka Red) for improvers and runners
• Courses for more experienced orienteers 

Full details will be added here before entries open

Read more about Course lengths and Difficulty here

Pre-entry using RaceSignUp will be required for this event. Entries will open at 10am on Monday 4th May and will close at 6pm on Friday 15th May.

However to be guaranteed a course map on waterproof paper for your chosen course you MUST pre-enter by 8pm on Monday 11th May.

On the RaceSignUp page (first time users will need to create an account) you can view an entry list for all competitors and their chosen start blocks (scroll down to the Start List section). Please note that you can arrive at the start any time within your block.

Entry Fees:

As well as individuals the entry system also allows pairs, groups or families who wish to go round a course together (sharing one map and dibber) to enter using a sliding scale of fees. Full details of how to enter pairs and groups (or as a Student) are on the RaceSignUp entry page. 

Example fees for Pairs or Family/Groups - maximum of 4 people per group. Groups with more than 4 should split up into smaller groups but can still start at the same time.

SportIdent (SI) electronic timing will be used.

We have SI dibbers for hire free of charge via the pre-entry system but there is a £30 charge if lost.

If you would like to buy your own SI-Card then a variety are available directly from SportIdent UK. The choice may be confusing and it may help you to know that the SI-Cards which ESOC hires out are very similar to the most basic model shown on the linked page - the SI-Card 8.

Registration: Will be open from 12:00 -14:15 in a tent in Burghlee Park for

• Entry on the Day (EOD) if maps are still available. Payment by cash or card/contactless. Please try to have the correct money if at all possible.
• Collection of hired dibbers, White and Yellow maps:
• Advice and help for beginners

Start Times: From 13:00 to 14:30 with course closure at 4pm. 

The Start is a ~400m walk, signed from Registration. Finish close to Registration.

• There are no public toilets in Loanhead, only a Leisure Centre (George Avenue, EH20 9LA) and plenty of big supermarkets with facilities to visit on the way eg at Straiton