Corstorphine Hill

ESOC Local Event

Sat 15th May 2021

Info updated: 16th May
Type of event: Local
Type of terrain: Parkland, Woodland

Results

Provisional results are here

Report of the event from Alison Cunningham:
It was lovely to see such enthusiasm for our local event today and to see both experienced orienteers and novices enjoy a proper event managed carefully within the covid regulations. The woods were looking beautiful with spring bluebells and fresh green tree foliage, all washed gently by the rain!
Corstorphine Hill woods provide a great orienteering challenge with numerous paths and contours and the courses, especially green, required careful route planning and the need to keep in close contact with the map. Lots of chat about errors made and rusty techniques needing a brush up! Lots of different routes taken on the longer legs - well done Alistair for the interesting courses.
As a floating helper - ready to stand in to cover any problems - I was kept completely redundant, with a small but quietly efficient team keeping everything under control. Well done all!
Thanks to everyone for coming, especially those that travelled from as far afield as FVO, ELO, Clyde, MAROC and KFO - welcome back!
Alison

General Information

Start List Version 2 (a few additions from the waiting list only) and Final Details now available

EARLY EVENT INFORMATION

The Grid Reference given simply gives an indication of where to head for to reach the start area. The finish area is close by but not adjacent. The postcode given is a general one for the area and should not be relied on for parking or for getting to the start. Detailed information about how to reach the start area will be given in final details a few days before the event.

This event is open to members of any orienteering club. It is pre-entry only and start times will be allocated.

COVID 19: You should not attend the event if you are showing any symptoms of Covid 19 even though you have pre-entered. Social distancing will be necessary at all times, even out on your course, and the start will be managed appropriately to comply with all relevant Government and Scottish Orienteering Guidelines. More specific information and details of the Covid 19 precautions, guidelines and rules will be included in the final details.

PARTICPANT CODE OF CONDUCT: Everyone taking part in this event should read this and by entering are agreeing to abide by this Code.

Note that a separate Covid 19 risk assessment will be prepared in addition to the usual risk assessment.

Dress: Please check the weather forecast and dress appropriately. Although Corstorphine Hill is in the city of Edinburgh some parts of it are very exposed, especially when there is a westerly wind. The weather in May could be anything, be prepared to bring sunscreen or to wrap up warmly. Full leg cover is very strongly recommened even if the weather is good.

Terrain: City parkland with a mixture of open fields and wooded hillside, with plenty of rock and contour detail; some steep slopes and crags. Note that for the small paths, boulders and crags only the most prominent have been mapped. The terrain can be wet/slippery/muddy depending on the weather in the weeks beforehand.

Other Users: This area is very well used by the general public including other runners and many dog walkers. Please respect their right to be there at the same time as you are orienteering and slow down as necessary.

Facilities: There are no facilities. NO TOILETS - Please 'go before you go' to the event. 'Informal toileting' is discouraged as this is a busy competition area within a busy residential area.

Bag/Key Drop: No bag or key drop facilities. Please be prepared to carry your keys and any other basic essentials with you on your course.

Dogs: Dogs are allowed on the Corstorphine Hill, indeed there will be plenty of dog walkers out there during the event. If you bring your dog please keep it under very close control (preferably on a lead) at all times. Note that in the pre-start and start areas you must keep your dog on a lead and be mindful that some competitors close to you could be frightened of dogs.

Course Closure Time: There will be a strict closure time of 4pm. ALL competitors should be back at the finish by 4pm even if you don't manage to finish your chosen course. Controls will start to be brought in at this time.

Medical Conditions (non Covid): You have the option of downloading and completing this Medical Form. It could be life saving if the organisers are aware of any existing medical conditions in the event of an incident. You can leave the completed form with the start official in a sealed envelope that will only be opened if required and destroyed after the event. Alternatively, in these times of Covid, you are welcome to complete the form, scan it and send it to the email given below. This is the safest option for Club volunteers but we recognise that you may not feel happy about this option even though the details will be held in the strictest confidence by a single named person (Janet Clark) and the email will be deleted immediately after the event.

First Aid: A 1st Aid kit will be available at the Download area. It will be very basic and volunteers handling this will be ready with relevant PPE to hand over content as required. However we strongly suggest you bring along your own supply of basic first aid materials.

Location

Nearest town: City of Edinburgh

Grid Ref: NT203737
Postcode: EH4 7BL
Latitude: 55.95052
Longitude: -3.27860
Google Map (aerial) - Bing Map (OS)

Directions

The entrance to the start area is on a track off Clermiston Road North in the city of Edinburgh. Please park in the residential streets in the general area of Corstorphine Hill. Please do be considerate to local residents when parking.

It is possible to get pretty close to this event by public transport. Check Lothian Buses for information.

Other (out of town) bus services run along St John’s Road and also Queensferry Road and these could be more convenient. Get off at the stop nearest Clermiston Road to walk to the event.

Registration & Start Times

There will be no Registration or Enquiries at this event. Please head straight to the start.

START TIMES: Starts will run from 1pm to 2.30pm and we suggest you try to arrive in the general start area no more than about10 minutes before your allocated start time.

PRE-START AREA: There will be a small Pre-Start Area where you should collect any pre-hired SI dibbers and the yellow course maps. There will be a volunteer present but please minimise the time you spend at this area. Collect or drop off whatever you have to and move away. The Pre-Start official is not able to answer enquiries.

START: Please arrive at the actual start no more than 5/6 minutes before your start time. There will be 4 boxes and everyone will be asked to sanitise their hands on entry to the start boxes.

Full details of the start procedure will be in the final details but everyone must punch the start box even if using SI Air for the controls out on the courses.

COURSE MAPS: Yellow course maps should be collected at the Pre-Start Area. Juniors are welcome to discuss the yellow course with an adult after collection but please try to keep the time spent on this as short as possible. Juniors on the yellow course must go through the same start procedure as everyone else. Orange course and Green course maps are collected after punching the start box.

FINISH: This is fairly close to the pre-start and start. After punching the 'finish' please move away promptly to get your breath back. As soon as you've got your breath back go immediately to download then move away to prepare to head away from the area.

Course Information

There will be YELLOW, ORANGE and GREEN courses.
Approximate course lengths are:

Yellow: 2.2k with 65m climb

Orange: 3k with 120m climb

Green: 4k with 200m climb

MAP SCALE: The map scale will be 1:5000

TIMING: SI Timing will be used and SI Air will be enabled.

Explanation of colour courses

White are very easy with all controls on paths. They are mainly used by 6-10 year olds and family groups.
Yellow use simple linear features like paths, walls and streams. They are mainly used by under 12’s and family groups.
Orange progress to basic use of the compass and route choice. They are ideal for novice adults or experienced youngsters.
Light Green are ideal for improvers as the navigational difficulty begins to increase and uses simple contours and point features.
Green are used mostly by experienced under 18’s and adults wanting a short but challenging course with a very hard navigational difficulty.
Blue are a longer, more physically demanding course in comparison to the green. The distances are more varied between controls and the course attracts experienced orienteers.
Brown & Black are very physically demanding and have a very hard navigational difficulty. They are for experienced orienteers only.
Score means visiting as many controls as possible in any order in a specific time, like 45mins.

Entry Details

This event is pre-entry only and entries have now closed. There was an entry limit of 90 competitors (total number, not per course) and this limit was reached by the deadline. If you have entered and find you can no longer come please let us know ( ) so we can allocate your place to someone else.

If you haven't entered and would still like to take part please email: to be added to the waiting list.

We are sorry but there is NO ENTRY ON THE DAY (EOD) so please do not attend the event if you have not had your entry confirmed and been given a start time.

All entrants should be members of an orienteering club and able to get to the event within any travel restrictions laid down by the Scottish government current at the time.

ENTRY FEES

Entry fees are:

Senior member of an Orienteering club: £4

Junior (born in 2001 or later) member of an Orienteering club: £2

Pay entry fees directly into ESOC bank account. Details on the entry form.

The START LIST and FINAL DETAILS will be sent out by email by Thursday 13th May to all entrants. Please read them carefully and also advise anyone you’ve entered on behalf of to read them. A copy will be posted on this website so they are easily available.

Contacts / Officials

Safety and Risk

A comprehensive risk assessment will have been carried out by the organiser, but participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event.

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