Covenanters Wood

ESOC local event in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Sat 15th Jun 2019

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

Results

Results are here

Winsplits are here

Organiser’s Comments:  Jo Rose writes - Would you fancy organising an event this year?' asked Janet in that winning way of hers... Back in the depths of winter it seemed a long way off, but it's been good fun and I've learned a lot. Covenanters Wood is a compact area but packed with features for interesting courses from Mark.
It was super to see plenty of people of all ages trying orienteering, some through leaflets and a local school assembly celebrating the success of their team at the Scottish Schools event. In the middle of a wet few weeks we managed a mostly sunny day too which was a bonus. Almost 120 entries kept Eleanor and her team in the computing tent typing furiously.
Huge thanks to the team of volunteers from ESOC who made it happen. Good to have some of our capable juniors helping too - well done Thea, Ursula, Robbie, Tim and Rachel. Special shout out to Judy who has mentored me with grace and tact along the learning curve. More to learn I'm sure!

General Information

Dress: Please check the weather forecast on the day and dress appropriately.  This event is in a wood on the edge of the city but the weather in Scotland in June could be anything.  Bring sun cream and waterproofs!

Terrain:  Mainly a wooded area, steep in parts, with a river running through.  There is a good network of paths and a few ditches and streams. 

Other Users: Covenanters Wood is well used by the general public, including dog walkers, runners and bikers.  Please respect their right to be there at the same time as you are orienteering.

Dogs: Dogs are allowed but should be kept under close control at all times.

Course Closure Time: Please note that courses have a closure time of 4pm after which controls will start  to be brought in.

Nearby military operations: Covenanters Wood adjoins Dreghorn Barracks and it is very common to hear loud gunshots and other general military operations in this area of Edinburgh.  Dreghorn Barracks is a fully working military operation and there are army and public vehicles entering and leaving at all times.  It is very common for military personnel, in uniform, to be seen walking through the wood or in this general area of Edinburgh.  Please advise any juniors of this in advance. 

Location

Nearest town: City of Edinburgh

• Grid Ref: NT225686
• Postcode: EH13 9PH
• Latitude: 55.90522
• Longitude: -3.23677
• Google Map (aerial) - Bing Map (OS)

Directions

PARKING ALERT (ADDED FRIDAY 14TH JUNE) - Roadworks popped up this morning on Redford Road right next to the entrance to the wood. The roadworks will remain there all weekend.  This means it will not be possible to park right next to the entrance.  There is still plenty of parking nearby but you may need to walk a little further than hoped.  If you are parking in a residential street please be considerate to the local population.

The entrance to the wood which will be used for this event is close to the main gate of Dreghorn Barracks, Redford Road, Edinburgh.  The postcode given is for nearby houses in Dreghorn Park.  This is for general area guidance only, please don't turn into or park within Dreghorn Park.  Parking will be on the main road, Redford Road, which is wide near the wood. The part of Redford Road closest to the start and finish is near the flashing 30mph sign.  Please take care when entering and exiting your car as the road is busy. 

Although there is no parking restriction there, it would be helpful if you could avoid parking directly outside the Barracks.

It is possible to get to this event by public transport.  Service 16, Lothian Buses, stops very close to the event.  This is a very regular service.  Check Lothian Buses website for more information.  The closest stops are the 2 immediately after the roundabout at Dreghorn Link. The first stop is just before the wood and the second one is just after it.

Registration & Start Times

REGISTRATION: from 1.30pm to 2.30pm for newcomers to orienteering and will run from 1.30pm to 3pm for experienced orienteers. 

It is not necessary - or possible – to pre-enter for this event.  Everyone is very welcome, just to turn up.  Whether you are a newcomer or have been to a lot of events, please try to come and start early if you think you might take a long time over your course.

Registration Form - We know how time consuming, and occasionally frustrating, it can be for our competitors to have to complete the Registration Form outside in the cold and wet of a Scottish Saturday afternoon so we have produced an ESOC  ADVANCE REGISTRATION FORM for you to complete and print off and bring with you to the event. This will save a lot of time and the forms easier to read!!  Apologies to those experienced Saturday attendees who feel they don't need the sample at the top of the page but it will be very helpful to our newcomers and properly completed, legible registration forms are a huge help to those manning our computers during and after the event.  

Thank you in advance for helping us by completing the form and bringing it with you.

 If you would like a little more advance information about the registration process at a local event why not read our QUICK GUIDE TO REGISTRATION?

NOTE: Current members of an orienteering club who have their own registered SI can continue to come to Registration and go through the speedy entry system.  If in any doubt whether this applies to you then it is best to complete the attached application form and bring it with you.

DATA PROTECTION:  Completion of the Registration/Entry Form for this event confirms your agreement to have your entry details stored on a computer system and for your name and age class to appear in the results on the ESOC website and the British Orienteering website. More information about ESOC's Data Privacy Policy. 

START AND FINISH: both close to Registration.  

COURSE CLOSURE TIME: Please note that courses have a closure time of 4pm after which controls will be brought in.  You should be back at Registration/Download by 4pm.  

Course Information

As there are at all ESOC local events, there will be white, Yellow and Orange courses plus there will be a Green course designed and planned especially for experienced orienteers.  Course lengths are given below.  The Green course will not be suitable for competitors who are under 16 unless accompanied by an adult. 
White - 1.4km 15m climb
Yellow - 2.0km 30m climb
Orange - 2.8km 60m climb
Green - 4.1km 85m climb
 

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

ENTRY FEES are shown below.  Note that event entry fees are almost always cheaper for competitors who are members of orienteering clubs.  If you would like information about how to join ESOC check out our MEMBERSHIP PAGE. 

Note that a Junior is a competitor who was born in 1999 or later and an Adult (Senior) is a competitor who was born in 1998 or earlier.

SportIdent (SI) electronic timing will be used.   If you would like to buy your own dibber (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.

PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE: If you have joined an orienteering club, or are competing in one of your first 3 events, then you are covered by our public liability insurance. If you would like to join ESOC you can find out how to do this here.  

Contacts / Officials

Email:

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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