Holyrood Park

Local event in the East of Scotland series

Sat 12th Oct 2013

Info updated: 14th Oct
Type of event: Local
Type of terrain: Parkland

Results

Results now available

Everyone loves Holyrood Park; in spite of its gorse bushes, its inevitable climbing and its (usually) cold and windy conditions.  Today there were many who knew what they were letting themselves in for and a good few who did not know but enjoyed it once they found out!  Lots of students; lots of families, lots of experienced orienteers.   Jack Baker, the Planner from EUOC, made use of the recently updated map of Whinny Hill to test the Green Course runners.  The easier courses went down into Meadowfield Park, where a close eye had to be kept on controls which seemed to move around on their own.  Heavy rain clouds could be seen in the distance, but fortunately they did not soak us.  There were lots of good individual results from Juniors on their own, and lots of families enjoying a new experience.

As ever, we are all grateful to the large team of ESOC and EUOC members who worked long cold shifts to man the Start, the Registration and the Finish, and put out and collect in the controls; without whom these events, enjoyed so much by so many, would not be able to happen.

Janet Clark      Organiser    0131 225 7771     

General Information

Dress on the day:  Holyrood Park is a high, exposed hill even though it is close to the centre of Edinburgh.  Please make sure you dress appropriately for the weather on the day.  It can be very windy on the top of the hill.

Location

Nearest town: City of Edinburgh

• Grid Ref: NT281731
• Postcode:
• Latitude: 55.945306
• Longitude: -3.153848
• Google Map (aerial) - Bing Map (OS)

Directions

Head for Dunsapie Loch car park.

If you need a postcode then EH8 8DX is the postcode for Holyrood Palace.  There is no postcode for Dunsapie Loch car park!  Note that parking is NOT in Holyrood Palace car park.  If heading eastbound  around Holyrood Park past the Palace then follow the one-way system on the right after passing the pond with swans (St Margaret's Loch).  If you are coming into the Park from Meadowbank end then take the first road on left after the small car park to enter the one way system.

Registration & Start Times

Registration and Starts will both be between 2pm and 3pm.  Courses will close at 4.30pm at which point controls will start to be brought in.

Course Information

There will be. White, Yellow and Orange courses plus a course for experienced orienteers.  This area is suitable for orienteering at all skill levels.

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

Seniors (born 1992 or earlier)
British Orienteering members - £3
Non-members - £5

Juniors (born 1993 or later)
British Orienteering members - £2
Non-members - £2.50

Students
British Orienteering members - £2
Non-members - £2.50

Groups (Adults + children)
British Orienteering members - £4
Non- members - £5

SI Card Hire is free but there is a £30 charge if lost.

Contacts / Officials

Organiser is Janet Clark: Email:  

Phone: 0131 225 7771

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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