North Pentland Hills, SOL

Scottish Orienteering League (SOL) 2, incorporating BUCS Relays

Sun 19th Mar 2023

Info updated: 25th Mar
Type of event: National
Type of terrain: Moorland, Woodland

Results

Results are here

Winsplits are here

Routegadget is here

General Information

POST EVENT COMMENTS: Organiser, Roger Scrutton, writes:  Many thanks to everyone for coming along to Scottish O League 2 on Sunday, and thanks also for the positive comments we received on the courses, courtesy of Alison and complemented by the added attractions of the military training and finishing in parallel with the BUCS Relays.  The organisation itself had its challenges and compromises, such as coping with military security and having the SOL Event Centre and the Relays some distance apart.  Moreover, ESOC volunteers have had to turn to on almost every weekend recently, so it’s a massive thank you to them for volunteering again and in lending support to the BUCS Relays.

Lost property: one black woolly hat and one pair of Inov8 running shoes.  Please contact the Organiser: .

PRE-EVENT INFORMATION

FINAL DETAILS V2 are now available. Version 2 of the Final Details has only one small difference to version 1, it is in italics and highlighted in yellow (though the yellow highlighting doesn't show on some devices, hence the italics too). The change relates to an alteration to the route to the start with a safety warning to be careful when on the path adjoining traffic.  Please read these Final Details in conjunction with information on website.

START TIMES are shown here on Fabian4 

ENTRIES are now closed, note there is no entry on the day (EOD) due to due to Ministry of Defence restrictions for entering and leaving the Barracks.

This event will be run within the guidelines for Scottish Orienteering League (SOL) events provided by the Scottish Orienteering Association (SOA).  You can read more about SOLS and find a link to the Guidelines on the SOA web page for SOLS.

Note that BUCS stands for British Universities and Colleges Sport. The BUCS Relays will be a closed event which is organised alongside, but separate from, the SOL.

TERRAIN: The thumbnail map shown is simply a flavour of the competition are which may also include Bonaly and touches on other mapped areas of the North Pentland Hills.   This is mainly grazing land on a north-facing open hillside with some areas of woodland.  There is a path network, contour detail, some steep slopes and some rock features in places.  The area was used for the Veteran Home International and a SOL event in 2019 and you can look at Routegadget for that event here.  

MAP: Scale 1:10,000.      

TOILETS: Toilets for SOL competitors will be available in the Event Centre at Dreghorn Barracks. 

DOGS: TBC but please be aware that at past events where we have been able to use Dreghorn Barracks dogs have NOT been allowed in the barracks unless they are specifically to enable a disabled person to move around. It is possible that anyone coming to the event who cannot move around without an assistance dog may have to contact the organiser of the event sufficiently far in advance to enable specific arrangements to be made with the barracks.  Dogs are not allowed on the courses with competitors. 

SAFETY: Much of the competition area is a training area for the Army. Competitors may see used cartridges and other military materials on the ground or even on walls or fences. Please DO NOT TOUCH any of these, simply leave them where they are.  Competitors may even encounter army personnel actually training on the area during the competition. The army has specifically agreed to ESOC running this event on Sunday and they will be mindful of the fact they are sharing with orienteers and will avoid runners whenever possible.  Juniors should specifically be told about the potential presence of soldiers nearby while they are running on their course. Please also emphasise to juniors that they must not touch any old, used army training materials/equipment they may see on the competition area.

HYGIENE: Sheep are in most parts of the area and cattle in some parts, wash hands before handling food.

COVID: Out of respect for others please don't come to the event if you have Covid or symptoms of Covid. Please also try to respect other people's personal space at all times and make use of the hand sanitiser wherever it is made available.     

Please read and respect the British Orienteering Participant Code of Conduct.

PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS: If you are injured or ill during the course of the event it is very useful for those helping you to have some details of any pre-existing conditions you have. If this applies to you please download, complete and hand in this Medical Form to the Organiser (via Registration).  Please put in a sealed envelope with your name on it. It will only be opened if required and will be destroyed unread if you don't collect before the end of the event. 

FIRST AID: TBC however the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) with full A&E facilities is a short drive away around the city bypass (via A720 eastbound from Dreghorn Junction then A7 northbound from Sheriffhall roundabout). The organiser will be happy to assist anyone who need help to find the Royal Infirmary.

Location

Nearest town: Edinburgh

• Grid Ref: NT 227686
• Postcode: EH13 9QW
• Latitude: 55.90435
• Longitude: -3.23803
• Google Map (aerial) - Bing Map (OS)

Directions

Parking, Assembly and all facilities will be in Dreghorn Barracks by kind permission of the Ministry of Defence.  The Barracks entrance is off Dreghorn Road, Edinburgh at NT 227687.  Photo ID will be required to enter the Barracks.  As this is a working barracks it is possible there could also be security searches/checks at the gate. Parking is on the parade ground which is flat tarmac.

Dreghorn Barracks are very close to Dreghorn junction of the Edinburgh City Bypass (A720).  Dreghorn Barracks are signed from several directions but these directions are from the Edinburgh City Bypass. Leave the A720 at the Dreghorn Junction and cross over if coming from the east. Straight across the first roundabout and turn left at the next. The barracks are approx. 200m on your left and the entrance is very obvious.

Registration & Start Times

REGISTRATION: opening times TBC but most likely to be 10.15am/10.30am until 12.30pm.

START PERIOD: SOL start times will be between 11.00am and 1pm i.e. soon after the BUCs Relays first starts. 

Course Information

There will be the usual courses offered at SOL events. Final course details are given below.  

NOTE - There is no Course 9, Long Orange, in grid above hence the numbering 1-8 and 10-12.

SOL competition rules plus a list of courses relevant to the full range of age classes in order to count for SOL points is on the SOA website.

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

Pre-entry will be available via Fabian4 from Wednesday 1st March until 6pm on Wednesday 15th March.  However to guarantee a map of your chosen course you must enter by 23.59 on Sunday 12th March.
No EOD - Entry on the day of the event (EOD) will not be available for this event due to Ministry of Defence restrictions for entering and leaving the Barracks.
Start times will be posted on Fabian4 for those who entered by the main deadline of midnight Sunday night (12th). Anyone listed as TBC after that will have to come to registration to be allocated a start time.

SOL ENTRY FEES

TIMING: Sportident (SI) electronic timing will be used.  SIAC for contactless 'punching' will be enabled for those who have this option, but all competitors have to punch the Start box and the Finish box.

Free SIcard (punching) hire, if required, but £30.00 charge if lost. If you lose a hired SIAC card the charge is £60.

Contacts / Officials

Organiser: Roger Scrutton (ESOC)

Planner: Alison O’Neil (ESOC)

Controller: Colin Eades (INT)

Event general enquiries: EMAIL  Entry enquiries (only): 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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