Royal High School and Davidson’s Mains Park

ESOC local event in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Sat 23rd Nov 2013

Info updated: 18th Feb
Type of event: Local
Type of terrain: Parkland, Woodland

Results

It was pretty busy at the Royal High School Sports Club this afternoon. Mini-rugby, schools rugby, adult rugby – and orienteering! We had a nice warm indoor space for Registration, a rather colder outside space for preliminary discussions and looking at the maps, and a newly-extended map of Davidson's Mains Park to include the Royal High School grounds to run on. There was plenty of room for everyone, and we were delighted to see lots of people trying orienteering for the first time, especially from the Primary Schools Cluster associated with the RHS.
Most of the large team of ESOC helpers nearly lost either their voices or their fingertips or both, working in the crowded indoor room or the frosty outside; but it was worth it! Grateful thanks to all of them. The Park was lovely in the winter sunshine (till the sun went down).
Thanks are also due to the Friends of Davidson’s Mains Park who provided £25 worth of sponsorship in the form of vouchers for non-member families to enter future ESOC events; and to Phil Williams from the Sports Club who helped us enormously with tables, chairs, space for Registration, and generally welcoming us among all the rugby gangs.

Janet Clark, Organiser 0131 225 7771

General Information

MAP NOTE: The original map of Davidson's Mains Park (as shown on the map above) has been extended to include the Royal High School.

Davidson's Mains is a city park with large open areas, runnable forest and a good path network. The extended map includes the Royal High School grounds and buildings. A very good area for newcomers and those who want to improve their skills. A good training area for more experienced orienteers.

Dress: It's November and even in a city park it can be cold, wet and windy. Check the weather forecast and dress appropriately.

Dogs: Davidson’s Mains is a popular dog walking park so dogs can be brought to the event but must be kept under close control at all times and not taken inside the Sports Club. You may encounter dogs when out on your course.

Location

Nearest town: City of Edinburgh

Grid Ref: NT198754
Postcode: EH4 6JP
Latitude: 55.96498
Longitude: -3.27844
Google Map (aerial) - Bing Map (OS)

Directions

Come down the main entrance drive to the Royal High School, off East Barnton Avenue. Parking is limited within the Royal High School grounds, due to other activities on at the
school at the same time. Please come by public transport or park in the surrounding streets if you can. This area is easy to reach by local bus - check timetables at Lothian Buses

Registration & Start Times

REGISTRATION will be in the Royal High Sports Club, at the bottom of the main entrance drive to the school, between 13.30 and 14.45. The afternoons are short at this time of year so please try to come early if you think you might take a long time over your course.

START AND FINISH are close together and 300m from the Sports Club. Start times will be from 13.45 to 15.00. COURSES CLOSE at 16.00 and controls will be brought in
from that time, so it is essential that you report to the Finish by 16.00, even if you have not completed your course.

Course Information

There will be White, Yellow, Orange and Light Green Courses.

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

SportIdent electronic timing will be used. SI Card Hire is free but there is a £30 charge if lost.

The Friends of Davidsons Mains Park have sponsored five vouchers valued at £5.00 each, which will be awarded as spot prizes to family groups who are not already members of an Orienteering Club, to entitle them to a free entry to another local orienteering event. The new map, and the use of the facilities within the Sports Club, have been made possible through a partnership between ESOC and the City of Edinburgh Council Active Schools Manager.

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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