Edinburgh Southern Orienteering Club

Hair of the Dog social - 2025

The annual Hair of the Dog event saw an excellent turnout of ESOC members as the club moved into its 60th anniversary year in the Inch Park. It was very pleasing to see both newer members and club members of many years all in attendance.

Weather conditions were cold, dry and calm overhead, but very muddy and wet. It was also icy in large patches underfoot, the ice actually helping to keep feet drier than expected. None of this put off the intrepid club members however!

The orienteering element involved a 45 minute score event. The format was completely new to the club, the concept being old books were placed as the 'control', but instead of each control/book being worth a set number of points, when you found a book you tore out the last page, which was the number of points you receive, and then carry it with you. So the first people who visit each book get more points, then when you get to the finish total your page numbers and that is your points! In a further twist some members were given a book to place at the start of the event and had to return to the finish with that same book (a good few pages lighter!) at the end. David Robertson kindly arranged the event having ‘borrowed’ the format from ex-ESOC members Isla and Davide Foffa who have moved out of the area, with on the day running completed by Janet C and David L.

Members found the adding of the page numbers at the end of the event almost as challenging as the running element itself! The winners, who received large chocolate bars were Alexis G - junior female; William & Dylan - junior male; Kirsten S - senior female; Ronnie N - senior male - congratulations all. Junior members who competed also gained a chocolate sprout!

We then retreated to the comfort of the Inch Community Centre where a fabulous buffet was had, thanks to the contributions of everybody. We were treated to a bowl of warm delicious soup, bread, sausage rolls, cheese and lots of tasty sweet treats. A huge thank you to those who worked tirelessly in the kitchen to ensure we all enjoyed warm food to replace the calories we had burnt off earlier.

As is traditional, we played the ‘Newspaper game’ which this year saw four teams pit their wits against each other, finding quotes (some more obscure than others and some that you would definitely not expect to find in an orienteering magazine!) from the WOC souvenir programme edition of CompassSport. The winning team, the ‘ESOC Diamonds’ was expertly captained by Rachel R.

Swiftly following the Newspaper Game came the Teddy Bear races, considered by some to be the most keenly contested ESOC event of the year! Amongst the children's knock-out competition there was much hilarity, encouragement, rivalry and great skills once Mr Starter had called the infamous words, ‘Ready, Teddy, Go’! Victoria G took the junior victory from Bronwyn V who was runner up for the second year running. In the adults' competition, David G (after a speedy repair to the damaged yellow teddy) came out the victor over Jo R. In the family affair Grand Final over a best-of-3 format, Victoria was loudly cheered to victory and took it 2 races to 1, and so she took home the very fine, (no expense spared!!) silver trophy and winner's plate.

Sincere thanks to all who contributed in whatever way to make this a fun and successful start to the 60th ESOC Year!


Other entries categorised under: Social