Welcome to EckO's 2nd event this autumnSutherland's GroveSun 29 November, 2020

Explanation of Event levels

Local events are usually low key and in the 'localised' area, ideal for newcomers to try the sport and Activities are non competitive events used for training and coaching, aimed at members of the club, but they can attract people from neighbouring clubs, and are often ideal for newcomers to try the sport. Regional events attract participants from around the local Region, National events are high quality competitions that will attract people from far away, Major events are Major Events such as a British Championships.

Results

Report

Sunday saw 40 EckO competitors hurtling round the 5 excellent courses planned and organised by Andy Dale. Andy has spent a considerable amount of time updating parts of the map in order to produce some challenging and progressive courses. He managed to find some very beautiful parts of what is otherwise a plantation forest. Competitors commentated on the variety of wildlife lurking in the woodland. Red squirrels, a lesser spotted blue squirrel and even a bear were spotted at Sutherland's Grove yesterday. Nowhere was safe!

Results, winsplits and routegadget are now available. Please upload your route to routegadget either by GPS or you can draw your route on. It's a very useful training tool!

Routegadget - (Uploading a route if you haven't got GPS)

1. Click on the Draw tab, 2. Choose your course, 3. Select your name and your course appears, 4. #1 turns red, 5. Click on start triangle and draw the route you took by clicking (a red line appears) until you reach #1, 6. Click on #1 and #2 should turn red, 7. Repeat the process until you click on Finish and then, if you are happy that your route is fairly accurate, save it. 8. Go to courses to view your route.

Compare your route choice to another competitor on your course, particularly if they had a faster leg than you. It's also a useful tool to analyse any errors you might have made.

Many thanks to our willing army of volunteers.

Thank you Bill who did any excellent job at the start ensuring that everybody made their way through 'clear' to the 'start box' and with the aid of his 'start clock' set the competitors off ensuring they picked up the appropriate map from underneath our new colour coded map boxes, dibbing at the 'punching start' and finally on to the start kite.

A big thank you to Alan who was responsible for organising on-line entries/payments, allocating SI numbersand dibbers and running the download. The results were uploaded very promptly last night. If you haven't yet paid please can you do so as soon as possible.

It was great to see many people volunteering their services on the on-line entry form so we are building up a bank of willing helpers.

Finally, a huge thank you to Andy for facilitating the event. I wonder if he is able to put his feet up now and relax.

We start December at Tralee, Benderloch. There will be a ROMP and a MapRun available shortly and the event is on Sunday, 20th December 2020. John McLuckie is going to be the planner and event organiser.

Last updated: Sat 08 January, 2022

Entries are now CLOSED for this event

Start times are available here

NB: A blue course is now available to run so if you wish to change from Green to Blue please email Alan Partridge at alan.partridge@ecko.org.uk as soon as possible

Entry Details

NOTE - This event is ONLY for ECKO members who have pre-entered.

There will be NO entry on the day.

HOW TO ENTER: Complete the attached form with the following information and return it to EckO info@ecko.org.uk

Names of people entering
Which course each person is entering
Include your dibber/ SI number or whether you would like to borrow a dibber. Why not think of buying your own one or they make a great Christmas present from SportIdent.
BACS transfer - this is ECKO’s preferred method of payment (if you wish to use this method, EckO will send you out an email with bank details)
Cash - we will ONLY accept cash if the correct amount is placed in a bag with your name and amount written on the bag and then the bag is placed in a bucket at the event car/tent. This allows us to quarantine the cash for the required length of time
Cost - Adult member - £5.00, Junior member (up to 21) - £3.00
Entries close at midnight on Sunday 22nd November, 2020
Start times will be published Thursday 26th November, 2020
Each event takes a lot of organisation so help would be very much appreciated. The registration form now has a list of some of the essential jobs. If everybody does a little then nobody has to do a lot. Please tick the appropriate box(es) if you are willing to help/ assist in our future events and you will be rostered in. Many thanks!

Important:

Please read this information carefully:

If you are displaying one or more COVID-19 symptons you must not attend.
If you are in COVID-19 quarantine you must not attend
People in higher risk categories as set out by the government should be aware that attending activities/ events places you at increased.
The 2 metre rule applies at all times, including at controls, so please move away from controls as soon as you have punched.
Please keep young children with you at all times
You need to turn up for your start on time. There is minimal room for re-scheduling late starters
Please do not congregate at the start, finish, download or car park.
By taking part you agree to British Orienteering code of conduct (see https://www.scottish-orienteering.org/about/club-toolkit/#toolkit-Conduct)

Differences to ‘normal’ due to Covid-19:

Please don’t arrive at the START than 10 minutes before your start time
No splits or results will be provided at the finish but you MUST download even if you have retired
Please avoid touching the controls
Avoid any unnecessary contact with gates, fences, etc
No car key drop box
You will be asked to use hand sanitizer before picking up your map and after you download
Please don’t linger after your run but make sure you download and drop your hired dibber into the ‘dibber’ bucket provided
If you are paying by cash please ensure that you have the right money and it’s in an envelope with your name and amount otherwise please make your BACS transfer as soon as possible.
EckO would advise that participants carry a face mask somewhere on their person, in the event of an accident and a rescue needs to take place.

Safety Information

Sutherland’s Grove is very popular with the general public and likely to be very busy with walkers, dog walkers and cyclists particularly on the cycle track and around the car park area so please be aware and maintain your social distance.
Car parking is in the Forestry commission car park and there will be a caution runner sign at the entry.
There is ongoing felling in the forest. Courses will not take you into these areas, but if you go astray please obey signage and stay clear of log stacks. Timber lorries are not expected on the tracks on Sunday, but are a possibility.
Ticks: There are ticks around particularly in the bracken so please check yourself carefully after your run.

Location Info

Near: Barcaldine
Lat,Lng: 56.52445,-5.30802

Open an interactive map in:
GoogleMap - Streetmap (OS 50k)
OpenStreetMap - BingMap (OS 50k)

Directions / Parking

Leave the A828 just north of Barcaldine and park in the Forestry and Land Scotland car park.

Map / Terrain

The map is 1:10,000 with 5m contours
Sutherland’s grove is a mixture of plantation forest and deciduous woodland with a variety of forest tracks and paths. There has been some recent felling so please be aware that timber lorries might still be using the wider forest tracks.

Registration and Start times

The Starts will run from 11:00am to 12:00 midday and courses will close at 2:00 pm. You will be given your map and dibber (if you have arranged to borrow one) close to the Start. Please do not arrive at the event more than 30 minutes before your designated start time and do not turn up at the start more than 10 minutes before your start time. Remember to download when you have completed your run but please don't linger around download.

Course Information

Yellow 2.3 km

Orange 2.7 km

Light Green 3.4 km

Green 4.1 km

Blue 6.0 km

Entry Details

Entry will be by pre-entry and only open to EckO members. Entries will be open from Sunday 15th November 2020 to Sunday 22nd November 2020.

See above.

Dog restrictions

Well-behaved dogs on a lead please.

Facilities

There are NO toilets at the forestry commission car park.

Not Just Desserts could well be open and would welcome tired, hungry and potentially wet orienteers.

Contacts / Officials

Planner/ Organiser: Andy Dale