Tayside Christmas Score Event and Dinner

Sun 08th Dec 2024
Last updated: 11th Dec
Type of event: Local
Type of terrain: Woodland
Read more about the mapped area
Results
Results and split times
RouteGadget
Info
Tayside's annual Xmas event will be held this year at The Hermitage, Dunkeld. A mass start score event followed by our festive Xmas meal open to all competitors (plus friends).
Please enjoy some Christmas Shopping in Dunkeld, before dinner which will be served around 3pm in the upstairs dining room of the Perth Arms.
To reserve your place at the meal, please send menu choices before Friday 29th November to . For menu choices see https://www.taysideorienteers.org.uk/festive-xmas-meal-2024-8th-dec1
Places are limited.
Mass start for 60 and 45 minute Score courses at 12:00 and 12:10 respectively. Courses Close at 13.15. N.B. Note later start time.
The courses will use The Hermitage which offers a variety of terrain including rougher areas which can be avoided by careful selection of controls on the Score courses.
The mapped area is heavily used by walkers, dogs and cyclists so please take care around other users. Mountain bikes, in particular, can be quiet and approach quickly so be cautious on any tracks suitable for cyclists. Please pay close attention to any areas marked as out of bounds on the map.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/289uHCuUUp6xiNy88?g_st=ic
Location
Nearest town: Dunkeld
- Grid Ref: NO012422
- Postcode: PH8 0JR
- Latitude: 56.56765
- Longitude: -3.58622
- Google Map (aerial)
- Bing Map (OS)
- OpenStreetMap
Pre event information
Directions / Parking
Parking is located in a field to the north of The National Trust for Scotland Hermitage Car Park, Dunkeld.
Please only use the designated field for parking.
From the South from Dunkeld continue north along the A9 from Dunkeld and the Hermitage car park is signposted on the left.
From the North Approach towards Dunkeld on the A9 before reaching Dunkeld you will cross the Jubilee bridge and approximately 2km after the Jubilee Bridge, The Hermitage will be signed on the right and there is a lane for crossing.
Once in the Hermitage turn immediately right and head up the hill towards the upper car park. Continue through the upper car park up the forest track for approximately 500m towards the FLS car park. Once at the top of the hill the car parking field is located on the left. £2/car will be collected at the gate.
Google pin
https://maps.app.goo.gl/289uHCuUUp6xiNy88?g_st=ic
Facilities
All competitors are invited to a Festive Meal after the event.
See Menu details at
https://www.taysideorienteers.org.uk/festive-xmas-meal-2024-8th-dec1
This MUST be pre-booked by Friday 29th November. The meal, prize giving etc will be at the Perth Arms (upstairs dining room)
There will be no toilets available at the Event, please go beforehand. There are public toilets in the main car park in Dunkeld, PH8 0AR.
There will be a small First Aid kit at Enquiries.
Registration & Start Times
Registration/Download will be at the parking area and will be open from 11:15.
Assembly is in the car parking field.
The start is 5 minutes walk on a flat track.
The Finish is adjacent to the parking field.
Please allow plenty of time to get your map and hear the starting instructions ahead of the first mass start at 12 noon. Please ensure you return to Download even if you finish your course early.
Enquiries will be open in the car park from 11.15 for the collection of hired SI cards and any queries on the day.
Mass start for long score course is 12 noon. Mass start for the short course in 12.10.
Courses close at 13.15
Course Information
Long Score course, 60 minutes, Short Score course 45 minutes. Details below.
The controls will be SI Air enabled, but the FINISH will need to be punched. Hired dibbers will need to be punched at each control.
The Map Scale is 1:10,000, contour interval 5 m. Major revision and update to ISOM in 2020 by Stirling Surveys, minor updates 2024 Jon Musgrave and Alistair Duguid
Final Details
Map
1:10,000, 5 m contours.
Courses
Long, 60 minute score, 25 controls, 10 to 50 points each.
Short, 45 minute score, 17 controls, 10 to 30 points each.
There is one roving Elf who will give you 10 bonus points if you meet her and ask nicely.
Both courses have 1 penalty point per 3 seconds late.
Terrain
The Hermitage is a very scenic varied commercial coniferous forest which is very popular with the public, please respect other users of the forest and stay alert for mountain bikers, dogs and traffic, particularly around the car parks. It is rough in places, but most of the overgrowth has died back and the courses are planned to avoid the worst of the windblow and brashings. Short and long courses both have plenty of points on offer close to paths and away from steep climbs, but reaching the highest scoring controls will present a tougher physical and technical challenge! There may be ice on some of the paths, and we recommend wearing shoes with dobs if you have them. There are many big crags throughout the area- these are well mapped, please pay attention and avoid these. The River Braan also runs through the area, with rocky banks and many waterfalls, please make sure you stay well clear of the water.
Out of bounds
There are four out of bounds areas- an area with potentially dangerous mountain bike tracks, a field which has sheep, and the A9 and B898 roads. These are all marked on the map but are not taped on the ground. Please respect these for your own safety and to avoid conflict with landowners. Please also avoid damaging young trees throughout the area, which is being carefully restored and managed for wildlife.
Landowners
Tay are grateful to the National Trust for Scotland, Forestry and Land Scotland and Invermill Caravan Park for granting permission to orienteering and park on their land.
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
Online at SI -
https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?event_id=14647
Entry closes on Sunday 1st December at midnight.
If you are new to Orienteering, you are welcome to come along. There will be help to get started available on the day. Please enter in advance if you can on the Short score course, you will get one map per entry.
Entry Fees:
Senior BO Member £8.00
Senior SOA Member £9.00
Senior Non-Member £10.00
Junior / Student BO Member £5.00
Junior / Student SOA Member £6.00
Junior / Student Non-Member £7.00
Contacts / Officials
Organiser: Maire Convery;
Contact by e-mail at
Planner: Finn Duguid
Controller: Alistair Duguid.
Dogs allowed?
Dogs on a lead.
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.
Keep It Clean campaign - Forestry Commission Scotland
Our forests are at risk from tree pests and diseases. These can dramatically affect the health of our trees, upsetting the delicate ecosystem balance and devastating large areas of woodland.
Pests and diseases hitch a ride in mud and debris on shoes, paws and tyres, ending up in new forests. Here, they can spread rapidly in environments with no natural resilience.
Read more about this on the FCS website.
Privacy
When entering our events your name may appear in the results section of this website or in newspaper reports.
Read our privacy policy to see how we look after your personal data.