Tayside Orienteers

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Tayside Local Event..Blackspout, Pitlochry

Image of the Black Spout map

Sun 25th May 2025

Last updated: 18th May
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Info

Next Tayside Open event is on Sunday 25th May at Pitlochry's Black Spout Wood. Entries are now open.

LIVE RESULTS AVAILABLE AT -

https://www.taysideorienteers.org.uk/latest-results/

EMERGENCY PHONE BILL MELVILLE AT 07365 436036

Tayside Orienteers would like to welcome you to our local event at Blackspout Wood in Pitlochry on Sunday the 25th of May. This is a lovely compact area of mature oak woodland surrounding a picturesque gorge. It is at its very best at this time of year with an abundance of wild flowers, before the undergrowth takes over in the summer.
There will be a range of suitable courses for all abilities. Newcomers are very welcome, and club members will be on hand to offer advice. 
Course details (subject to final tweaking)
There will be three courses available: Yellow 1.7K , Orange 2.7K and Green 3.8K..
Start times: These will be unallocated, so please turn up at the start whenever you choose between 11 and 12.30. You may have a short wait at busy times. Courses will close at 2.30pm, and you must check in at download even if you have not completed your course so that we know you are safe.  
Directions: Registration will be at the Black Spout wood car park area at the south end of Pitlochry (NGR: NN 95059 57594 what3words: ///coining.duplicate.tree)
The start is a possible 10  minute walk away and can be found by heading South out of Pitlochry, crossing the river and heading back under the railway line. The route to the start will be taped.
The finish is in a small layby by the pitch and putt, close to registration.
As the car park at Blackspout is very small, please can we reserve this for those competitors joining us with small children, or who may struggle with the extra walk to and from the start? Car sharing is always advised...and generally much more sociable! We advise using the main Atholl Road car park in Pitlochry, PH16 5BX (what3words: ///towers.beasts.duties) Sign will be posted for the event, which is 0.9miles about a 20 minute walk to registration and/or the start.
There are street areas where parking is possible with care. The event is easily accessible by public transport, via the train station or the main line bus stop in Pitlochry.  
Health and Safety: A risk assessment has been carried out by the organiser and is available at the registration tent. It is extremely important that competitors stay well away from the huge cliffs which surround the gorge. These are very dangerous and are marked out of bounds on all courses. Courses have been planned to keep routes away from the unfenced sections. The gorge must only be crossed using the bridge at the upper end.
Acknowledgments: We are very grateful to Perth and Kinross Council, Pitlochry Estates and the Atholl Palace Hotel for permission to use their land for the event. While you are in the area, why not make a day of it and visit the Atholl Palace after the event for afternoon tea?
 

Location

Nearest town: Pitlochry

Pre event information

Directions / Parking

Coming from the south take the first Pitlochry exit from the A9 and follow towards town. (No exit here if you are coming from the North)

Coming from the north, take the first A9 Pitlochry exit and follow the road through the town.

Limited event centre parking is available for helpers and officials.

Please park on the streets and parking areas in the town. (see above) Please be considerate.

Note toilets are also available in the town (see above)

Dropping off passengers at the entrance to Black Spout Wood is possible. Please turn carefully if necessary to get to town parking.

Facilities

No toilets or refreshments at the event centre.

Online listed public toilets in Pitlochry are-

Fishers Hotel, Festival Theatre,  Public Toilet West Lane.  (see website) https://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/19430/Pitlochry-public-toilets

Please bring water if the weather is hot.

NOTE - There are likely to be ticks at this venue. Full body cover (arms and legs) obligatory. And be aware of the high crags bordering the river that cuts across the map.

Registration & Start Times

Event Centre and Registration at Black Spout Council Car Park.

Open from 10:15.

W3W coining.duplicate.tree

Those collecting "dibbers,"  collecting maps or seeking entry on the day should go to registration.

Starts 11am until 12.30

Courses close 2.30pm.

Download for those who have finished their course is also there.  All competitors should visit download before leaving the event.  This is essential.

Leave a borrowed dibber at download.

Course Information

Map scale 1:5000

All course start across the river in the south area of the map.

Follow the tapes back to the main road turn left and left again after crossing the river.

Adults should accompany young children.

Courses finish in the north area of the map close to Registration and download.

Remember you must visit download.

3 X Colour Coded - 

Yellow (easy navigation ) 1.7km 65m climb

Orange (bit harder) 2.7km 95m

Green (difficult) 3.8km 125m

Maps for yellow courses should be collected at registration before going to the start.

Orange and Green course maps will be at the start with loose control decriptions. Control descriptions will also be on the maps.

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 Online at Si Entries.

https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?event_id=15682

Available until 22nd May.

Late entries/entry on the day an additional £2, subject to map availability.
If you want to run as a pair or a family group, please email the organisers so that we know and can arrange suitable maps.

Fees-
Seniors
£5 - British Orienteering member
£6 - Scottish Orienteering member
£7 - Non-member
Juniors (18 years and under)
£2 - British Orienteering member
£3 - Scottish Orienteering member
£4 - Non-member
Please note that you can attend 3 events as a non-member and are covered by BOF Insurance. After this it is recommended that you join the Club to continue to benefit from Insurance cover.

 

Contacts / Officials

Assistant Organiser Bill Melville  07365436036 /

Planner Finn Duguid

Mentor Moira Laws

Controller Allan Downie

Dogs allowed?

Dogs on a lead in the carpark areas

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.

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