Location

Nearest town: Aboyne

• Grid Ref: NO 546963
• Postcode: AB34 5DB
• Lat/Lon: 57.055367,-2.750588
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Pre Event Info

Tick Research Project

Rita Ribeiro, a PhD student at Scotland's Rural College, is working on a project to track tick exposure in Scotland, and is asking for the help of orienteers.

Rita and her research supervisor will be at the Balfour event sharing information about her project and discussing the data collection process involved. 

More information is available at this link: https://www.scottish-orienteering.org/soa/page/tick-research-project.

The proliferation of ticks, and the risks of Lyme disease, are a serious concern -- please consider helping with this project when you attend the event.

Directions / Parking

If traveling from Aboyne/Birse, after crossing the bridge over the Dee, turn left off of Bridgeview onto the B976.  Travel for 0.2 miles and turn right onto the singletrack road signposted for Birsebeg, Drumneachie, Balfour.  The entrance to the forest track is on the right approximately 1.7 miles from the B976.

If traveling from the East from the Potarch/Finzean direction turn left off the B976 onto the singletrack road at the junction signposted Birse Church (About 0.6 miles from the B976 / B993 Junction).  The entrance to the forest track is approximately 1.4 miles after turning onto the singletrack road.

This is a narrow single track road with minimal turn outs.  Please drive with caution.

The majority of parking will be accommodated in three main areas with space for 60 vehicles.  Area 3 is at the Registration/Download/Starts approximately 1.75 km from the entrance to the forest track.  Area 2 is at the finish which is 1.25 km from the entrance of the forest track.  Area 1 is a small parking area just after the entrance to the forest track which requires a 1.75km walk to registration.  Area 1 can be used by those that may be traveling to the event in Van motorhome conversions.  We should be able to accommodate three motorhomes.  Unfortunately we can’t allow motorhomes up to the Area 2 and 3 parking areas.

We are expecting 100 to 120 participants so please make best efforts to carpool.  The forest track must be kept clear enough for emergency vehicles to use the road.

Parking will a one way system with no exiting the event until after 12:30 pm.

Registration & Start Times

Registration 10:30 – 12:30

Starts 11:00 – 13:00. Starts are within 100m of registration and download.

Courses Close at 14:30

Course Information

White 1.8km, 20m climb

Yellow 2.2km, 40m climb

Orange 2.3km, 60m climb

L'green 4.0km, 105m climb

Green 4.5km, 155m climb

Blue 5.7km, 250m climb

Brown 8.8km, 350m climb

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

Entry Fees:  Senior £5.00 (£7.00 for non BOF members), Seniors running Light Green & below £2.50, Juniors £2.50.

To guarantee a map until 12 noon on Sunday, if you think you are coming to the event please email your name, BOF number (if applicable) and course to  by 2.30 pm Friday the  24th  August. Please put EEE in the subject line for the email filter.

For those who send in an early email entry, there is no need to complete an entry slip at registration. Just go to the Early Entry desk, pay for your run, and pick up a timing brikke.

Please note that this is not a full pre-entry. There is no obligation, and no charge will be made if you cannot come along.

If you decide to run a different course on the day that’s fine. Simply come to registration and as long as there’s map available we will change your entry.

There’s no need to let us know if you can’t make it.

If you choose not to EEE, you can still register and enter in the standard way at the event, subject to map availability.

Facilities

No toilets will be available at the event.  The nearest public toilets are next to Victory Hall in Aboyne.

Dogs allowed?

Dogs allowed, please keep under control.

Contacts / Officials

Planner: Andy Tivendale

Controller: Roger Coombs

Organiser: Scott Reynolds

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.
Participants in orienteering should be aware of the risk of tick bites - more information here.

SPORTident timing will be used

Please note that a lost hire SI-Card will be charged for at a rate of £30, unless the Club Commitee agrees that there are special circumstances.

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