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Share  Tweet Friday 26th April 2024

Considering becoming a Mapper? Sign up to our eLearning course!

Mapping is the one of the most rewarding and enjoyable roles. Not only does it improve your navigation skills, but it can also provide you with a different and new type of orienteering challenge.  

The British Orienteering E-Learning Mapping Courses, Introduction to updating Forest Mapping and Introduction to Sprint and Urban Mapping , developed with the expertise of David Olivant (Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club) and the educational robustness  of Pauline Olivant (Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club) .

Both courses are based around learners having access to either of the two most widely used mapping programs, Open Orienteering Mapper and OCAD.

We strongly advise that you seek an experienced mapper as a mentor to support you through your journey towards being a competent mapper.

Both courses are based on updating an existing map and rather than creating a new map from a previously unmapped area.

Course objectives

  • To provide an introduction and basic understanding of the processes involved in how to update and amend an existing Orienteering map.

The course content is designed to only address the course objective rather than attempting to cover the full scope of Mapping. As we recognise that Mapping is a skill that takes much time and practice to hone.

The course should only take around 45- 60 mins to complete and for the whole of May is only £6.00

To access the course and find out more information about our other E-Learning courses, please visit the E-Learning homepage.

Interested in learning about our other E-Learning courses on offer? Visit the E-Learning homepage and access information on all the other resources we provide.

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Share  Tweet Tuesday 23rd April 2024

British Middle Championships and Northern Championships: Final details

AIRE and CLARO look forward to seeing you all at the British Middle Championships this coming weekend. 

You have entered in greater numbers than we anticipated, but we have adapted to cater for you all as best we can.  Both Danefield and Kilnsey Moor is a lovely places in the Spring sunshine and we really hope the weather is kind so that you can enjoy it at its best.  The technical woodland of Danefield is in sharp contrast to the fast open areas of Kilnsey.  You should enjoy some great orienteering on both days.  Str8 compasses is sponsoring a lot of prizes for the Northern Championships and the British Middles so run well and good luck.

Start times and final details are published, maps are printed and lots of equipment is ready to move.  No controls are out yet, but we have been busy at Kilnsey as you may be able to see from a picture.  There are a variety of crossing points on Kilnsey Moor – many of you will only encounter this one.  There are no stiles to cross at Danefield you’ll be relieved to know.

We will be able to accommodate you all in the parking areas for both events, but as always, it would help if you car shared as much as possible.  The Danefield field has remained in good condition throughout the winter, but as some rain has been forecast over the coming days we will have some tracking available.  Kilnsey has the delight of hard standing in the quarry.  We can’t promise that you will keep your feet dry, but at least cars should not get stuck in the mud as might have happened at some recent events.  We’re hoping that’s true for Danefield.  Definitely true for Kilnsey!

Anyone wanting to carry a club tent to Danefield, could reduce the distance to carry the tent by 800m by using the drop off point suggested in the event details.  It would need to be a rapid drop-off as there are often no parking bays available. They are all quite uneven, and the road is very narrow.  To get back to the parking field it is best to not attempt a 5 point turn but to drive in an anti-clockwise route with LH turns for 2.5k to get back to the parking field.  This should take no morfme than 5 minutes.

Have a great weekend.

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Full details on the British Middle Championships are available via this link. Visit the CLARO website for more details regarding the Northern Championships. Good luck to everyone taking part!

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Share  Tweet Tuesday 23rd April 2024

British Orienteering to offer part-year membership to newcomers

As agreed at the AGM 2023, from 1 May 2024 British Orienteering would like to offer an exclusive part-year Membership to new members.

New members are individuals who have not been members of British Orienteering in any of the previous four calendar years.

Part year membership fees 2024

Seniors – £10

Young adults – £7.50

Juniors – £3.00

Families – £25.00 (all members must be new members and not on the database to take up this offer).

No memberships will be merged with existing memberships.

Please note from 1 January 2025, any “new” members will need to renew their membership for 2025.

Find out more about how to join online today. 

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Share  Tweet Friday 18th May 2018

Royal Deeside is preparing for the Royal Wedding and the influx of nearly 1,200 orienteers from across the country.

The Scottish Orienteering Association (SOA) is staging the British Orienteering Championships 2018 this weekend (Saturday 19 May to Sunday 20 May 2018) in Royal Deeside. The Long Distance Championships are being held over the Balmoral Estate with the British Relay Championships at nearby Torphantrick (Cambus o’May).
The British Trail Orienteering Championships are being staged on Sunday 20 May at nearby Crathes Castle. 

Saturday 19 May:  British Orienteering Championships - Long distance race (UKOL)
Find out more:  British Orienteering Championships (UKOL) - Balmoral nr. Braemar.

Sunday 20 May:  British Orienteering Championships - Relay event
Find out more:  British Relay Championships - Torphantrick nr. Ballater.

Sunday 20 May:  British Trail Orienteering Championships
Find out more:  British Trail Orienteering Championships - Crathes Castle nr. Banchory.

Scottish Orienteering Association Satellite

Royal Deeside is preparing for the Royal Wedding and the influx of nearly 1,200 orienteers from across the country. In addition to most of our elite athletes who recently competed at the European Orienteering Championships in Switzerland, we are also welcoming young competitors from local schools in an initiative supported by Aberdeenshire Council.

With a recent spell of fine weather, the Planner and Assistant Controller report the area is now snow free but Lochnagar still has plenty of snow in the gullies. Torphantrick on the banks of the River Dee is also looking lovely, and hopefully, the water will still be sparkling on Sunday.

The race arena build starts on Friday, including some innovations from the Scottish Orienteering Association with their new satellite broadband system. Live GPS tracking is not planned, but there will be extensive footage taken for the BBC Adventure Show – expect headcams, drones and running cams wherever you are in the forest. Dougie Vipond, presenter and drummer of Deacon Blue, will be on site to provide commentary for TV. Chris Poole and Andy Munro will be doing live coverage at the event.

Prize-giving will be on Sunday, and we thank Judith Holt, Chair of British Orienteering for offering to award medals and trophies.

Full BOC 2018 event details now available here

Thanks go to the Balmoral Estates and in particular Garry Marsden for permission to stage the Long Distance Championships at Balmoral on Saturday 19th May – the same day as the Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Torphantrick is part of the Inchmarnoch Estate, and thanks go to Mrs J C Carson for permission to use this area for the British Relay Championships on Sunday 20th May.

Key Officials and Clubs: 

Thanks go to the clubs who have given up their time as volunteers to help stage this competition. Mar Orienteering Club (MAROC), Edinburgh Southern Orienteering Club (ESOC), Tayside Orienteers (TAY), Loch Eck Orienteers (ECKO), Clydeside Orienteers (CLYDE) and Forth Valley Orienteers (FVO) are the main clubs involved with the Long Distance Championships. 

Grampian Orienteers (GRAMP) and Badenoch and Strathspey Orienteering Club (BASOC) are the main clubs involved with the British Relay Championships.  Individuals from other clubs across Scotland are also involved.

Event Coordinator, Day Organiser and Safety Officer: Colin Matheson (Events Manager, SOA)
Assistant Coordinator: Ross Lilley (ECKO) 
Treasurer: Jackie Reynard (GRAMP) 
Entries: David Nicol (FVO) 
Payments: Sarah Hobbs (Membership & Communications Officer, SOA) 
Long Distance: Planner: Steve Nicholson (FVO) 
Assistant Planner: Ian Hamilton (GRAMP) 
Controller: Brian Bullen (FVO), Assistant Controller: Dave Armitage (GRAMP) 
Relays: Planner: Clive Masson (ESOC), Assistant Planner: Chris Huthwaite (BAOC) 
Controller: Donald Grassie (MOR).
 

British Orienteering would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers involved in putting on the British Orienteering Championships in Scotland this year.  Thank you to all for your hard work, commitment and support.  With best wishes for a great weekend of orienteering. 

Who will be crowned British Champions this Royal weekend?

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