Culbin East

Event Summary

Update 20 March 2025.  Final Details and Start Times have now been added.  Please scroll down or click on the following links: 

Moravian Orienteers are delighted to invite you to the first Scottish Orienteering League event of the year at the iconic Culbin forest on 23 March 2025.  This will be part of a double-header weekend with the Scottish Middle Championships hosted by INVOC at Dallaschyle on 22 March 2025: Event Finder Interactive Map - Scottish Middle Championships.

Culbin is an orienteer's dream: a vast expanse of sand dunes featuring terrain rich in complex contour detail, cloaked with pine forest of varying openness and runability.  Most of the map is white, although thinning operations have left significant debris throughout the area, and there are small pockets of lower-visibility forest to catch the unwary.  The event will be based near Binsness House, allowing all courses to access the rarely-used north-eastern part of the map. 

If you wish to be competitive for the event, please note the embargoed area within Culbin at the following link: Copy of Culbin SOL 23 March 2025 Embargoed area – Google My Maps.

Cross country
National
SI AIR
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
11:00 am -1 pm
3 pm
85246
On Leads
Online
SiEntries

Directions and Parking

Event Location:

  • Near: Forres, Moray. 
  • Lat,Lng: 57.647350, -3.627935. 
  • OS Grid Ref: NJ029630.
  • Google Maps: Binsness House. 
  • Postcode: IV36 2SP (covers a very wide area). 
  • What3Words: https://w3w.co/flies.perfectly.surnames. 

Open an interactive map in: Google Maps  OpenStreetMap  Bing maps AppleMaps

Directions for all Vehicles:  

  • From Forres:  Follow the A96 west out of Forres.  After approximately 1 mile (just over the River Findhorn bridge), turn right, over the railway bridge, onto an unclassified road. This junction will be well signposted. 
  • From Nairn:  Follow the A96 east out of Nain. Approximately 2 miles (3.5km) after Brodie Country Fare (just before the River Findhorn bridge) turn left, over the railway bridge, onto an unclassified road. This junction will be well signposted. 
  • Then for ALL vehicles:  Continue for approximately 2 miles (3 km), through Mains of Moy, to the sharp 135 degree bend immediately before Earnhill Farm.  At that bend, continue straight for approximately 2 miles (3 km), passed Wellside Farm after approximately 1 mile (1.5 km), to the parking field.  This route will be well signposted. 

Parking:

  • Near Binsness House, Kintessack, IV36 2SP.  What3Words: https://w3w.co/flies.perfectly.surnames.
  • Please adhere strictly to road signs and marshals’ directions. All vehicles must be in the car park by 12:30 pm and no vehicles will be allowed to leave before 12:30 pm.  There is loads of space! 
  • A £3 per vehicle parking charge will be collected at the parking field, please have coins ready. 

Minibuses and Coaches:

  • If you are planning to bring a minibus or coach please contact the organiser David Ritchie at drhoneyhowe@gmail.com or 07966 205983 to discuss arrangements. 

Event Assembly:

The Assembly is immediately adjacent to the parking field and will have an Information/Enquiries tent, toilets, first aid and download. The Finish is 100m from the Assembly area. 

Arena

Event Registration/Enquires.  Registration/Enquiries is in assembly and will be open from 10:00 am-3 pm. Look for the Moravian Banner.  Visit enquires to: 

  • Collect hired si-dibbers; 
  • Collect white, yellow and long orange course maps;
  • Key drop - lone travellers should leave keys in a named envelope with the vehicle registration;
  • Medical form envelopes;
  • Enter on the day - limited entry available for all courses. Numbers dependent on map availability. There is no guarantee of entry on the day;
  • Ask any other questions. 
Portaloos will be available at assembly.

Start and Finish

Starts.  The Far Start (Black, Browns, Blues and Greens) is located 600 km from the entrance gate of the Assembly Area.  The Near Start (White, Yellow, Orange and Long Orange) is 450m from the entrance gate of the Assembly Area. 

The route to the Near and Far Starts follow the same first 400m.  The walk to the starts is on paths and tracks and is almost flat. 

White, Yellow and Long Orange Course Maps.  White (M/W10B), Yellow (M/W10A and M/W12B) and Long Orange (M21N) course maps must be collected from Information/Enquiries Tent before going to the Start.  

Timing System and Control units.  Si timing will be used, with SI AIR activated.  Start and Finish must be punched.  If the Si Unit fails, use the pin punches provided (maps have three boxes for pin punching).  

Start times: 11:00 am-1 pm. 

  • Start times will be allocated for courses 1-11 (Black, Brown, Short Brown, Blue, Short Blue, Green, Short Green, Very Short Green, Light Green, Long Orange and Orange).  You must make every effort to stick to your time.  Courses 12 & 13 (Yellow and White) will have punching starts with no allocated time. 
  • Competitors who miss their allocated start time must wait until the starter finds an available slot in line with competition rules. 
  • Your preferred start time(s) should be indicated on SiEntries.  Split starters should aim for 'very early' and 'very late' and helpers should select a 'punching' start.  Start times will be published on SiEntries in the lead up to the event and after online entries close.  

Start Procedure:

  • Before you head to your start remember to take your dibber and compass.  Collect White, Yellow and Long Orange maps from the Information/Enquiries tent. 
  • Full leg and torso cover is mandatory for all.  If the Organiser has declared cagoules compulsory (through Final Details, notices in Assembly area) you must follow this requirement. 
  • It is competitors' responsibility to start at their allocated times; there will be a name call-up and the minus 4 clock will be prominently displayed with times and names called out.  Latecomers, those with split starts, and helpers should speak to an official at the start. 
  • Remember to clear and check (SIAC test also available) before entering the minus 4 box. 
  • At call up, you will be asked to dib a check box. 
  • Minus 3 is one large box with loose control descriptions. 
  • Minus 2 is one box with blank maps. Note there may be different scale maps depending on which courses are at this start. 
  • Minus 1 is one box. There may be safety information/reminder given. At 10 seconds to go you may step over the line then go on the long beep. Remember to punch the start unit and to pick up the map for your course from the appropriate box. 

Finish.   There is a single finish which is 100m from the Assembly area which is immediately adjacent to the parking field.  It is essential that all competitors visit the download tent as soon as possible (but most certainly by course closing time) whether or not they have finished their course. 

At registration

Courses

Courses.  Courses are offered as per the SOL rules and guidelines which are available on the SOA website.  You may enter any course.  To be eligible for SOL league points, you must enter the course associated with your age class.  SOL points may be awarded to people "running up" in one of the age classes associated with the colour they run.  By default, the oldest such age class is used for seniors. 

Course details are given below.  Course straight-line lengths and climb provisional, subject to final planning and controlling. 

Courses Culbin

All courses close at 3:00pm.  You MUST report to download by this time, even if you retire or fail to finish your course.

Results.  Results will be available online via the QR code on your download slip.

String Course.  Lady Culbin will be offering a String Course located near the assembly field.  The string course is free - just turn up and register. Small children must be accompanied.  Collect a map when you register. Area is a little rough and boots or wellies are recommended. Access to the start of the string course is suitable for buggies.  

Terrain

Terrain and Mapping notes.  

  • Culbin forest was largely planted in rectangular blocks: where the unplanted rides between blocks are still obvious they are shown with a thick yellow line.  
  • Harvesting operations have left a covering of brash across much of the forest and generated many thinning and extraction lanes. These are not mapped in white forest but are shown with a white line in otherwise green forest. 
  • Temporary forest management features such as stacks of timber and piles of stone for road repairs have not been mapped. 
  • Ongoing coastal erosion has produced steep and sometimes overhanging sand “cliffs” in some places: access to and from the beach can be challenging in these areas. 
  • Distinct vegetation boundaries between areas of the same colour are mapped using the dashed green line version of symbol 416. 
  • Many shallow (<1m) knolls are mapped using small form line shapes (<1.1mm long); larger/steeper knolls use ‘small knoll’ symbol 109. 

Maps.   

  • Maps will be printed on waterproof paper with control descriptions on the front. Loose control descriptions will be available in the start lanes (minus 3). 
  • Maps for Black, Brown, Short Brown and Blue, Short Blue, Green, Short Green and Very Short Green courses will not have a legend printed on the map. 
  • Other courses (i.e. Light Green, Long Orange, Orange, Yellow and White) will have a legend printed on the map. 
  • Mapping.  Original survey and cartography by Jon Hollingdale JOK, 2022/3 (updated 2024/5) using Scottish Public Sector LiDAR data made available under the Open Government Licence v3 Map Specification ISOM 2017-2 (revision 6, January 2024). 
  • The map is drawn at 1:10,000, using 1:15,000 symbol dimensions.  The contour interval is 2.5m. 

Routegadget. 

Entry Details

Entries are online via SiEntries.  If you are new to SiEntries, you will need to set-up an account to enter. 

  • Entries open 17 January 2025.
  • Pre-Entries close 16 March at 23.59 pm.

If you have any questions about which course to enter, please contact the organiser.   

Entry fees are in the table below and on SiEntries:  

Fees Culbin

Pairs Entry:

  • Entry from less experienced orienteers as pairs will be accepted on courses 9-13 (TD4-1) (Light Green, Long Orange, Orange, Yellow and White). 
  • Pairs must share one map and one SI-dibber. 
  • They will not be eligible for SOL league points. 
  • To enter as a pair, provide the details of one person and then select the pairs option.
  • There will be an additional £1 to single person entry fees detailed above. 

Entry on the Day. 

  • Limited entry on the day will be available for all courses, subject to map availability and an additional £2 supplement for all TD5 courses (1-8) (Black, Brown, Short Brown, Blue, Short Blue, Green, Short Green and Very Short Green).  
  • Entry on the Day will be cash only please.  
  • Enquires about entry on the day can be made at the Information/Enquiries Tent between 10:00 am and 12:30 pm. 

Shadowing: 

  • Shadowing juniors on the white and yellow courses is allowed.  'Shadowers' MUST have completed their own race before undertaking any shadowing to remain competitive on their course and to score SOL league points. 
  • Adults are reminded they must declare if they are actually helping a Junior competitor as opposed to following.  Assisted juniors are competitive in their colour course (e.g. white) but not in their age class (e.g. W10B). 
SiEntries

Final Details

Start List (334.13 KB)
Final Details (769.19 KB)

Safety Information

General Health Information.  Accident and Emergency: Dr Gray’s Hospital, Elgin, IV30 1SN. For non-emergencies you can contact NHS24 (dial 111) or visit www.nhsinform.scot for details of GP practices, pharmacies etc. in the local area.  Ticks are common in the competition area.  Check carefully after and remove any ticks with a suitable removal tool.  Lyme disease does occur in the area: if you develop a rash at the site of a bite, we advise you to seek medical advice. E-coli O157 may be found where farm animals have been grazing in fields used for Parking and The Finish run-in.  We recommend that you wash your hands thoroughly before eating. 

Specific Safety Information:

  • Water - Avoid dehydration.  If the weather is hot, drink plenty of fluids.  Please bring your own water. Please avoid taking disposable water bottles to any of the start locations. 
  • Other Forest Users - Please respect other users of the Forest (dog walkers, dogs, horse riders, horses and cyclists).
  • Log stacks – As tempting as it may be, they must not be climbed on as they could fall and injure you or someone else.
  • Trip Hazards - Please note that Culbin has potential trip hazards, including tree roots, stony and broken ground and litter.

General Information.

Complaints, Protests and Appeals.  Complaints should be made to the Day Organiser either orally or in writing via the standard Complaints/Protests form available from Information/Enquiries tent up to 3 pm on the day of the competition.   There is no fee for a complaint.  The Day Organiser is the adjudicator of a complaint.  A protest can be made against the Organiser’s decision, in writing to the Controller.  Protests and appeals will be handled under the current British Orienteering Rules. 

Rubbish.  Please take all rubbish away with you. 

Dogs.  Dogs are permitted in the Parking Area and Assembly Area provided they are under control, on a lead and cleared up after.  

Photography.  There may be photographers in the area.  If you do not want your photograph published, please speak to the officials in the Information/Enquiries tent.  If you have concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography, please report it to the organiser. 

Event Officials

David Ritchie, MOR
Jon Hollingdale, JOK
drhoneyhowe@gmail.com
07966205983
Lynne Walker, BASOC

COVID-19

COVID-19 Guidance (Updated March 2025)

If you have symptoms of COVID or have tested positive to COVID, then do not attend the event or activity to help avoid spreading infection.  

Results (635.64 KB)
RouteGadget