Event Summary

The Scottish Orienteering Score Championships  

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the Scottish Orienteering Score Championships in Lady Culbin (the eastern edge of Culbin Forest).  This is fabulous technical terrain, full of technical contour detail and runnable pine forest, last visited for the Scottish Orienteering League event in March 2025.   

In addition to the Score format there will be yellow course available for younger competitors or those who do not wish to compete with the score format. 

In terms of the Score format, the aim of the event is for each competitor to attempt to visit as many controls as possible in the allotted time.  The times for each course are as follows:- 

Score Courses

Entries will be made by age class and competitors should tick the box to indicate that they are eligible in term of the Scottish Championships Eligibility rules.  Competitors will only be eligible to become champion in the class in which they have chosen to run.  In the unlikely event of a senior competitor entering an older age class, or junior entering a younger age class, they will be non-competitive. Courses 1 and 2 will be at TD5.  Course 3 is TD3.  Juniors who are not confident on TD3 courses are encouraged to run the Yellow course.  A penalty will apply for anyone who is not back at the finish within the allotted time for their course (remember your watch!) - that penalty will be 10 points for each minute or part of a minute that you are over time. 

In order to allow a short start window there will be up to three alternative score courses for those competing on Course 2 (60 mins).  Each age class will compete on the same course and courses will be allocated depending on the entries.

Score
National
SI AIR
12:30 - 1:15 pm
2:45 pm
86951
In Car Park
Online
SiEntries

Directions and Parking

Directions and Parking 

From Forres:

Follow the A96 towards Nairn, on crossing the road bridge over the Findhorn approximately 0.8 miles out of Forres take the right junction towards Broom of Moy/ Kintessack/ Culbin. After crossing the bridge over the railway take the right junction towards Broom of Moy/Kintessack/ Culbin.  Follow this road for 1.5 miles passing Broom of Moy.  After Broom of Moy and before reaching Earnhill Farm you will reach a sharp left bend with a junction towards Kincorth directly in front of you – continue straight following the road towards Kincorth.  Follow this road (*) which will pass Kincorth House with a sharp right-hand bend directly after.  Continue along this road for the next 1.9 miles – the road will become an unmade road and please ensure you adhere to the speed limit in terms of the many signs.   Parking is at the eastern end of the field and volunteers will provide guidance on where to park  

From Nairn:  

Follow the A96 towards Forres for approximately 7 miles.  After Brodie and before the Findhorn Road bridge take the left hand turn towards Broom of Moy/Kintessack.  After crossing the bridge over the railway take the right junction towards Broom of Moy/Kintessack/ Culbin.  Follow this road for 1.5 miles passing Broom of Moy.  After Broom of Moy and before reaching Earnhill Farm you will reach a sharp left bend with a junction towards Kincorth directly in front of you – continue straight following the road towards Kincorth.  Continue (*) as described above. 

Google pin:https://maps.app.goo.gl/Yvm4SBFVJPuGfXqF7 

What3words location: https://w3w.co/unlimited.saunas.shell

Assembly 

Will be in the north eastern end of the field at Binsness adjacent to the parking.  There will be hot refreshments and homemade cakes for sale together with bacon sarnies which will be sold to as a fund raiser for Moravian juniors.  Payment will be via a card machine. 

Toilets will be located adjacent to assembly on the route to the start. 

Car parks will open from 11:00 am, and competitors are requested to not arrive in the car park before that time.  Everyone should be in the car park by 12:30 pm.

Start and Finish

The start is approximately 500m from assembly along a track.  The finish is approximately 250m from Assembly. 

Please note there will be three finish controls to be shared by all courses.  Everyone will be aware of the clock counting down as it is a score event; we ask that you are aware of other competitors and respectful of others when proceeding to the finish. 

Start times 

Start times will be every minute from 12:30 pm to 1:15 pm.   

Prize Giving 

With a relatively short start window all competitors are anticipated to have finished by 2.45 pm at the latest and prize giving will take place as soon as practical thereafter.  You must report to download by this time.

At registration

Courses

Course details (subject to final controlling).

Score Courses Culbin

The map will be single-sided and controls will be allocated a score of either 10, 20 or 30 points.  These will be marked on the map with the control number in brackets as illustrated below:

 Culbin Map Snip 

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.
  • 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 contour interval is 2.5m. 

Entry Details

Entry Details 

Entries will be made by age class and competitors should tick the box to indicate that they are eligible in term of the Scottish Championships Eligibility rules.  Competitors will only be eligible to become champion in the class in which they have chosen to run.  In the unlikely event of a senior competitor entering an older age class, or junior entering a younger age class, they will be non-competitive. 

Entries are online via SI Entries only.  

  • Entries open online from Tuesday 22 September and will close at 23:59 pm on Monday 19 October 2026.  Online entries can also be edited/changed/cancelled until this closure, subject to map availability. 

Entry Fees: 

  • Senior (21 and older) BOF Member - £15.00.
  • Senior SOA-only Member - £16.00.
  • Senior Non-Member - £17.00. 
  • Junior (20 and younger) and Student BOF Members - £7.50.
  • Junior (20 and younger) and Student SOA Members - £8.00.
  • Junior/Student Non-Member - £8.50.
SiEntries

Final Details

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

Nikki Howard
Rob Parkinson
littleblervie@icloud.com
Iain Shepherd

Ticks and Covid

Ticks

Risk Awareness:   Please be aware that ticks are common across many of the areas we run in and can carry infections such as Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Encephalitis.  Ticks are active in the UK primarily from March to October, but year-round vigilance is recommended.

Prevention Strategies:   

  • Wearing full leg and abdomen cover in the forest.  
  • Applying insect repellent to exposed skin and clothing.
  • Checking yourself for ticks after your run.  Common areas for ticks include behind the knees, underarms, hairline, and any pressure points.
  • Considering vaccination against TBE, if visiting high-risk areas in Europe or Asia.

Tick Removal and Symptoms:   Consider using a tick removal tool to ensure the tick is removed quickly and completely.   If a tick has attached, it should be removed as soon as possible.

Health Action:  If symptoms develop, such as a rash or flu-like symptoms, individuals should seek medical advice promptly and mention the tick bite, as not all doctors may be familiar with the conditions.

Key Resources:

 

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.