Day 1: Achagour
Achagour map
Sunday 2nd August
PDF of the all results (useful for searching for club members)
Photo galleries: ActivNorth, Wendy Carlyle
Achagour is a totally new area for the majority of competitors, with only a small number of Elite competitors crossing into this area on Day 6 of Moray 2013.
The extension of this area into Moss-side and parts of Belivat will provide an excellent orienteering challenge with a variety of terrain types. Keppernach bounds the competition area to the northwest. The Race Arena has a very pleasant outlook, including the River Findhorn and Ardclach Bell Tower to the east and Achagour Fishing Ponds to the west.
Many thanks to Inverness Field Archery Club and Mr & Mrs Mackintosh at Achagour Farm, for their cooperation in allowing access to the field archery area at Achagour.
Location
Nearest town: Ferness
- Postcode: IV12 5VF
- Lat/Lon: 57.48777,-3.76118
- Google Map
- Streetmap (OS)
- Bing Map (OS)
- OpenStreetMap
Organising clubs: Grampian Orienteers (GRAMP), Inverness Orienteering Club (INVOC), with Walton Chasers Orienteering Club (WCH)
Day Organisers: Helen Anderson (GRAMP), Adrian Will (GRAMP)
Planners: Ali Robertson (GRAMP), Fraser Purves (FVO)
Assistant Controller: Neil McLean (GRAMP)
Controller: Roger Coombs (MAROC)
Travel: Please follow these travel directions to reach the event. There may be other possible routes but this is the route agreed with local police and other relevant official bodies.
From Inverness, follow A96 for 16 miles to Nairn and continue along A96 through the town to a railway bridge, then turn R onto A939 Grantown-on-Spey road. Follow this for 5.5 miles to Littlemill. Turn R and follow O signs about 7 miles on a minor road to the parking field. Leave by the same route.
Last arrival by 12:30. No Exit before 12:30.
Distances between locations
Parking: You must follow the above route to the event, as there is a closed road through the competition area to enable unmanned crossings. Please share transport if at all possible, as parking space is likely to be extremely tight.
Race Arena: In the northern end of the main parking field. The field drops down to the Finish, providing a good view of the final controls and run in. See important Safety Information below regarding electric power lines.
Starts: Blue/Red exits the Race Arena to the east through the overflow car parking field, so care needs to be taken in this field. Exit the field onto the closed section of minor road, heading east before entering the forest. White/Green exits the north of the field close to the Finish.
Crossing Points: Competitors starting from the Green, Blue and Red Starts use a mandatory crossing point over a public road whilst on their course. Competitors starting from the Blue/Red Start also cross a second road. Care should be taken when crossing roads, and competitors MUST follow marshalls' instructions. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.
Map: Deeside Orienteering and Leisure Maps (DOLM) 2013. Revised 2015.
String course: The route to the String course is buggy-friendly, approximately 50m from the Race Arena along the way to the Blue/Red Start. The courses themselves are not buggy-friendly, due to some steep slopes.
Terrain: A very varied area, a patchwork of open moorland, marshes, complex birch and runnable scots pine forest with subtle contour detail throughout.
Safety Information: High voltage transmission lines run through the length of the parking field and Race Arena. As a result, some areas will be marked as Out Of Bounds: Danger of Death. Be extra careful erecting club tents/banners, and under no circumstances must these or similar activities take place under or adjacent to the electricity lines. No kite flying anywhere in the car park or Race Arena.
Some courses pass close to the Achagour Fisheries. Please be aware of other users in this area, as it will be active during the event. Do not allow children to play in or near the water.
Special Information: As this is the first day, there are likely to be long queues to collect race bibs from the Information tent. Please factor this in to your plans for the day.
[alternative keywords: final details, bulletin, day-1]
Achagour map (Full size)
Achagour Race Arena (Full size)