No. 169 December 2014

Graham Haley bagged his final this year

Corrie Lagan panorama Photo G Haley

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Interlopers Terrain Training & Post-Run Socials Start 18:30 prompt at designated meeting point. The training programme has been created to encourage people to get out and train. Please refer to the website for suggested routes. Anyone that participates in any way does so at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety. No permissions have been arranged.

Date Training run Grid ref Bite / drink Pub social after first run of each month (circa 20:00 hours) East Craiglockhart, Union Canal & Colinton Dell: From Craighouse 11/12/2014 main gate -8 NT236707 Ken’s for Holyrood Outer & Inner loops: From Holyrood House public car park - bread & 18/12/2014 13 NT270738 soup

08/01/2015 Blackford & Braids: From Blackford Observatory car park -1 NT258705

15/01/2015 Castlelaw & Harbour Hill: From Castelaw Ranges car park -5 NT230637 Pub TBC

22/01/2015 FWTN

29/01/2015 Bonaly, Harbour & Capelaw: From Bonaly Country Park car park -2 NT211676

05/02/2015 FWTN - Craigmillar

12/02/2015 Harlaw & Bavelaw: From Harlaw Farm public car park -9 NT181654 Pub TBC

19/02/2015 FWTN - Buckstone Hillend, Swanston & Allermuir: From Hillend bottom car park beside 26/02/2015 Steading PH -10 NT249669

05/03/2015 FWTN - Riccarton

12/03/2015 Corstorphine & Ravelston: From Cairnmuir Road car park -7 NT205736 Pub TBC

19/03/2015 FWTN - Bonaly

There’s lots of good stuff from Graham Haley’s stunning photos of (if they Editor’s Introduction don’t encourage you to get out into the hills then I don’t know what will) to Pat Squire’s Mary Ross phenomenally active September!

On a personal note, the Ross family had a elcome to the December of The very enjoyable and successful time at the Interloper. Thank you so much to ELO SoSOL at Saltoun Wood last Sunday W all those who have contributed. with Thomas (9) completing his first White Without your articles there would be no course on his own and Ben (6) ‘doing the newsletter. map reading himself’, with me trailing behind trying to keep up. Thomas said 2 afterwards, ‘He enjoyed going on his own The Club Christmas party coincides with more than being shadowed as he just felt Paul Caban’s half century anniversary and free’ and Ben said ‘He can’t wait to go he’s promised to bring a cake and orienteering again when he can do another everything! The venue will be confirmed if a White course’. I thought Thomas’s caretaker can be found, but it is at the comment was lovely; I’m not sure I quite junction of Comiston Road and Frogston shared his sense of joyous freedom as I Road, right at the crossroads. fought my way through brambles and waded through cold rivers but there we go, The only restriction Paul has been given by there has to be one family member who the Hall is a ‘no strong alcohol’ rule: beer was less happy! and wine is OK, but no spirits. Sorry.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Paul is planning on some sort of birthday lots of great orienteering in 2015. Hopefully run earlier in the afternoon, on the see you all at the Christmas party. Pentlands if the weather is OK, or on the Braids otherwise. More details by email Mary soon. He hopes to see you all there.

Let Max Carcas ([email protected]) know if you:

New Interloper members 1. Can’t wait and can definitely come 2. Definitely can’t come 3. Might come but don’ t know for sure yet The club extends a warm welcome to three in true Interloper fashion new members, all in one family: Mum Trish Johnson, and daughters Emma and Katie.

Rabbit in the Headlights

James Jarvis

Orienteering is a bit of a dark art. I am not an orienteer, which makes me an Interloper? Interlopers’ Joint Christmas and Birthday Frequently when disorienteering I become lost. However, being mis-attributed to party ESOC in some result recently represented a whole new level of ‘lost’.

Fairmilehead Church Hall So a dark art. What does that mean? Well, (almost definitely) just when you think you have a handrail on the terms such as re-entrant and parallel error something else comes along to throw Sunday 21st December you. Take FWTN. Bring a head torch it says. Which I did. Had a light rating of at 4.30-8 pm 3 least one baptismal candle. Would have minutes on me so the 5 seconds I clawed made any Godparent proud. Should be back were all in vain! fine I thought. At the finish it was very cordial and So there I was scrabbling out of a bunker gracious. Rachel, ever so polite apologised that wasn't there when all of a sudden I for catching me in the first place, as if by saw the light! What a light! It was blinding. I only giving me 5 minutes start was raised my hands thinking it was one of somehow reproachable behaviour. those police helicopter beams with a marksman keen to get a hole in one! Fairly And that is something else I struggle with stealthy police chopper this one, very about orienteering. Everybody is quiet? soooooo.... nice! It is going to take a while to adjust... and get a second candle for that The next I know I am being cordially head torch. spoken to by Rachel - a fellow Interloper it turns out - and not being perforated by a trigger happy marksman. Rachel's head torch, should it point upwards and catch a passing pipistrelle, would alert Gotham's finest. The Munros and their Wildlife More importantly the eighty billion candle ~1987-2014 beam now caught the reflective piece of Graham Haley leftover plumbing that represented the control, causing it to gently smoulder. Ever the adept orienteer, she directed the photon beam elsewhere to avoid an inferno.

Rachel was ever so gracious about the fact she was now providing a ridiculous lighthouse-like beacon that coincided with where I was heading. And I am left with the etiquette of what do I do? That light keeps moving to where my compass is pointing. "Don't go towards the light" was a phrase coming to mind, but the light kept going to where I wanted to be.

But here is the thing. Despite many years rubbing shoulders with O-types my blood is still A+ which means athletics plus. The plus means cross country and occasional hill race. Orienteering is not in my blood - yet. And sprint finishes are. So the unfortunate Rachel was treated to the kind of finish reserved for Messrs Caban or Ackland on a Saturday morning Parkrun. Graham on top of Blaven Photo Haley Of course, Rachel had already caught up 5 4 I can’t actually remember when I did my McLeod joined me on (2007), first Munro, other than knowing it was his first Munro. My worst yearly total was 6, before we were married (1988). Ann and I including a wet Beinn a Chaorainn and had a trip around the Highlands (a long Beinn Teallach with Paul Caban (2008). way from Cambridge at the time) and I remember doing the Five Sisters of Kintail In 2009 things picked up again. All those and Ruadh-stac Mor on . It beginning with F (on 21st Feb), the western might have been (with my and those around Bridge of brother, Gary), or perhaps Cairn Gorm Orchy. While doing the Black Mount, I while there on a University ski trip. almost stood on a red deer calf before it ran off to its mother. Later that day I We moved to Edinburgh in 1993 and it then followed a cuckoo a long way down the became a lot easier. When Stephen was West Highland Way. very young, I carried him up and Ben Vorlich (Loch Earn), something I’d A family trip to Skye in 2010 saw Stephen struggle to do now! I picked off a lot of the and I do the southern Cuillins. I took the eastern Munros when Ann was whole family up and over the Inaccessible orienteering, most notable was the Pinnacle, where Stephen had a bit of an complete plane wreck on top of Carn an t- abseiling incident. Ann went down to his Sagairt Mor. A good few others were rescue, while Mark and I waited on the top. climbed during family holidays (, 2010 was the first of many trips to Cluanie, Sgurr nan Gillean … etc). I remember with its 20-odd Munros all in the one valley. spotting ring ouzels on the ridge and also on Beinn Eunaich, but Ann, Mark and I had a holiday cottage in haven't seen them since. Ullapool in early 2011, and while Mark played golf(!), I did , the In September 2000, my work took part in a western Fannaichs and Assynt Guinness Book of Records attempt for the and . The Etive peaks were finished most hills climbed simultaneously, where after a speeding ticket going through we had to be on a particular summit at Lochearnhead. :-( midday. We did the two Munros on Buachaille Etive Mor. And yes we got the Going in to 2012 I had just over 100 to go. I record! finished the Mamores and did the remote Carn an Fhidhleir and An Sgarsoch from I only really started counting in 2003. I did Linn of Dee (one of my favourite places). Mullach Clach a’Bhlair and Sgor Gaoith Marsela McLeod joined Ann and I to finish with Hilary Quick while staying at the Fannaichs. My final trip of the year Woodlands, and later that year did all the involved getting the train in to Corrour central Cairngorms in one trip while Ann station, staying at Loch Ossian Youth and the boys were at the 6 day (Lossie). Hostel and doing the 5 Munros between The Falls of Avon and Corrour bothies there and Fersit, getting the train back from were my home away from home. Tulloch. Certainly a different and romantic way to do some hills. The next few years saw a steady 15 per year. Loads of mountain hares on Ben 2013 started with the whole family doing Chonzie (2004). The boys made it up An and by Loch Caisteal (2004) and a very boggy Ben Quoich in glorious sunshine, as well as More on Mull (2006). Spotted a male hen Maol Chean-dearg in Strath Carron. A harrier coming off Carn Liath (2006). Allan similar trip north with Ann saw us doing the

5 7 Munros of the South Cluanie Ridge on another very hot day. After we saw a pine martin by Loch Garry, and after Beinn Sgritheall we spotted a sea eagle by the Glenelg ferry. Marsela joined us again for the Strathfarrar Munros on a windy day, and my last trip of the year was to Culra bothy to do the six. I don’t quite know why I finished so early (July) - I guess 28 Munros was a pretty good yearly total!

So this brings me to 2014. I had always Fisherfield sunrise Photo G Haley wanted to finish the Munros before I was 50 (in January 2015), but with 47 to go it was going to be a stretch, especially when And then it rained for 40 days and 40 viral meningitis put me in hospital for 6 nights. My last 3 were all near Ullapool, a days in March!! Looking back at my many long way to go if the weather wasn’t trips, the year has been a blur, but with settled. I was beginning to think there was some really spectacular hills. Almost all no chance before the end of the year. But were climbed in excellent weather too. :-) then the weather gods smiled on me, with three days of sunshine forecast for the west coast. Ann and I drove north on Monday 17th November, stayed at Marsela’s and we did Seana Bhraigh from Oykel Bridge (by bike) on the Tuesday. It had to be an early start as we only had 8 hours of daylight, but the weather was good, and we saw more Brocken spectres Photo G Haley on the summit. Gulvain was the first, followed by the spectacular Sgurr na Ciche (that Loch Finally on the Wednesday, we drove to Arkaig road is a real roller coaster). A Dundonnell in the dark, and started walking complete Loch Mullardoch round with a at 8:30am. Apart from a tiny bit of cloud very cold high camp saw me complete sitting on the tops (that cleared), it was a too, surely one of ’s beautiful sunny day. , with its 2 prettiest valleys? Brocken spectres on Munros, is a mountain I have read about Carn Eige, a golden eagle in , for years. I have viewed it from all the ptarmigan chicks and a merlin on Bla surrounding hills, looked at the pictures Bheinn, spectacular cloud inversion on a and I knew exactly what to expect. After an round of Corrie Lagan, the , easy walk up, it didn’t disappoint at all. :-) the Aonachs and Ben Nevis via the Carn Mor Dearg arete, Lurg Mhor to Maoile It would have been nice to have arranged Lunndaidh with a high overnight camp, more of a summit party, but due to my with its goats, and finally Fisherfield incredibly bad planning, the dubious with an overnight camp on the summit of weather and leaving such a remote hill until A’Mhaighdean and the best sunrise ever! last, it just turned out to be too difficult. But I did get to share my moment of glory with Ann (of course). Plus the ‘entire’ British 6 Army on training!! no desire to compromise the weekends ahead. So what next? It will be nice to do hills and routes that I fancy doing, rather than being A week of more or less complete rest driven by a list. So I am really thankful followed by some easy jogging, stretching there aren’t any other lists of hills to be and strapping meant that I was able to done! make the trip down to London and complete the Guildford City race on the Oh, hang on … Saturday followed by the City of London event on the Sunday. Guildford will be remembered for its hills and some complex (to me at least) ornamental gardens, whilst Squire’s September the Barbican is 3D orienteering at its best Sojourns (or worst depending on how you look at it). September 2014 I have to say that having been in the area 2 Pat Squire years ago did help me to solve some of the challenges that the planners had devised. September had promised to be an The following weekend was time to venture extravaganza of orienteering, especially of further afield. Thus I was on the 8.30am the urban kind, with double if not triple train out of Waverley heading to London for events on every weekend through the a Eurostar train to Paris and THREE month. separate events.

However, leg three of the first event, the First off, in warm sunshine and after a prologue of the British Sprint morning’s sightseeing along the Seine, was Championships at Keele University, an urban race through a University/Science scuppered the plans somewhat. After clean Park to the west of Paris. It started off in runs to the first 2 controls I began to feel a parkland and then hit the concrete with a tightness in the right upper thigh and by mixture of straightforward and more control number 4 it was full scale seizure. complex legs. Most enjoyable! Back to the So it was then a matter of hobbling around hotel for shower, change and food before the rest of the course with no possibility of setting off to the east of the city. Thank making the ‘A’ final. Two hours or so later, goodness for a 3-day metro pass and the after ice packs and heavy strapping, I did very fast and efficient Metro/RER system. manage to get round the B course so at The signage to the event – a sports park in least there were completed runs at the a well-populated area - was not the best event. but I found it in good time. This event was to take the form of a mass start one-person The next day was the Middle distance relay at night starting at midnight! champs near Rugeley and with the help of heavy strapping and a longish warm up in I really didn’t know how this was to work so getting to the start I again was able to I just lined up with everyone else on the complete the course without too many running track which was the Assembly area navigational errors. and followed the train out into the park not knowing where I was going or what to Weekend number two was to have been expect. All soon became clear as after the 8-person relay and a SOL at Craig a 600m or so the maps were on washing Barns but I decided not to risk anything and lines with our numbers on them. That’s to allow recovery to take full effect as I had how the relay part works! Essentially there

7 were 2 ‘legs’ i.e. maps in the same area Friday event took me to places I didn’t with the change over point being a control know existed and trying to fathom out the in the long jump pit back at the athletics routes around the areas on either side of stadium from which we had departed. It the Western Approach Road proved too was all very surreal running at that time of much for me with total confusion at one night/morning, with a headtorch and with point! Sunday was a bit more many other runners going in every sort of straightforward at the Stirling street race direction. Nevertheless it proved a very but there was still a host of challenges to enjoyable experience made even better by meet – both physical and navigational. the fact that I was able to finish in time to So 6 weekends, 14 separate runs, approx. head back to the tram stop to find that they 45 km of orienteering with around 600m of were still running (1.30am!). climb and lots of great experiences and memories. Quite a month (and a half!)! Next day was back towards the east of Paris in an area of modern urban development known as ‘La Defence’. Although one event it was in 2 parts with different but overlapping maps. We initially The Veteran Home did a 19 control 3.1km course. At this finish maps were taken and we were allocated International minute start times in order of finishing the 13-14 September 2014 first race. Thus there was a 20 min or so Ann Haley wait at the second call-up area before heading off again for a further 26 controls As in 2013, the Veteran Home International in 3.3 km. Very tiring, very challenging in once again clashed with a Scottish another 3D area that really had me totally Orienteering League (SOL) event, but this confused but great fun and an year it also clashed with the Junior Inter extraordinary weekend. Area competition to which many people had committed to provide assistance. This Porto beckoned the next weekend (OK so left the Scottish Team looking a bit thin, by now we are into October but I hope you particularly in the younger female age follow the general theme) with another groups, W35 and W40. A message had three runs in store. A night street race in gone out asking if anyone would like to run the historic Old Town (with loads of climb) up an age group, but as a W50 I wasn’t in with one control INSIDE the main railway the running. However, as time went on the station, a Score event (restricted to 1000 two spaces remained vacant. As every points max – very strange) in a flattish park individual team member counts and to the west next to the ocean and then competes in the relay any missing people another street event on the Sunday (even seriously affect the potential team score. more climb) provided another interesting On the Monday before the event I suddenly diet to savour and with warm/hot weather received a phone call asking if I was throughout this period it was a great way to available. As the W40 position had just have another holiday. been taken, I would be competing as a W35! Wow, I hadn’t been one of those for The final sojourn was close to home. A hop some time! (I told Graham he had finally on a bus to Festival Square for the Friday got a younger model…but he was too busy evening event of the Race the Castles first bagging some far off Munros!) The course weekend with a similar bus ride on was clearly going to be longer than I Saturday to Princes Street gardens. The normally run, but given that I had been

8 putting in some miles this year (having completed a marathon in May) I decided that the distance would be manageable. Paul’s 50th year 2014 The team made their way to the Forest of Paul Caban Dean by various means, meeting in our accommodation above a pub. Saturday After twenty-odd years of orienteering – arrived with the offer of a huge breakfast...if almost exclusively to an unexceptional that was your pre-run diet! The venue for standard – turning into an M50 this year, the Individual race, Mallards Pike, was not prodded me into deciding to do something far away and was held in conjunction with unusual. I set myself some performance day 1 of the Caddihoe Chase. It was dry, targets. OK: I may not be anywhere near but very brambly and several of us the Strain-Haines standard, but I have struggled to identify the ‘platforms’ but we been running - although admittedly not had a complete team and some excellent always orienteering - pretty well, and I also results. Individual winners included Martin have the advantage of being just about the Dean, Jenny Peel, Rob Hickling and Hazel youngest in the age category. So I sat Dean. After a quick lunch several of us down with the fixture list, and decided that went for a walk around Symonds Yat, a the open, runnable British Relays in village, by the River Wye, and Symonds Northumberland in the late spring, and the Yat Rock overlooking a spectacular gorge British Sprint Champs at Keele University through which the river winds. This was in September were going to be the two followed by a meal for all members of the events I’d aim to do my best in. Home Nations Teams, served by members of the local junior squad who did a fantastic I spent the first three months of the year job! It was all good fun! building up mileage and fitness. I started with a cunning plan to run five times a The relay took place on the Sunday week, averaging around 50km a week. morning with a lovely arena giving That included James’s intervals session on everyone excellent views of the run-in. I a Tuesday evening with the University ran on the short course, but was frustrated Hares and Hounds, Club Training on by silly errors. There was a great team Thursday, and one long run, usually at the atmosphere, and the early finishers of the weekend. I also took to running to and Caddihoe Chase (a handicap race based from work one day a week. Running in the on the previous days run), who tended to cold and dark of an evening took a little be the M/W 10s and 12s got rapturous getting used to for the first week or so, but applause as they finished. The weekend pretty soon I was into a routine. I also was a great success and enjoyable spent a week in Lanzarote; the warmth was experience. Despite Scotland winning one great, and it was easy to bump up the of the relay classes, we were unfortunately distance. By the end of April, I was well beaten into second place. past 1000km for the year so far.

Next year the Veteran Home International Now I hadn’t intended to do much Urban will take place in Wales on the 3rd and 4th orienteering this year. I’d gone to Ely, October, but will not clash with a SOL! which was one of the first ‘Nope’ events, but that was principally to visit my Godmother, who was in hospital. The next of the English Nope events was at Kendal, as part of the Northern Champs weekend.

9 That changed everything. Completely Anyway I had to go to Keele: I’d left the car unexpectedly, I had a very, very good run, in the Midlands the weekend before, as I’d beating most of the usual urban suspects, already spent far too many hours on the including Martin Ward, who had had pretty M6. After a week off, the foot felt OKish; I much a stranglehold on the Nope League could certainly run through the pain for 15 since its inception. I sat down with the minutes twice. And the Sprints were great: fixture list again, and decided that I could I easily made the ‘A’ Final, and then finish do it without compromises. I now had a in the top ten, as I’d been aiming for. third target for the year. Target number two achieved. Plus by then, I was almost certain to win the Nope With spring came more daylight, and it was League too: Martin would need to come no easy to increase the training a little and worse than first and second in the two incorporate two long runs per week. Some Race the Castle urban events. judicious holiday plans, and some painful day trips (Newark, Harrogate) meant that by the summer, I’d got a good lead in the Urban League. And despite being out forever at Callaly the day before, Rob, Graeme and I had claimed a bronze medal at the British Relays. Target number one: tick. The summer saw me go to Sweden for the O-Ringen, and carried on with the training. By then I was averaging 70km per week for the year, and feeling great with it: when I wasn’t running, I was eating, and not putting on any weight. What’s not to like.

The crash, when it came, was one I hadn’t foreseen. I’d had a history of knee problems – cured by not training for a decade – and also pneumonic tendencies, but this was new and unexpected. I’d spent the week in Dorset, in between my last two counting urban races: Didcot and Bath. The weather wasn’t great, so I’d go for a long run each morning. A couple of days in, my left foot was a little painful Paul in Nope prizegiving Photo Caban underneath. I assumed I’d stood on something, and tried to run through it. The The rest of the year has been an anti- next day was the same, as was the day climax. My physio diagnosed Plantar after. And I’d noticed that it was hurting Fasciitis, something I’d already guessed. more when I wasn’t running, than when I There’s no cure as such: it often goes was. Damn. And this all happening ten away as mysteriously as it arrives. days before the British Sprints. Double However, I have new orthotics, and I’ve damn. No training for a week, and let’s see since discovered one pair of shoes that how it goes. definitely make the foot worse. I also succumbed to Freshers’ Flu (students, pah), which I tried to race (the Castles)

10 through, with predictable results of a month moved from Drummond Hill to Gullane. of chesty unpleasantness, although target Max Carcas has offered to plan, with Robin number three was under my belt too. Still, Galloway as Organiser. As a consequence it has been easily my best racing year ever: it is planned to change the venue for our I have a British Champs medal, a nicely 2016 SOL from Gullane to Culteucher, engraved brick, and at least a little respect Glenearn & Berryknowe in North Fife. from some of my age group in sprint/urban races. Tulliallan is still on course to be the venue for our 2015 SOSOL on 26th April. Lead And next year? Well, I have some ideas, officials are still required. but I’m keeping those to myself for the moment. But one thing I can say – and yes Between these two dates we are hoping to I know I said this last year too - is that it put on 2 or 3 Saturday events as part of the won’t involve lots of travelling to England ESOA series. Paul Caban will be for urban racing. Definitely not. coordinating these and all offers of help will be appreciated. These ‘low key’ events are ideal ways to learn and experience some of the basics of organising and SoSOL Certificate Winners planning so if anyone would like to undertake either of these roles please let 2013/14 myself or Paul know.

Congratulations to the following Interlopers Looking further ahead we will be hosting who won certificates in this year’s SoSOL the Schools Orienteering Festival in early league June, probably at Dechmont Law. The event will be on a Friday but if anyone is Leah Bartlett 1st Yellow likely to be free on that day offers of help Fiona Eades 3rd Yellow will be gratefully received. Pippa Carcas 4th Orange Ann Haley 1st Woman Green We are planning to revive the Summer Samuel Galloway 1st Blue Urban series for next year with evening Paul Caban 3rd Senior Man Blue events and local areas being the basis of Graham McIntyre 4th Senior Man Blue the series. A Coordinator for the series is Pat Bartlett 5th Senior Man Blue required together with offers to host events. Ken Daly 6th Senior Man Blue Please start thinking now! Rachel Kirkland 4th Sen. Woman Blue Jane Ackland 5th Sen. Woman Blue As a club, we will be assisting with Day 4 at Robin Galloway 5th Brown next year’s Highland 2015 Six Days. Details will be forthcoming as the date approaches and tasks will need to be allocated to most of the club members who attend this event. Future Events Update There will be no INTrepid weekend in 2015 Pat Squire but thoughts are beginning to materialise Event Coordinator for a combination of an urban event linked to our SOL in April of that year. Because of problems with access, next year’s SOL (8th March) will have to be

11 Paul Caban adds: • Coaching Foundation course, 18 April, Dalbeattie Interløpers is good at many things, but, • Coaching Foundation course, 25 April, sadly, attracting new members is not one Edinburgh of them. I can think of two ways of making • UKCC Level 2 coach course, 16-17 May, a difference, so, I’ve made an early new 13 June year’s resolution. I’m going to kick-start • Coaching Foundation course, 30 May, our Local Events programme, and I’m going to write content for our web site, so • UKCC Level 1 coach course, 6-7 June * that it looks a little more dynamic than it • Coaching Foundation course, 19 has done of late. September 2015, Inverness • UKCC Level 1 coach course, 31 October For the local events, I have a working plan – 1 November 2015* of using Mortonhall, Colinton Dell, and • UKCC Level 3 coach course, 7-8 Craigmillar Castle during February, March November 2015 and April; i.e. before the undergrowth gets through. I’m intending to do the All dates are in the complete course planning/organising myself, but will schedule: http://www.scottish- inevitably be asking for people to help on orienteering.org/course-schedule the day. Please ask your schools contacts to e-mail Hilary for availability and pricing for local Meanwhile, on our web site, I’m going to try courses. to write a short report of each event I UKCC Level 1 courses marked with * are attend. But I won’t be at everything, so it the two-day versions which require you to would be good if other people could do the attend the Coaching Foundation course same, and forward to me for publishing. first.

The Coaching Foundation course gives experienced orienteers the skills and tools SOA News to coach beginners and returners of any age. It would also make a useful update or refresher for anyone whose coaching might Courses etc. – bookings now open for: be a bit rusty. These courses are part of • Bah-humbug coaching, 23-26 December, the planned offerings to help you make the Speyside – training controls out 13 Dec. most of the growth in interest that should • Coaching Foundation course, 7 March result from WOC 2015. 2015, Inverness or Nairn • Coaching Foundation course, 13 March, A9 Dualling Glenmore Lodge • Grade B Controllers’ course, 21 March, Plans are progressing for the dualling of most likely Aberdeenshire the A9 from Perth to Inverness, with • UKCC Level 1 coach course, 14-15 completion due by 2025. It is likely the new March * road will be on a 200 yard corridor centred • Coaching Foundation course, 28 March, on the current route and there is scope at Kinnoull Hill this stage to influence details of the new • Coaching Foundation course, 11 April, route including alignment as well as rest Aberdeenshire areas and laybys. Engineering and environmental constraints have an influence, as does landscaping and the 12 views of the many stakeholders involved. ESOC Night Event, The SOA has been invited onto the Corstorphine Hill, Edinburgh, ESOC Walking Group Consultation, and the NT204740 8th SOA Professional Officer attended the initial No dogs allowed. Level D meeting led by TransportScotland and Organiser: Crawford Lindsay consultants Jacobs. Details of the project www.esoc.org.uk can be accessed at STAG Score 2, Cathkin Braes http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/project STAG Country Park, Glasgow, /a9-dualling-perth-inverness 11th SOA NS603583 We have been invited to submit further Level D Organiser: Terry O'Brien details of any areas of orienteering interest www.stag-orienteering.co.uk (existing or potential) including area outlines, parking and access points. Details ESOA Local Events in need to be submitted by the end of January Edinburgh and the Lothians, Cammo Estate, Edinburgh, 2015, and clubs and individuals are invited ESOC NT177748 to submit comments/maps to 17th SOA Entry times: 14:00 - 15:00. [email protected] Level D for inclusion in a report. Comments can be Dogs allowed. wide ranging e.g. the A9 will facilitate www.esoc.org.uk/events/cam access to multi-day events; we have mo-estate-jan-17-2015 concerns on environmental impacts; loss of RR Winter Series 1, Selkirk amenity and access to Dalnamein etc. Hill, Selkirk, NT477286 RR Entry times: 12.00. And finally: SOA thanks clubs and their 17th SOA Organiser: Lindsey Knox volunteers for all the hard work they have Level D roxburghreivers.org.uk/?ai1ec put into providing events and activities for _event=winter-series-1-and-rr- the orienteering community this year. agm&instance_id=136

STAG STAG Score 3, Strathclyde 18th SOA Country Park, Motherwell Level D www.stag-orienteering.co.uk

FWTN #5, TBC, Edinburgh EUOC Entry times: 19:00 - 19:45. Fixtures 2014/15 22nd SOA orienteering.eusu.ed.ac.uk/eve www.britishorienteering.org.uk. Level D nts/fwtn FVO Night #6 - Stirling South January 2015 FVO East, Stirling South East, STAG Score 1, Pollok Country 28th SOA Stirling, NS810910 STAG Park, Glasgow, NS555621 Level D Entry times: 11.00 to 12.30. 4th SOA Organiser: Terry O'Brien , fvo.org.uk/events Level D [email protected] ESOC 50th Anniversary www.stag-orienteering.co.uk Weekend - Sprint-O ESOC incorporating bto SOUL 1, FVO Night #5 - Stirling 31st SOA Riccarton Campus, Edinburgh, FVO University, Stirling University, Level C NT178694 7th SOA Stirling, NS804966 Entry times: TBC. No dogs Level D Entry times: 11.00 to 12.30. allowed. fvo.org.uk/events

13 Organiser: Fiona Findlay FWTN #7, TBC, Edinburgh EUOC www.esoc.org.uk/events/esoc- Entry times: 19:00 - 19:45. 19th SOA sprint-o-incorporating-bto-soul- orienteering.eusu.ed.ac.uk/eve Level D 1-jan-31-2015 nts/fwtn February 2015 RR Winter Series 2, Bowhill ESOC 50th Anniversary Estate, Selkirk, NT432280 Entry times: 12.00. Weekend - SoSOL 6, Dalkeith RR Organiser: Robert Cranston ESOC Park, Dalkeith, NT334676 21st SOA 21/02/2015 @ 1:00 pm – 1st SOA Entry times: 10.30 - 12.30. Level D Level C Organiser: Tyler Morrison 1:00 pmWhere:Bowhill Estate, www.esoc.org.uk/events/dalkei SelkirkContact:Rob th-country-park-feb-1-2015 Cranston01450 372095Email ESOA Local Events in FVO Night #7 - Polmaise ESOC Edinburgh and the Lothians, FVO Wood, Polmaise, Stirling, 28th SOA Edinburgh 4th SOA NS772923 Level D Level D Entry times: 11.00 to 12.30. Entry times: 14:00 - 15:00. fvo.org.uk/events British Night Championships FWTN #6, TBC, Edinburgh (UKOL), Middleton Park, EUOC Entry times: 19:00 - 19:45. AIRE Leeds, SE301299 5th SOA orienteering.eusu.ed.ac.uk/eve 28th YHOA No dogs allowed. Level D nts/fwtn Level A Organiser: Heather Phipps , [email protected] , 0113 CLYDE Scottish Sprint 2167143 Championships, Erskine, Erskine March 2015 CLYDE No dogs allowed. FVO Night #9 - Touch, 14th SOA FVO Organiser: Alex Kemp Touch, Stirling, NS746916 Level C 4th SOA www.clydesideorienteers.org.u Entry times: 11.00 to 12.30. Level D k/home/events/scottish-sprint- fvo.org.uk/events champs-14th-feb-2015/ FWTN #8, TBC, Edinburgh EUOC STAG Scottish Night Entry times: 19:00 - 19:45. 5th SOA Championships, Drumpellier orienteering.eusu.ed.ac.uk/eve Level D STAG Country Park, Coatbridge, nts/fwtn 14th SOA NS717655 Level C Entry times: TBC. No dogs INT INT CompassPoint Scottish allowed. 8th SOA O League 1, Drummond Hill, www.stag-orienteering.co.uk Level B perhaps, Aberfeldy STAG Score 4, Drumpellier Country Park, Coatbridge, MAROC CompassSport Cup Heat, NS704664 STAG 15th SOA Balnagowan, Scotland Entry times: From 11am > 15th SOA Level B Organiser: Terry O'Brien 11.45am. No dogs allowed. Level D Organiser: Terry O'Brien , FVO Night #10 - South [email protected] FVO Achray, South Achray, www.stag-orienteering.co.uk 18th SOA Aberfoyle, NS519014 Level D Entry times: 11.00 to 12.30. fvo.org.uk/events

14 FWTN #9, TBC, Edinburgh British Long Distance EUOC Entry times: 19:00 - 19:45. Orienteering Championships 19th SOA orienteering.eusu.ed.ac.uk/eve BOK (UKOL), New Beechenhurst, Level D nts/fwtn 18th SWOA Forest of Dean, SO620121 Level A Dogs allowed. STAG & ESOC STAG Organiser: Katy Dyer , 01179 CompassPoint Scottish O 22nd SOA 684173 League 2, Bonskeid Estate, Level B Pitlochry, NN British Relay Orienteering Championships, Cannop FWTN #10, TBC, Edinburgh EUOC BOK Ponds, Forest of Dean, Entry times: 19:00 - 19:45. 26th SOA 19th SWOA SO620121 orienteering.eusu.ed.ac.uk/eve Level D Level A Dogs allowed. nts/fwtn Organiser: Howard Thomas , ESOA Local Events in 01666 510655 Edinburgh and the Lothians, INT Corstorphine Hill, Edinburgh, SoSOL, TBC, Edinburgh 26th SOA ESOC NT204740 www.interlopers.org.uk 28th SOA Entry times: 14:00 - 15:00. Level C Level D Dogs allowed. www.esoc.org.uk/events/corst May 2015 orphine-hill-local-event-mar- 28-2015 GRAMP GRAMP CompassPoint 3rd SOA Scottish O League 4, April 2015 Level B Aberdeen JK Weekend Sprint (UKOL), British Sprint NWOA Lancaster University, BAOC 3rd Championships (UKOL), Level A Lancaster 9th SCOA Aldershot Barracks, Aldershot Organiser: Tony Marlow Level A Organiser: Allan Farrington JK Weekend Individual 1 British Middle NWOA (UKOL), Ulpha Park & Barrow 4th Championships (UKOL), Level A Fell, Ulverston TVOC Naphill and Park Wood, High Organiser: Gill Browne 10th SCOA Wycombe Level A Organiser: Neville Baker , JK Weekend Individual 2 NWOA [email protected] 5th (UKOL), Bigland, Ulverston Level A Scottish Championships Organiser: Richard Tiley ECKO Individual, Oban Area, 23rd SOA Dalmally JK Weekend Relays, Level A NWOA Organiser: Terry O'Brien 6th Graythwaite, Windermere Level A Organiser: Stephen Fellbaum ECKO Scottish Championships 24th SOA SOLWAY CompassPoint Relays, Oban SOLWA Level C Scottish O League 3, Mark Y 12th Hill, Dalbeattie, NX845549 SOA Organiser: Dave McQuillen , Level B [email protected]

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Compass Point Sponsorship

Compass Point event shop, Denmark JWOC 2010

www.compasspoint-online.co.uk Compass Point has offered a 10% discount for Interlopers when they shop at Compass Point. The discount does not apply to goods already discounted under a promotional deal, special offer, sale, etc. You must ask for the discount or use the comments box on-line. (Some items are low margin and Compass Point can't offer any further discount.)

Run and Become offer a 10% discount to all club members. 20 Queensferry Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4QW

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