gordon castle

Event Summary

With kind permission of the Gordon Castle Estate, welcome to Moravian's third local league event of 2024.  This event will be held around the Gordon Castle estate.  It provides an excellent venue to come and try orienteering for the first time.  In conjunction with Active Schools, the event will also be a counter in the newly formed Schools League.  So, come and take part, and represent your school in a fun and friendly event.

If you arrive by car and park, then you MUST reverse park into spaces for the safety of participants. 

For Moravian members only, don't forgot to BOGOFF at this event.  Bring a friend who is new to orienteering and you run for free.  We will reimburse you at the event.  So, Bring One; Get One FFree!

Moravian members of Scotjos will also be hosting a cake stall to raise funds for their orienteering summer tour - so please support.   Please also support the Gordon Castle cafe, either before or after your run.  

Public toilets are available in Fochabers by turning south onto East street and then travelling 300m to a white building next to the tennis courts on the left.  Toilets are also available at Christie's Garden centre which lies at the east end of the village (open from 1000 hours).  Use of the Gordon Castle toilets are available only if you visit the cafe.

Cross country
Level D Local
SI AIR
0930-1100 hours
1000-1115 hours
1200 hours
84655
On Leads
Online
SiEntries Link

Directions and Parking

Directions and Parking.   From the West, please take the A96 east towards Fochabers.  Turn right at the first roundabout immediately before the Fochabers bypass.  After 250m, take the first left turn into the Gordon Caste estate.  Follow the road into the estate and after 250m take the first right towards the Gordon Castle walled garden.  Free parking will be in the overflow parking area.  Please follow the directions of the parking marshal.  Parking w3w:///downward.searcher.inflame.

From the East, please take the A96 towards Fochabers and then along the Fochabers bypass to the western-most roundabout.  Turn left at this round about and then follow the directions above.

The event will be signposted at the entrance to the Gordon Castle Estate.  

Registration/Download.  Registration and download will from tents in the overflow parking area.  At Registration, there will be:

  • Hired dibbers ready for collection.
  • Maps for participants on the yellow course – please make sure you collect your yellow course map before going to the Start.
  • Limited entry on the day.  

 

Public toilets are available in Fochabers and other toilets at Christie's garden centre at the east end of Fochabers. Use of the Gordon Castle toilets are available only if you visit the cafe.

Start and Finish

The start and finish will be on the west and east sides of the overflow car park respectively.  So, minimal distance to walk from the car parking area. 

At registration

Courses

Three courses:  

  • Yellow.  2 km (2.1 km optimum); 17 controls, 12m climb. 
  • Orange.  2.7 Km (3.0 km optimum), 15 controls, 20m climb.
  • Light Green.  3.6 Km (4.4 Km optimum), 17 controls, 22m climb.

Terrain

Gordon Castle consists mainly of parkland with small areas of woodland which are connected via a network of paths.  

The area also contains a number of fences.  Some of them are marked as un-crossable on the map in order to protect them during the event.  Even though they may look crossable on the ground, please remember that the map takes precedence and only cross them where the map allows you to do so.  

1:4000m, with 2.5m contours.

Entry Details

Entries:

  • Open online, via SI Entries, from Friday 12 April and will close at 2359 hours on Wednesday 24 April. 
  • Late online entries will be available until Saturday 27 April. Online entries can also be edited/changed/cancelled online until this closure subject to map availability.  All late entries subject to an additional £1 and map availability.
  • There will be limited entry on the day until 1030 hours, subject to an additional £1 and map availability.

Entry Fees:

  • Senior Member - £5.00
  • Senior Non-Member - £6.00
  • Junior / Student Member - £3.50
  • Junior / Student Non-Member - £4.50
  • £1 discount if using own SI-Card 
SiEntries Link

Final Details

Safety Information

Safety

  • Competitors take part in this event at their own risk.
  • Competitors must be aware of, and take care to avoid, other path users on the courses.
  • Please be aware of trip hazards, slopes and steps, slippery paths (moss), uneven surfaces, litter and dog fouling, and low branches near control sites. 
  • Please be careful and avoid collisions with members of the public and other competitors.
  • Please note that Gordon Castle has a pond/lake.  This water hazard is out of bounds and must not be entered or crossed.
  • Competitors are advised to be mindful of vehicles using the estate roads and the car parking areas.  'Caution runner' signs will be displayed to warn drivers of competitors using the roads and being in the car parking areas.  
  • If you arrive by car and park, then you MUST reverse park into spaces for the safety of participants.  A marshal will be located in the car parking area to monitor vehicular movements and to highlight those movements to participants as required.

Event Officials

Dougie Condy
Donald Grassie
Andrew Campbell
dougiecondy@btinternet.com
Andrew Campbell
0782 377 4114

COVID-19

COVID-19 Guidance (Updated May 2022)

The SOA has issued the following updated COVID-19 event guidance with effect from March 2022 for Clubs to follow.

  • All competitors must not attend an orienteering event if they have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 (even if they have received two doses of the vaccine and a booster) until they have completed their period of self-isolation.

  • Entry on the day (EOD) at events and activities is permitted but clubs should encourage physical distancing around registration or results displays even when outdoors. 

  • Clubs are to avoid close packed (less than 1m separation) groups of people even when outdoors.  Such close packing has been known to occur around both registration and results displays – it can also occur with helpers at registration and download. 

  • Indoor public spaces may be used for events and activities, but current face covering regulations must be followed and behaviours such as improved ventilation, provision of hand sanitiser, adapting layouts to encourage social distancing and encouraging the use of face masks to reduce spread should be adopted.

As a result, Moravian will continue to make hand sanitiser available for use by competitors and volunteers at the registration and download areas. 

Competitors are asked not to form close (less than 1m separation) groups at events (be it outdoor or indoor), particularly around registration and download, and are encouraged to minimise contact with SI boxes, including Clear, Check and SI AIR test boxes, and the download equipment.

Where indoor/enclosed spaces are used which have restricted air circulation, Moravian will adapt layouts to maintain at least 1m segregation and encourage competitors to wear a mask. 

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