Orienteering Weekend - Nairn

A couple of northern days for some challenging orienteering events. An early start for the drive up which was around 3.5 hours drive time and not too unpleasant. Stop for coffee and muffin at House of Bruar.

The saturday orienteering was a forest location at Dallaschyle near Cawdor. It was the Scottish Middle Distance Championships. Made one big mistake and wasn't helped by my best leg being voided due to a control in the wrong place. Came 22nd.

Overnight was in Nairn staying at the West End Hotel. Had a good walk round along in the late afternoon with a walk along the sea front to the harbour, the edge of the east beach, up the river and down the high street. Dinner at the Classroom was fine. An OK wee town but not inclined to want to return.

Sunday was the coastal forest of Culbin near Forres. A very challenging technical area with very complex contour detail. Felt I did reasonably well with just one big mistake on the 4th control. Came 50th on Blue out of 76 entries.

 

Chapelgill Hill Race and Priscilla Queen of the Desert

An afternoon trip down towards Broughton for my third run at the Chapelgill Hill Race. It claims to the the steepest hill race in the UK at an average slope of 30% over its short distance. Stunning weather and feeling pretty hot on the south facing ascent. Very hard work on the climb on which I felt I was doing OK taking a line that spread the climb a little. Lost a couple of places on the decent finishing 19th of the 29 runners and coming in 3rd on the M50 category.

In the evening we went to the Festival Theatre for a pretty professional amateur show of Priscilla which was a good fun evening out with good songs and oh so many costumes.

 

Dunkeld and Deuchary Hill Training Run

Another long training run of 14 miles, 650 m ascent from Dunkeld to Deuchary Hill. A lovely route with great weather after some early mist. Gentle stroll afterwards from Dunkeld to Birnam and visited the Birnam Oak for the first time.

Wild Rose and Birthday Dinner

Friday night 7 March out to the Royal Lyceum Theatre to see the musical Wild Rose. Very good show although the Glasgow accents a bit too wild at times for us Edinburgh folk.

Very nice dinner in Sunday night at Hendersons with Max and Kasia as my birthday treat. 

Organiser at Craigmillar CATI

A very busy day putting out controls, putting up tents, minimal organising of a very experienced team of orienteers and collecting controls. A very good turn out for some challenging orienteering in a nice Edinburgh park.