Busy weekend discovers 2024 Scottish Middle Champions and the delights of Deeside

After some of you may have had a few weekends away in Staffordshire and Yorkshire over the Easter holidays, this weekend provided the opportunity for members to test their skills at the Scottish Middle Distance Championships and the second Scottish Orienteering League (SOL) event of 2024.

First up on Saturday saw a clear day up on the Hill of Alyth providing some beautiful views over the Sidlaws to the south and over to the Grampian Mountains to the north. Tayside Orienteers (TAY) had picked a great arena which gave us plenty of opportunities to enjoy the views from assembly or for those that slowed down out on the hill to take in the view. There was fast and furious orienteering that some compared to Arthurs Seat and certainly had many wishing they had gone round rather not tried to make a path through the gorse!

There was even time for the juniors to explore the delights of the Junior Hangout tent which made its first appearance. A sign will soon be produced but if any keen young orienteer wishes to do the honours of designing something just let us know via info@scottish-orienteering.org

Well done to those of you who made it onto the podium with a view and everyone else who came to explore an area just remapped and which has not been explored for a few years. Thanks you to Fran Loots, Grant Carstairs and Allan Downie (all TAY) for organising and planning, to Richard Oxlade (ESOC) for controlling and all the brilliant TAY helpers who made the day possible.

The event featured as part of the Scottish Inter-Club Championships and updates to clubs positions can be found here Round 4 Inter Club Championship update. Forth Valley Orienteers (FVO) still hold the lead in the Large Senior and Junior clubs but TAY are leading the Small Junior Club section and it is tight at the top of the Senior Small Club section with the Glasgow clubs Clydeside Orienteers (CLYDE) just holding out to St Andrew’s Orienteering Club of Glasgow (STAG).

Sunday saw most of those who had taken part in the Scottish Middle Distance Championships travel over the Cairn O’Mount to Deeside where Mar Orienteering Club (MAROC) hosted the second SOL of 2024 at Balfour. Most will not have experienced the delights of Balfour forest since the Royal Deeside Scottish 6 Days event held in 2017. The weather perhaps could have done with a little less gray and a bit more blue but the forest did not disappoint!

Thank you to the MAROC Team of Sue Barrie, Alan Bennett and Andrew McMurtrie and Ian Hamilton of Grampian Orienteers who controlled and all the other MAROC volunteers. WE thoroughly enjoyed our outing!