John Muir Country Park, Dunbar
22nd Feb 2025
John Muir Country Park
John Muir Country Park suffered terribly from Storm Arwen but, now that the fallen trees have been cleared, the woodland is starting to recover and the path network has been opened up again.
We will also be venturing into the dunes on either side of the protected tidal marsh. These dunes are covered by spiky marram grass with a good path network on the inland side and a visit to coastal Spike Island providing a navigational challenge for the more technical courses.
Results
- Live results should be available here on the day of the event.
Type of event:
Local event in the East of Scotland Orienteering Association (ESOA) series
Terrain:
- Paths for shorter courses with longer courses venturing into the sand dunes and onto Spike Island.
- Please observe any out of bounds areas.
Planner’s notes:
A lot of the storm damage / felled trees have been tidied up at John Muir Park, the good news is, this makes more of the paths accessible again, but a lot of the forest area is still hard work under foot if you venture off the paths. The vertical green stripes symbol has been used to try and show this, and while the forest area is still mapped as white, the remaining trees are very spread out. We have planned the course with the idea that people will follow paths through the woods rather than head cross country. There are lots of extraction lanes from the felling; we have tried to map the ones we think you may encounter on the courses but there will be others not mapped.
Other users:
The area is very well used by the general public including dog walkers and families. Please respect their right to be there at the same time as you are orienteering.
The area is well used by dog walkers so dogs are welcome to come with orienteers.
Catering:
Hot drinks and cake will be available in return for donations to Mary’s Meals. Donations can be made in cash, by card, or online direct to Mary’s Meals.
Toilets:
Toilets are available adjacent to the parking area.
Accessibility:
The area is generally quite flat but some of the paths are sandy in places. None of the courses cross fences or walls.
Location
Nearest Town: Dunbar
Grid Ref: NT652787
Nearest Postcode: EH42 1XF
Directions
Follow signs to Dunbar and West Barns from the A1. Turn left at the brown signs.
Public Transport
The X7 stops nearby.
Registration & Start Times
Registration
This will be online (and for newcomers at the car park) – look for the ELO flag and tent!
Please select an early start time if you think you might take a long time to complete your course.
There is a charge for parking. The reference number on the RingGo app is 21006.
Start and Finish:
You can start at any time between 1:30pm and 3:00pm.
The courses close at 4:00pm so if you think you may take a while we would advise starting nearer 1:30.
Start and finish are close to registration.
Courses Close:
The courses will close at 4:00pm so it is essential that you report to the Finish by then, even if you have not completed your course.
Entry Charges
Entry is cheaper if you are a current 2025 member of a club affiliated to Scottish or British Orienteering.
Please ensure that your membership has been renewed for 2025.
| British Orienteering member | Scottish Orienteering member | Non‑member | Late entry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seniors | £4.50 | £5.50 | £6.50 | +£1 |
| Juniors | £2.50 | £3.00 | £3.50 | +50p |
| Pair of Seniors | £6.00 | £7.00 | £8.00 | +£1 |
| Pair of Juniors (no accompanying adults) | £3.50 | £4.00 | £4.50 | +50p |
| Junior and Parent | £4.50 | £5.50 | £6.50 | +£1 |
| Family Groups (one or more children accompanied by one or more adults) | £6.00 | £7.00 | £8.00 | +£1 |
| Second Course (white/yellow/orange) | £1.00 | £1.00 | £1.00 |
*Members of any orienteering club will receive a discount but we do charge extra for late entries received after we order the maps (usually the Monday before the event).
Course Information
Map
The map is printed at 1:5000 with 2.5m contours.
Timing
SportIdent (SI) electronic timing will be used – we will have SIs for hire free of charge but there is a £30 charge if lost. Units, apart from start and finish, will be set for contactless punching.
Courses
There will be White, Yellow, Orange, Red and Green courses.
| Course | Length / Ascent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2km / TBC | For competitive 9-10 year olds and 11-12 year old beginners. Follows paths with a control at each choice point. |
| Yellow | 2.4km / TBC | For competitive 11-12 year olds and 13-14 year old beginners. Follows line features with controls after choice points. |
| Orange | 2.8km / TBC | For competitive 13-14 year olds and beginner adults. Controls near paths or line features. |
| Red | 5.5km / TBC | For adults who enjoy a longer run with a little navigation. Controls near to paths or line features. |
| Green | 4.4km / TBC | For experienced orienteers. Challenging navigation including route choice and rougher terrain away from paths. |
More details about the colour coding is available on the Scottish Orienteering website.
Organiser:
Jonathan Ellis & Andrea Davison
Planner:
Jonathan Ellis & Andrea Davison
Safety and Risk
A comprehensive risk assessment (RA) has been carried out by the organisers, but participants take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety during the event.
You are advised to wash your hands after finishing your course to avoid the risk of infection and to carefully check for ticks. The full Risk Assessment will be available for inspection at Registration.
Medical Conditions:
If you, or anyone in your group (including juniors), have a medical condition that first-aiders or health professionals should know about in the event of accident or illness during the course of the event please print off the Medical Form, complete it fully and bring it along to the event. You should complete a separate copy for each individual who has a medical condition. Please leave the completed Medical Form at Event Registration. If it is not in a labelled sealed envelope, it will be put in one and will be opened only in an emergency. It will be shredded immediately after the event if you do not claim it back.
Privacy
When entering our events your name will appear in the results section of this website and may appear in newspaper reports.
We may also take photographs at the event for publicity purposes – please let us know if you do not want us to use your photograph in this way.
Read our privacy policy.