Navigation runsMapRun and 5km mapped forest trail runs
There are various ways you can get your 'navigation fix' at the moment.
MapRun
What is MapRun? The Scottish Orienteering website has a lot of information about MapRun, how to set it up on your phone (or some Garmin watches allow the APP to be downloaded) and where there are MapRun courses available in Scotland.
The BASOC courses are (on 22nd January 2021):
- Grantown NW Orange (2.8km)
- Grantown NW Yellow (2.2km)
- Aviemore N Long 1 (Orange, 3.0km), Results, RouteGadget
- Aviemore N Long 2 (Orange, 3.6km), Results,
- Aviemore N Short 1 (Yellow, 2.1km), Results, RouteGadget
- Aviemore S Long 1 (Orange, 3.2km), Results, RouteGadget
- Aviemore S Long 2 (Orange, 3.0km), Results, RouteGadget
- Aviemore S Short (Orange, 2.2km), Results, RouteGadget
- Dunachton & Kincraig Night O 1 (Orange, 3.1km), Results, RouteGadget
- Dunachton Night O 2 (Light Green, 2.5km), Results,
- Moor of Alvie (Green, middle style, 4.5km: paths removed from map!), Results, RouteGadget
- Moor of Alvie (Short Green, middle style, 2.2km: paths removed from map!), Results, RouteGadget
You can see the details and download the PDF orienteering map from the Scottish Orienteering website link above. There is a large and increasing number of these courses around Scotland, the UK and the World!
MapRun can easily be used for training; due to the various limitations imposed by the APP, the courses are easily set up in urban areas; forest areas are much more of a challenge. You will get a bleep or buzz to show you are at the correct location when you are running the course. This signal can vary in distance away from the control location (sometimes it is up to 15m away from the control); occasionally you get to the control location and never get a signal that you are there. This could be a device problem or a signal strength problem, life with technology!!
It is possible to upload your result for your course; I would recommend that you concentrate on the training aspect of using MapRun, studying your route - for example, did you consistently take the best route choice? How long did it take you to decide on your route? How often did you look at the map when executing your route - we often look at it too frequently, just to get some reassurance which we do not need.
5km mapped forest trail runs
If you'd prefer to get out in the forests, we've planned a range of trail runs of 5km length. The routes use proper orienteering maps but there are no markers out; the navigation is quite simple so we're confident you'll know where you are. These routes are ideal for Parkrun fans who are missing their regular 5km run fix, for anyone wanting a gentle introduction to orienteering, and for experienced orienteers wanting to refresh the basic skills and run with a map. Full details are on the 5km trail runs page.