North Berwick Law
25 September 2021
Many thanks to all who came today and particularly to the team of helpers who made the event go smoothly, including…
SI team – Joel and Michael, and Robin setting up in advance
Start team – Jamie and Jeff
Control collectors – Joel, Pete B, and Sabine of ESOCI apologise if you found your course or the terrain around the Law to be tougher than you expected. The good news is that next month’s event will be at Lochend Woods in Dunbar where there is unlikely to be more than a few metres of ascent or descent on any course.
Pete Younger – Planner
Results
- Simple results are here.
- Winsplits Online gives another way of comparing your times for each leg.
- Routegadget allows you to plot your route, either by hand or by downloading a gpx file from a watch or phone and to look where you and others went
Pre Event Information
North Berwick Law is a conical hill which looms over the town and reaches 187 metres above sea level. The Law is a volcanic plug similar to Arthur’s Seat and the top has the remains of an Iron Age hill fort as well as the ruins of military buildings used by lookouts in time of war. A replica whale jawbone atop the Law provides a distinctive backdrop to the town.
Orienteers of all abilities are welcome to join us on the day when we will have a range of courses to suit everyone.
Type of event:
Local event in the East of Scotland Orienteering Association (ESOA) series
Terrain:
- The Law area does not present major navigational difficulties but all today’s courses include the physical challenges of appreciable ascent and descent.
- The slopes of the Law get generally steeper and rockier as they approach the summit. Around the base there is open ground with ponds and marshes.
- Fences should not be climbed over. Crossing points are marked on the map.
- Gorse cover is hard to map accurately. Gorse spreads rapidly but is trimmed by the Ranger service and some thickets become hollowed out as the ponies use them for shelter in poor weather.
- After the event maps were sent for printing the rangers fenced off two of the ascent paths suffering from erosion. One was already marked on our map as OOB but the other is not marked. Please do not cross the orange mesh fences used to close these paths.
Safety Information:
- There are dangerous cliffs and high crags which must be avoided by all competitors.
- Solid purple OOB lines above cliffs and high crags must not be crossed.
- Some controls on the Light Green course are on steep slopes where a fall would be potentially serious. If you suffer from vertigo or are unsteady in such circumstances you should not attempt this course.
- The extensive marsh on the north side of the Law is becoming wetter and deeper due to wildlife management measures. Competitors must not attempt to enter or cross the marsh.
- The path network is generally good but does have steep and potentially muddy sections so appropriate footwear with good grip is needed.
- Even close to paths there are some nettles, thistles and brambles so full leg cover is recommended.
- A group of ponies grazes the Law. They do not pose a threat to the public but should not be approached and must not be fed.
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.
Dogs:
The area is well used by dog walkers. Dogs can come with orienteers but must be kept under control, particularly where the ponies may be encountered.
Facilities:
There are no facilities at the assembly area.
A cafe and toilets are available at North Berwick Sports Centre, which is 500m from assembly area.
Accessibility:
All courses have steep or narrow sections so are unsuitable for buggies or wheelchairs.
Location
Nearest Town: North Berwick
Grid Ref: NT 552 842
Nearest Postcode: EH39 5NX
Directions
Please do not park at the Law car park as it will be in high demand from members of the public. There is a car park at North Berwick Sports Centre which is a 500 metre walk from Assembly, Registration and Download which are all at the Law car park. There is also on-street car parking within a few hundred metres to north or to the west of Assembly.
Public Transport
If you’d like to come by public transport, it’s a 20 minute walk from the rail station (trains from Edinburgh are roughly every half-hour on Saturdays) or a 5 minute walk from the 124 bus stop at North Berwick Sports Centre. There are pavements and a footpath all the way.
Registration & Start Times
Registration
This will be online only!
Please select an early start time if you think you might take a long time to complete your course.
Start and Finish:
Start times will be from 1:30pm to 3:00pm.
Start is near the main car park
Finish is near the main car park
Courses Close:
The courses will close at 4:00 pm. It is essential that you report to the Finish even if you have not completed your course.
Start Times:
Course Information
Map
The map is printed at 1:5000 with 5m contours.
Timing
Courses
There will be White, Yellow, Orange and Light Green courses.
| Course | Length / Ascent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1.8 km / 50 m | Very Easy |
| Yellow | 2.1 km / 65 m | Easy |
| Orange | 2.6 km / 140 m | Moderate |
| Light Green | 3.9 km / 180 m | Difficult |
More details about the colour coding is available on the Scottish Orienteering website.
Planner:
Pete Younger
Entry Charges
Entry is cheaper if you are a current 2022 member of a club affiliated to Scottish or British Orienteering.
Please ensure that your membership has been renewed for 2022.
| British/Scottish Orienteering member* (Pre-entry) | Non‑member | |
|---|---|---|
| Seniors | £4 | £6 |
| Juniors | £1.50 | £2.50 |
| Parent and Child (one parent with one child) | £2.50 | £3.50 |
| Larger Family Groups (one or more children accompanied by one or more adults) | £3 | £5 |
| Pair of Seniors | £5 | £7 |
| Pair of Juniors (no accompanying adults) | £2 | £3 |
*Members of any orienteering club will receive a discount for pre-entry only.
**Note that although non-members are now permitted to take part, Covid regulations still limit the support we can give beginners.
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.
Small children should be supervised when near the pond.
The RA 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.