Festive Frolic: Vogrie Country Park
28 December 2024
For longer than most of us can remember ELO have put on a fun orienteering event between Christmas and New Year. As well as finding the controls there has been a puzzle to add to the challenge. A mass start, a social gathering and a lively prize giving have made up for a great way to work off some of the Christmas excesses.
This year’s Festive Frolic at Vogrie on Saturday 28th December continued the tradition in grand style. The Score course was a fair test for all and the Rainbow bonus was an extra challenge for anyone with spare energy.
Huge thanks to Sheila and her family for all their work on devising, planning and presenting this special event.
Event Report
What a lovely place Vogrie is! I hope you all enjoyed your visit. Many thanks to the Rangers for giving us permission to hold our event.
Vogrie was closed last Saturday because of high winds so I was greatly relieved that the weather for the event, and for putting out the controls the day before, was very pleasant.
Apologies to those who lost time searching for control 29/189 which was found somewhere near 28/188. It had been moved some time after being checked around 9:30. I can only think that someone from the stables did not like it close to the horse field and hopped over the fence and took it but at least had the decency to dump it where we would find it.
Many thanks to those who helped, including Murray for help in putting out controls; Pete and Jamie on set up and control collection; David and Hanne on control collection; Jonathan on dibber issue and Andrea and Tim on computing. It would not have happened without a huge input from Robin, with additional help in many ways from Kirsten. Santa Panda enjoyed his view of people running hither and thither from his viewpoint between controls 2 and 4.
Thank you to whoever picked up the dropped compass and handed it in at download. The owner is very grateful.
Robin has added the following note about the results:
“There are lies, damned lies and … Festive Frolics results. The version available now has changed from what some of you saw earlier. We have gone through the splits printouts. Some of you missed partial rainbows and some of you claimed rainbows that included a control you had already used in another rainbow (often control 5). Control 30 was missing from your totals (my mistake in programming it). We haven’t verified the songs titles, although whether black is one of the colours of the rainbow is open to debate.
Sorry about the queue to submit your bonus claims. We have already thought about how it could be streamlined for another time (if we ever do it again!!)”
Sheila
Results
- Simple results are here.
- 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.
Advance Information
For longer than most of us can remember ELO have put on a fun orienteering event between Christmas and New Year. As well as finding the controls there has been a puzzle to add to the challenge. A mass start, a social gathering and a lively prize giving have made up for a great way to work off some of the Christmas excesses.
This year’s Festive Frolic is at Vogrie on Saturday 28th December will be fun and challenging.
Orienteers of all abilities are welcome to join us on the day when we will have something to suit everyone. Check the final details here on the website on the night before, ie Friday evening, as there will be further instructions on how to gain bonus points.
Type of event:
Local event to burn off the Christmas calories!
Terrain:
- A mixture of parkland and woodland with some steep sided deans.
- Former golf course.
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 so dogs are welcome to come with orienteers.
Toilets:
There are public toilets near the car park and beyond the House.
Accessibility:
TBC
Location
Nearest Town: Gorebirdge
Grid Ref: NT376632
Nearest Postcode: EH23 4NU
Directions
Vogrie is on the B6372 which runs from the A7 at Gorebridge to the A68 North of Pathhead.There is a £3 parking charge (cash preferred).
Public Transport
A limited service travels to the Edgehead and Dewarton crossroads, from where the park can be accessed on foot.
Nearest Defibrillator:
We hope to have a defibrillator at download.
Registration & Start Times
Registration
Online registration will close at 8 pm on Friday evening to allow time to enter the data into the event file. Hire dibbers can be uplifted from the tent near to the main house.
Start and Finish:
Start and Finish will be near to the main house, 500m from the main car park along the main drive.
There will be a mass start at 11:00.
Anyone who is uncomfortable with a mass start, should hang back and come to start five minutes later and you will be given a punching start.
Courses Close:
Course closure time will be 12:15 and a prizegiving will take place as soon as practical after this.
Entry Charges
| Senior (per person): | £8 / £10 |
| Junior/Student (per person): | £4 / £5 |
| Group or Pair (per team): | £8 / £10 |
The cheaper entry fee is available to SOA members who enter before we order the maps.
Course Information
Map
The map is printed at 1:7,500.
Timing
SportIdent (SI) electronic timing will be used – we will have SIcards for hire free of charge but there is a £30 charge if lost. Units will be set for contactless punching.
Course
60 minute Score course with control sites suitable for all abilities.
Controls can be visited in any order with everyone starting at the same time and returning at (roughly) the same time.
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.