Binning Wood
Saturday 28 February 2026
Open runnable woodland
Event Report
On a day when several of our most experienced orienteers were away competing in Wales it was great to attract so many competitors and a big team of helpers stepping up to provide an enjoyable local event.
Special thanks to Neil for planning courses and for managing to find some new control sites amidst the familiar terrain of Binning Wood.
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.
- Winsplits Online gives another way of comparing your times for each leg.
- British Orienteering collect results from all events and publish ranking scores for larger events.
Advance Information
Binning Wood was replanted after 1945 with conifers and beech and has a complex network of rides, paths and ditches which can be disorientating to the unwary. Much of the site has become overrun with rhododendron, but ongoing clearance work has dramatically improved runnability. In many areas visibility has improved and hidden ditches have reappeared, although the brashings will slow you down.
Orienteers of all abilities are welcome to join us on the day when we will have a range of courses to suit everyone. Please note that although online entries close earlier than usual (on Thursday evening) there will be entry on the day available.
Loose control descriptions (including text descriptions) will be available for the Orange and Green courses.
Thanks to Saartje, there will be hot drinks and cake available after your run in aid of Mary’s Meals.
We had to close pre-entry earlier than usual so that we can prepare the computers before travelling to the British Orienteering Championships in Wales. There are lots of maps available, just come and enter on the day.
Type of event:
Local event in the East of Scotland Orienteering Association (ESOA) series
Binning Wood was replanted after 1945 with conifers and beech and has a complex network of rides, paths and ditches which can be disorientating to the unwary. Much of the site has become overrun with rhododendron, but ongoing clearance work has dramatically improved runnability. In many areas visibility has improved and hidden ditches have reappeared, although the brashings will slow you down.
Orienteers of all abilities are welcome to join us on the day when we will have a range of courses to suit everyone.
Terrain:
- Mixed woodland which is notable for three large circular clearings. These clearings have up to 13 paths leading out of them and will challenge your navigation
- Binning Wood has suffered in the past from being overgrown with rhododendrons but there has been much clearing in recent years leading to areas which are very open and runnable
- An area at north of the map is a green burial site – the Binning Memorial Wood. This area is marked on all maps as out of bounds to orienteers.
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.
Parking:
Please share cars if possible – as parking space is very limited.
The main public car park at the SW corner of the wood is well used by the public. There is a smaller car park 200 metres NW. If the weather remains dry we may ask late arrivals to park on the verge. Please do not park beside the A198 nor on the private ground immediately opposite the main car park.
Toilets:
We hope to have portable toilets available at this event.
Accessibility:
White and Yellow courses stick to the path network so should be accessible for rugged buggies etc.
Location
Nearest Town: East Linton
Grid Ref: NT595795
Nearest Postcode: EH40 3DU
Directions
Leave the A1 at either Haddington (if coming from the west; take the second Haddington junction, known as “Abbotsview” and signed “Haddington/East Linton”) or Dunbar (if coming from the south) and then follow the A199 (“the old A1”) to its junction with the A198 signposted North Berwick. Follow the A198 for 2 straight kilometres to Tyninghame village. Turn left onto the B1407 and take the next right after 1 km onto the minor road signposted Newbyth and Lawhead. Go north for 1.5 km to the south-west corner of Binning Wood.
Public Transport
Frequent bus links to East Linton are provided by EastCoastBuses (X7 and 106). A less frequent service (120), running between North Berwick and Dunbar) passes along the eastern edge of the wood, and will stop and pick up there on request.
Nearest Defibrillator:
Registration
Registration & Start Times
Registration
This will be online (and for newcomers near the car park) – look for the ELO flag and tent!
Please come along early if you think you might take a long time to complete your course.
Please note that although online entries close earlier than usual (on Thursday evening) there will be entry on the day available.
Start and Finish:
Start times will be from 1:30pm to 3:00pm.
Loose control descriptions (including text descriptions) will be available for the Orange and Green courses.
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.
Course Information
Map
The map is printed at 1:7500 with 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 and Green courses.
| Course | Length / Ascent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1.6km / 15m | For competitive 9 year olds and 10-11 year old beginners. Follows paths with a control at each choice point. |
| Yellow | 2.3km / 20m | For competitive 10-11 year olds and 11-12 year old beginners. Follows line features with controls after choice points. |
| Orange | 3.3km / 30m | For competitive 11-13 year olds and beginner adults. Controls near paths or line features. |
| Green | 4.5km / 30m | 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:
Ross Lyall
Planner:
Neil McMillan
Entry Charges
Entry is cheaper if you are a current 2026 member of a club affiliated to Scottish or British Orienteering.
Please ensure that your membership has been renewed for 2026.
| British Orienteering member | Scottish Orienteering member | Non‑member | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seniors | £4.50 | £5.50 | £6.50 |
| Juniors | £2.50 | £3.00 | £3.50 |
| Pair of Seniors | £6.00 | £7.00 | £8.00 |
| Pair of Juniors (no accompanying adults) | £3.50 | £4.00 | £4.50 |
| Junior and Parent | £4.50 | £5.50 | £6.50 |
| Family Groups (one or more children accompanied by one or more adults) | £6.00 | £7.00 | £8.00 |
| Second Course (white/yellow/orange) | £1.00 | £1.00 | £1.00 |
*Members of any orienteering club will receive a discount but please enter early so we know how many maps to order. You can cancel your entry up until the entries close and then you’ll receive a credit for your entry fees which you can use at a future event.
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.
Please note: If you participate and are not a member of British Orienteering or Scottish Orienteering then you are not covered by their respective public liability insurance. In that case, by entering this event you acknowledge that you are taking part at your own risk. For example, if you were to accidentally injure a member of the public or damage property during the event, you would not be covered.
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.