Category Archives: Uncategorized

(Fingers crossed, if we remember how?)… What’s the name of the woods, competition name and date!? Good luck…

Round 6 – What was the year!, Location and which day of the event and where are we? Clue: Scotland

A bit closer to home…..Clue: Less than 200m from a GRAMP area! 👣

Round 4 – Takes on a “holiday feel” with two maps – where are we is the 1st question? Courses and date…Clues – Both “Not in Scotland” and Clue to the lower one “Planner was Mike Edwards” – Good luck !

Round 3 – Two maps today – Map 1 with controls 6, 2, 1, 8 – where are we and what event? and map with controls 5, 4, 7, 8 where are we, course and when? – Good luck !

Round 2 – Where was this course? What was the course colour code? and what date? Scotland…

Where was this course? What was the course colour code? and what date?

As some of you said you’d like to do more of the virtual O here’s one somebody else made earlier. No cryptic shenanigans just straight forward questions to answer thanks to an Italian club in Trentino. Question form (in English – they’ve cottoned on they’ve got an international audience) has links to the O mapContinue reading “Holiday abroad anyone?”

In anticipation of Phase 1 and greater flexibility meaning we can get out and further about, here’s a wee reminder that starts about 1 min 40 secs in on BBC’s Out of Doors Out of Doors – Archaeology, Cloud Gazing and Wildlife Watching – BBC Sounds

Answers Congratulations to Helen and Stuart for winning the “answer them all” category gaining 980/1000 points in a time of 4:00 GMT (Gin Mit Tonic) and I know they will now be puzzling over how they got that now they have the answers to check as it doesn’t match up. (Clue: arbitrary bonus points awardedContinue reading “Abz Uni Kings Campus virtual O answers and winners”

Take a virtual tour of the Abz Uni Kings Campus map using Google Maps/Streetview to “visit” controls and have a look around to find the answers to questions in this Score event. The questions are all based on what’s visible in the latest Streetview imagery so don’t bother visiting on the ground as the sameContinue reading “Abz Uni Kings Campus virtual O”

Which Gramp members, past or present, or anyone can get a tick off the boxes to get a cross (X), a frame around the outside, or a full house?! Click on the pic to view biggified version.

Answers to the Orienteering Puzzle 1. Aberdeen University, building: new library 2. Seaton Park and Hillhead, building: ‘the boiler room’ 3. Hazlehead Park, building: café 4. Westhill, building: shopping centre 5. Danestone, building: Grandholm dental clinic 6. Cove, building: Altens hotel 7. Duthie Park, building: toilet block 8. Westburn & Victoria Park, building: toilet blockContinue reading “Answers – Gramp map sprint recognition – 8 Apr 2020.JPG”

Hello, Sprint map recognition brought to you by Sam, they are all from Gramp Sprint area, and there’s a bonus point if you guess correctly the function of the building shown in each extract. 😉 Prizes for all…! See attached PDF. Answers in next week. Posted by Jeremy. Gramp map sprint recognition – 8 AprContinue reading “Gramp map sprint recognition – 8 Apr 2020.pdf”

Well done to all of you who tried the "Gramp Orienteering Lock in Quiz". Answers -> And see attached PDF. 1. Hazlehead 2. Scolty 3. Crathes 4. Tyrebagger 5. Glen Dye 6. Forvie 7. Foggieton 8. Balmedie Next Quiz Due tomorrow Wednesday 8th April. Answers – Grampian Orienteering Lock in Quiz.pdf

Hello, What with all the Orienteering suspended – do you know or can you find which location belongs to each map snippet? – for many this will be easy… – answers in 1 weeks time. See attached PDF. Comments welcome! Grampian Orienteering Lock in Quiz No. 1.pdf

Those of you who are British Orienteering members will have received an email this morning (17/3/20) announcing the suspension of all orienteering activities with immediate effect on the advice of PHE, WHO and others. All bets are off as to when we can recommence but I think you’ll need to find alternatives for your exerciseContinue reading “All orienteering suspended due to Covid 19 coronavirus”

Always thought Johnshaven would make a good place for a SOUL and Maroc proved me right today with Nick Hale exploiting the best bits to full advantage. David Esson was keeping his powder dry for his Birsemore Black Binge tomorrow but wandered around watching the entertainment and took some photos of various Gramps (and 2Continue reading “Johnshaven SOUL”

Many thanks to Helen Anderson for diligently carrying out Membership Sec duties over the last decade or so – not sure when she started but it certainly feels like a loooooong time ago. She’s now handed over the files of office to Lesley Gomersall so thanks to Lesley too for taking over. Anyone else outContinue reading “New Membership Secretary”

Just before Christmas SOA’s Finance Director, Ben Hartman, sent round an email asking any tax-paying members to complete a Gift Aid declaration. As the SOA is a registered charity, Gift Aid allows it to claim extra funds from HMRC on any donations made – including our membership fees – as long as we’ve completed aContinue reading “SOA Gift Aid declaration”

Sarah Dunn of Scottish Orienteering is championing this mobile based version of orienteering using your phone’s GPS capabilities to track and time yourself while running one of our MapRun courses. Upload to Strava too so you can challenge your Stravamates. Visit the MapRun page for more info, instructions and downloads for the MapRun app andContinue reading “MapRun”

IMPORTANT CALL TO ARMS!!SOA are running a Controllers Grade C course on 11 January, 2020 at Roseisle. We need more Controllers so that we can continue to put on as many Regional and National events as we’s all like to see, so if you’re interested in helping out not only Gramp but also the restContinue reading “Controllers Course 11/1/20”

Anne Pearson of Tay to thank for this Christmas Brain Teaser.There are 51 points available. 1 point for getting the IOF symbol correct, if there is a + sign you get an extra point for then converting O speak into a word/ phrase that makes sense in the letter. One point for each Christmas symbol.Continue reading “Christmas Brain Teaser”

Three events of very different natures, in or close to 3 of the typical Pueblos Blancos in Andalucia, go to make up the competition. Typical Spanish organisation which means very relaxed but it all comes together in the nick of time even if it means some nifty improvisation like using oranges straight off a treeContinue reading “Rachel ha ganado tercero W50 en El Trofeo de Las Pueblos Blancos”

Firstly, congratulations to three GJOs who have just achieved milestone awards (or should that be kilometrestone in Ospeak?): Olivia Coman – 50 events Lachlan Kirk – 25 events Isobel Anderson – 10 events And congratulations to Jeremy and Pamela who have a new born son, Magnus. “Not long before he’ll be running in events! TimeContinue reading “GJO news and congrats”

The JOK sprint on Friday 28th June was broadcast live on the Adventure Show and can still be viewed on BBC iPlayer nationwide for a while yet. It was held at Callendar Park, Falkirk. There is a good write pre-race up here: https://www.ontheredline.org.uk/articles/jok-chasesprint-preview mentioning our very own Sam Griffin. 3 Gramps entered – Rory HallidayContinue reading “JOK Sprint on The Adventure Show Live”

Three GRAMP juniors attended the Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival held at Hopetoun House. All three represented Aberdeen Grammar school and ran really well to get second place S3 boys team . Sam continued his good form of the last few weeks to win overall and retain his title from last year. Patrick came 4th andContinue reading “Gramp Junior success at the Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival 2019”

Gramp has already had podium success at Day 1 of the JK 2019. Sam Griffin came 2nd in the M16 Sprint. His father also got a top ten placing in M50. Today is Middle Distance day, and we have three more Gramps competing, having kept their powder dry yesterday!😂 Good luck to Bob Daly, PaulContinue reading “JK 2019 Podium Success”

GJO Sprint Maestro Sam Griffin is going down to Lancaster University this weekend for the BOF Junior Sprint Selection Race where M/W 16 – 20s from all over the UK will be competing. It’s a fantastic location to test aspiring squad members, with multiple complex route choices on a very busy map so full onContinue reading “Junior Sprint Selection – Go for it Sam!”

Even if you can’t manage the Run Hard bit it’s definitely worth taking a look at this suite of 8 coaching videos funded by Sport England and produced by SLOW Orienteers along with GB Team members explaining and demonstrating various techniques to help you plan your routes between controls and nail them more accurately thusContinue reading “Think Fast | Run Hard | Go Orienteering – coaching videos”

The idea is to build up a database to help estimate the risk of exposure of humans to ticks and tick bites in Scotland and many of you helped this citizen science project by Scotland’s Rural College last year by reporting the presence, or absence, of ticks after you’d been orienteering or doing other outdoorContinue reading “SRUC tick research project has recommenced for 2019”

Lovely crisp morning, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves out on the courses, and they certainly enjoyed warming up afterwards with the homemade soup back at the Esson’s house. HHH Hazlehead 2019 Splits.pdf HHH Hazlehead 2019 Results.pdf

Another fiendish brain bending scheme has been hatched for the HHH by George Esson so better start reading the details and inwardly digesting now… Norwegian Master Maps – with a twist On a Norwegian Master Map course, at the Start and at each subsequent control, the competitor finds a small segment of the map showingContinue reading “Hazlehead Hogmany Hangover Handicap 2/1/19”

Many thanks to Family Griffin for providing the post-AGM orienteering activity to run off all the delicious food from the night before. They even managed to persuade Father Christmas to take time out from seasonal preparations to lend a hand as roving bonus control 129 worth 30 points and a chocolate from his sock. SlightlyContinue reading “Gramp Post AGM Christmas Score 2nd Dec”

A wee heads up to test your torches and dust off your night O tactics over the next few weeks as battle recommences on Halloween – come out if you dare! Every Wed evening from 31/10 to mid-Feb in a wide variety of areas up and down Deeside and a bit beyond (Forvie’s back inContinue reading “Deeside Night Cup 18/19”

Anybody in contact with the following folk? Can you remind them to return their Urban Sprint Trophies please? Get them to eEmail flump@care4free.net to arrange collection at local event or posting. Petra Hampton, Rachel Salway (MAROC), Claire Tunaley (MAROC), Lachlan Kirk (GRAMP)

According to Space Weather News for Sept. 6, 2018 JUPITER HAS AN EXTRA MAGNETIC POLE: NASA’s Juno spacecraft has discovered something extraordinary about Jupiter. There is an extra magnetic pole near the giant planet’s equator, dubbed “The Great Blue Spot” by researchers who identified it. Jupiter’s unexpected magnetic morphology is a sign that strange thingsContinue reading “So how do they orienteer?”