Coast and Islands Orienteering Week
Orienteering Adventures along the West Coast of Scotland
Keep up to date on info for 2023
2022 Kintyre and Arran
Monday BBQ Info – please book by Monday 18th.
Turf Event – Wednesday 6PM
2022 Summary
Day 1
– Sun came out just in time for the event!
– Interesting contours and rock features for a sprint
– A lot missing control or mispinching!
Day 2
– Some ranked this the best area they’d ever been on!
– No where in the UK like it
– Series of legs along the coast
Day 3
– Described by some as ‘Trossach-esque’
– Beautiful Atlantic Rainforest
– Will be even better in the winter
Day 4
– Right next door to day 3 but a very different
– Terrain deserved some longer legs which led to some big mistakes!
– Scottish Champs anyone?
Day 5 – Event 1
– Over to Arran
– More people enjoyed this than Chris expected
– More runnable with occasional long routechoices around the paths
Day 5 – Event 2
– Cool sprint around the castle Grounds
– Straight into complex gardens at start, followed by a few forest legs (aren’t forest sprints the best!?)
– Wow the midges came out tonight at the download area!
Day 6
– Let’s just say those who started later enjoyed it better 😉
– 3 significant injuries ;(
– Added another layer to the sunburn
Pre Info
Monday 25th to Sunday 31st July 2022
After the success of Coast and Islands 2021, we’re back for 2022! This time we head south on the west coast to the Kintyre Peninsula and the Isle of Arran.
It provides the perfect opportunity to experience orienteering in an area untouched by the sport – amazing to think it’s taken 50 years of orienteering in Scotland to make it here!
We’ll begin on Kintyre, based around the picturesque Tarbert where Knapdale meets Kintyre. We’ll spend several days here allowing plenty of time to explore the coast and islands of Kintyre and Knapdale, and a more relaxed feel compared to the daily march south which took place in the 2021 event!
The areas we’ve lined up on Kintyre are amazing – great contour and rock detail with a covering of white and light green forest which offer great runnability with variable levels of visibility. Even the sprint race on Kintyre features an fab area of contour and rock features around the old castle.
For the final couple of days we’ll head across the water to Arran, a place known for it’s love of the great outdoors. We’ll be honest, the terrain on Arran isn’t to the same high level as Kintyre (we looked at 20+ potential locations) but we’ve managed to find areas that provide interesting challenges! The gardens of Brodick Castle are our favourite with a maze of paths, bushes and water features.
The organisation will be low key due to the location, number of people we can accommodate and to keep costs reasonable.
Program
Days
For rough locations see Map of the Week
Day 1 – Tarbert
Sprint course around Tarbert village. Including the ruined castle with rock and contour details, all with super short grass courtesy of the local sheep. Plus urban sections providing some interesting routechoice.
Day 2 – Torinturk Forest
A fabulous area of contour and rock detail not often seen in the UK. Torinturk is made up of a quartzite ridge that has been eroded by the sea into knolls and gullies. It has occurred on many levels as the land has uplifted and the sea level has dropped. It is mostly covered in mature conifer with a moss and lichen floor covering. Reminds us of the more detailed areas in the Lake District. Plus there’s not really any loose stone underfoot so it’s reasonably fast to run over. A mix on native broadleaf and conifer plantation forest.
Day 3 – Corranbuie South
Deciduous oak woodland with interesting rock and contour detail. Adjacent to the Tarbert Holiday Park. Mapping in progress.
“The deciduous stuff is utterly glorious, fast, open woodland with lovely contour and rock detail. Plantation is also really good – low vis but mostly run or slow run again with lots of contour shapes and details. People will love it!” Mapper Jon Musgrave Late April 2022.
Day 4 – Corranbuie North
Mature conifer plantation sitting on elongated knolls with pockets of open on the steepest parts.
Day 5 – Part 1 – Merkland Forest
Across to Arran. Conifer woodland with a lot of vegetation changes on the slope of the islands most famous mountain – Goatfell. Maybe time for a trip up to the top between the races today!?
Day 5 – Part 2 – Brodick Castle
A fun sprint around the grounds and gardens on Brodick Castle after the closing time. Interesting mix of vegetation and paths with sections of contour and rock detail.
Day 6 – Arran Community Land Initiative – Whiting Bay
Old farmland being adapted into a resource for the local community. Something more unusual to end the week!
Courses (approx)
Forest – Middle/Long
– Long technical – 5-6km
– Medium Technical – 4-5km
– Short technical – 3-4km
– Orange – 2km – (Easy/Medium Standard)
The long technical course will generally be planned to be a middle distance (35 minute winning time) for Men’s Elite but it will vary a bit depending on making best use of the area (hopefully we do a better job on estimates than 2021 😉 ). The middle 75% and the short about 50% of the long.
Forest – Short/Middle
– Long technical – 4km
– Medium Technical – 3km
– Short technical – 2km
– Orange – 2km – (Easy/Medium Standard)
Sprint
– Long technical – 3-4km
– Short technical – 2-3km
– Short Easy – 2km
Start Times Groups
We will have 5 groups.
You’ll start near people within your group (we’ll change the start order of the groups over the week). So if you want to start near other people please enter the same group together. If you’re not bothered on which group please select that option! You can also update the option after (as long as there is space in the group you’re moving to).
Transport
From Kintyre to Arran
There is a vehicle ferry from Kintyre to Arran that takes 30 minutes. It holds about 20-30 vehicles (or it did in summer 2021). With 9 crossings a day. We anticipate 100 vehicles on Coast and Islands which would take a lot of the capacity. This ferry is not bookable, first come, first served.
So we have put the program together to allow people to travel from Thursday PM to Saturday AM. To hopefully spread the demand.
The other option is to drive round to Ardrossan and take the main ferry to Arran which is bookable. Though that will add about 2.5 hours to your journey but provides more certainty.
There is a ferry from Campbeltown to Brodick on Saturday at 7am (takes 2 hours). Although this ferry is often cancelled so the boat can replace broken boats on other routes… To book select ‘Kintyre’ as destination (even though it is the departure place) and then Campbeltown to Brodick (thanks to the King’s who noticed this!). Map of the Week
Cycling
On Kintyre all the events are close together, within just 4 few miles of Tarbert so an easy cycle if staying locally. And a bonus for the day at Torinturk as with very limited parking cycling will give flexibility on when you start.
For those thinking of using public transport and cycling to the west coast from home then the shortest option is to get the train to Ardrossan, the ferry to Arran, cycling up to the north of the island then get the smaller ferry to Kintyre.
Accommodation
Kintyre Accommodation
Tarbert – Still self catering and B&B accommodation available on Airbnb, booking.com etc
Lochgilphead/Ardrishaig – just 20 minutes from the areas to the north.
Portban Holiday Park – Static Caravans, Campervans and Camping.
About 30minutes from the days. Still availability as of 22/5/22
The Gather, Tarbert – glamping pods and campervan spaces. Phone to book.
Tarbert Holiday Park – Campervans and Pods.
Website fully booked, phone to check on space.
Adjacent to one of the areas.
West Loch Shores – Chalets
Website fully booked, phone to check on space.
Adjacent to one of the areas.
Arran Accommodation
Anywhere from Brodick to Whiting Bay is a good location to stay and within 20mins of the areas we’re using. Though anywhere on the island is only an hour’s drive from anywhere else…(well as long as there’s a road going there!).
Campers – Glen Rosa Campsite is a picturesque place to stay but doesn’t take advanced bookings.
For a better idea of what is where check out the map of the week.
Dates
In the end there wasn’t another option for the date. We wanted to be in Scottish and English school holidays, avoid the Lakes 5 and the European Orienteering Champs… Which unfortunately means it doesn’t work great to combine with the Lakes 5. On the other hand a perfect opportunity to spend the following week on Arran!
Entry Limit: 200 (per day)
Entry Deadline: Sunday 10th July
Entry Cost
Whole week
– Adults £140
– Juniors/Students £60
*6/6/22 We have a few entries left and so are happy to take entries for either the Kintyre or Arran sections of the week. Please contact us and we will send you an email invitation with a special link to enter.
Kintyre Events
– Adults £90
– Juniors/Students £38.50
Arran Events
– Adults £50.40
– Juniors/Students £21.50
Ready to enter?
Questions? Contact the coordinator Chris Smithard here.
PS. For those who came to the 2021 Event. The Woodland Trust who owned a lot of people’s favourite area – Ben Shieldaig – have the opportunity to buy the neighbouring estate. You can support them in doing so here. Hopefully they let us orienteer on there as well someday!
About Us
Organised by Masterplan Adventure. An Orienteering Club based in Scotland. Best known as the organiser for Sprint Scotland.
Coast and Islands 