British Night Championships 2025

Forth Valley Orienteers are delighted to host the 2025 British Night Championships, making use of the legendary forest at Touch near Stirling.  This will be the first opportunity in ten years to orienteer at Touch. 

The area Touch Estate was used at the (second ever) Scottish 6-day event in 1979, and has always had a strong reputation for providing high quality orienteering.  Since 1979 it has staged a range of other significant competitions including  Scottish Championships races, UK Cup elite races and GB team World Championship selection races. Permission has been formally granted by both landowners that are involved.

Terrain The forest is a mix of mature deciduous and plantation, runnable with highly complex terrain.  The longer courses will include several legs on the exposed muir above the forest.  The area was last used in 2015 and has recently been re-mapped by Martin Bagness.  This a great opportunity to run a high quality course in superb woodland and terrain. The terrain is tough in places and the route to the start for most courses includes a steep bank on slippery ground.  Courses are planned as appropriate for the age categories within theconstraints of the terrain.  Jackets, whistles and spare torches will be mandatory, there will be a kit check.

Map

The area was remapped in 2024 using Lidar data by Martin Bagness.   All maps have symbols to ISOM 2017-2.   Courses 1 & 2 are at 1:10,000 scale. All other courses are at 1:7,500 scale.

Course details

Starts

Start times are expected to be between 18:30 and 20:00, courses will close at approximately 22:00.

The route to the start for the shorter courses is approximately 400m with 55m ascent and includes a steep bank on slippery ground.

The route to the start for the longer courses is approximately 1.7km with 135m ascent along a forest track.  We recommend that you allow at least 30 minutes from the drop off point.

Location and getting to the event

The event is easily accessible, parking (free) and assembly will be at Castleview Park & Ride near junction 10 on the M9.  There will be a shuttle bus that will take around ten minutes and will run regularly between here and the event area.  There will be toilets, a marquee for clothing dump, results and shelter at the event area.  There will be no parking or drop off at the event area. 

The route from the finish back to the assembly area and bus pickup is approximately 600m along a public road with marshalled crossing points.

To manage capacity on the shuttle buses, competitors will be allocated a bus time that will give sufficient time to reach the start.  Towards the end of the event the bus will be able to drop off in Stirling town centre, close to hotels and the youth hostel.

There will be food and drink vans at the car parking location providing coffee and cake (courtesy of Coull Beans) and wood-fired pizza (courtesy of Stirling Pizza).

Entries

Entries are now open on SI Entries.  There is a regional UKOL-ranking event on Sunday at nearby Plean Country Park, enter here.  As the event facilities are dispersed we expect the BNC prize giving to be at the event on Sunday. 

Minimum experience requirements

This is a night event in a TD5 area in Scotland in the middle of winter.  There will be navigational and terrain challenges and the weather may be poor.  Experienced night orienteers will find the event challenging.  This is not an event to "have a go" - either at night orienteering or at running up to a longer course.  Please be realistic about your ability and fitness when selecting your course.  We recommend that you have completed a minimum of 5 night events in technical terrain to enter.  This is particularly important for juniors and those new to night orienteering.  If in doubt please contact the organiser (particularly if you or your child is under 16 and intending to run up).  As always - competitors attend at their own risk.

Jackets, whistles and spare torches will be mandatory, there will be a kit check. 

Event team

Organiser John Heaton (FVO)

Planner Alasdair Macleod (FVO)

Controller Duncan Archer (LOC)

Safety Officer John Owen (FVO)