Falkirk Wheel

Date Start Place OS Grid ref Type
13 Sep 2015 11 a.m. Falkirk Wheel NS 854 800 Local

Local event

These sessions are open to members and new participants. They are great to encourage friends and family to come along to try the sport, as well as providing club training. There are colour coded courses to meet all levels of ability. You can use the courses to self train and ask talk to coaches for advice as needed.

FVO Junior Stars

There are coaching sessions for beginners and for FVO Junior Stars (except for 21 November which is the Club Championships) - who are working towards their Scottish Orienteering Star Awards.

If you would like to participate in FVO Junior Stars coached sessions please can you register your interest with Nicola Melville.

Further Information

The first FVO Come and Train (CAT) event of the autumn/winter season is kicking off this Sunday 13th September at the Falkirk Wheel.

All welcome - Entry on the Day. Ideal for beginners so bring your friends along!

Starts: 11am - 12.30pm. Courses close at 2pm. Courses - White (1.3km), Yellow (1.9km), Orange (2.7km), Green (3.1km), Blue (6.6km). Coaching available for FVO junior stars - please contact Nicola or myself to sign up for this. Help also available for adult beginners. Entry on the Day - BOF/FVO Members - £3 adults, £1.50 juniors per map. Non-members £5 adults, £3 juniors per map.

IMPORTANT NOTICES There is a big JRDF Charity Walk for Type 1 diabetes being held at the Falkirk Wheel at similar times to our event. It is important that our orienteering does not disrupt the walk. Please read and follow these instructions and safety notices:

  1. Please park in the (free) north car parks (see directions below). These may be busy due to the walk, so you may need to use the overflow car park.
  2. All courses will cross the charity walk route - please be courteous to the walkers and the public before, during and after our runs.
  3. Since this is a public car park, please ensure that you change your clothes discreetly inside your car.
  4. Registration is in the car park to the north of the canal.
  5. The start and finish are on the south side of the canal near the canal basin area, which will be very busy with the public and walkers. Access to the start/finish involves crossing the canal swing bridge and lock which may be open - please be patient! Young competitors should be accompanied to and from the start/finish as the routes cross the canal swing bridge, the lock and the route back from the finish crosses the minor road and the bus turning circle.
  6. The start is right next to the canal. Please supervise young children as the edge of the canal is very close and steep.
  7. The railway lines are fenced off and out of bounds - railway bridge crossing points are marked on all courses and are mandatory.
  8. Competitors on Orange, Green and Blue courses should take care crossing the minor park road and car/coach parks during their last leg.
  9. Blue course competitors should be careful of traffic if they take a route choice along the B816 (which has a traffic light bridge and several sharp corners). Any juniors on this course should not take this route but use the forest paths instead.
  10. All participants must remember to download at registration. Please check and remove ticks. All participants take part at their own risk.
  11. The 250 charity walk participants are likely to be using the Falkirk Wheel cafes, which will therefore be busy. There is an excellent water park at the Falkirk Wheel for children, which may also be busy.

PARKING There are 2 car parks to the north of the Falkirk Wheel, accessed from the roundabout of the A803, A883 and the Glasgow Road: - Falkirk Wheel - overflow car park (Three Bridges) See http://en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/carpark/falkirk_wheel/fk1/falkirk/

TRAVEL DIRECTIONS From Edinburgh and Glasgow - take the M876 and exit at J1 onto the A883. Follow the brown and white tourist signs for Falkirk Wheel. From Stirling - Exit M9 at J9. Take the A872 signed to Denny and the Falkirk Wheel. Do not try to traverse Falkirk town (unless you are a native!) as you may end up on the south side of the Falkirk Wheel instead of the north.

Please contact me with any queries. Otherwise, hope to see you on Sunday. Jen