ONE OF THE organisers behind the highly successful hosting of a major world championships in Moray and the Highlands has hit out at an Ordinance Survey ‘slur’ on the region.

The World Orienteering Championships put Moray on television screens around the world, with events in August last year televised live to millions in dozens of countries.

People in Forres in particular embraced the event with thousands turning out to support the world’s best athletes as they navigated the streets of the town in front of live BBC television cameras. The championships promotion of Moray and Nairn as tourist destinations has been hailed as a major coup for the region.

However, according to the latest edition of the popular ‘Landranger’ Ordinance Survey map of the area, the biggest attraction in Forres and Nairn is – Cromarty on the Black Isle.

The maps, which are widely used by visitors undertaking walking and cycling tours of the UK, sell in their thousands – but the image being used on the new ‘Nairn & Forres/River Findhorn’ edition depicts an image of Cromarty.

Colin Matheson, a professional officer for the Scottish Orienteering Association and a key player in the organisation of the World Orienteering Championships in the region last year, said: “I was really annoyed when I saw the cover of the new OS Landranger map.

“What does that say to any visitor wishing to come to the area? I have already written to the OS to complain about this and contacted both Highland and Moray Councils. The sub-title on the map is River Findhorn – surely they could have found an image from the river rather than one from the other side of the Moray Firth?”

Nobody was available to comment from Ordinance Survey last night.