10,000 go for gold at world championships of panning
Prospectors heading for tourist town
A tourist town is in for a gold rush next week as 10,000 people arrive for the world championships of panning. Amateur prospectors from more than 20 countries have entered the weeklong contest in Moffat, Dumfriesshire.
They will attempt to find small flakes of gold in a bucket full of sand and gravel.
The contest comes after interest in the precious metal increased in recent years. Gold prices peaked in 2011 when an ounce was worth more than £1,400.
And today, the global gold price is more than £965 an ounce – but Scottish gold, due to its rarity, is worth nearly four times as much.
However, anyone hoping to make a fortune in Moffat will be disappointed because only specially cut competition gold will be used.
Leon Kirk, from Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, is one of Scotland’s authorities on gold panning.
The 53-year-old has been teaching classes for 10 years and runs Gold Panning Supplies UK.
He has been panning on a recreational basis for 20 years.
Mr Kirk said: “When you mention that you do gold panning down at the pub, people still look confused at you and don’t believe that it exists in Scotland.
“Only a few weeks after it was announced that the championships would be held in Moffat, all the hotels in town were booked up.
“I’m expecting around 10,000 people from all over the world to attend the championships.
“I don’t normally do competitive gold panning but with the championships being in Scotland, I felt that I had to enter.”
Competitors in the championships will each receive a bucket which has between five and 12 pieces of gold in it. The winner is the entrant who is the quickest to find the flakes.
The organisers said: “For the 2017 World Championships, the British Gold panning Association has selected Moffat as the host town, as it is still near to Leadhills and Wanlockhead [mining villages].
“Moffat is primarily a tourist town surrounded by hills and wonderful scenery and is therefore accustomed to welcoming many visitors from home and abroad throughout the year.”
Richard Deighton, chair of Moffat Gold 2017 SCIO, said: “We feel very lucky that the beautiful town is hosting this prestigious international sporting event.”