What is Orienteering?
Orienteering is an adevnture sport which involves using a map to visit checkpoints which are on your course, the route you take and the speed you do it at, is entirely up to you. You can, walk, run or race the courses.
Our sport can take place anywhere from the streets of Central London to the wilds of the Scottish Highlands and everywhere in between, including forests, parks, moorland, town centres, school playgrounds, and university campuses.
As well as our fabulous Permanent and Virtual Orienteering Courses to try in your own time, at your own pace, you can also find out more and get involved in events and activities put on by our welcoming Orienteering clubs across the UK. You don’t need to be a British Orienteering member to take part in an orienteering event, everyone is welcome!
Getting started
The basics
In orienteering, you use a map to find checkpoints, which are also called ‘controls’. You will not see the checkpoints until you start, so quick thinking and puzzle solving becomes just as key as speed as you find the best route to the checkpoints! Linear courses and Score courses are the two main types of events you will experience. Linear - visit the controls in number order. Score - Any order, as many as you can - but there's a time-limit!
There are two types of courses that you can take advantage of anytime, anywhere, away from an organised event. These are Permanent and Virtual (GPS) orienteering courses.
What to wear
There’s no need to buy fancy clothing when you begin orienteering.
Your usual leisure wear, a pair of trainers and a willingness to explore will take you everywhere you need to go. Don’t forget to dress for the British weather, too!
No compass required
One of the most common misconceptions about our sport is that you need to have intricate map-reading skills and a compass.
Compass skills are great if you wish to take your orienteering further or try the hardest courses in the hardest areas. However, for many events (such as local park, urban or even fell ones), an easier course will keep you close enough to many features, such as trees, paths, roads and statues, that will guide you.
About our maps
Our maps are all bespoke and are heavily detailed compared to other navigation maps (such as OS). They usually range in scale from 1:10.000, down to 1:2500 for micro-parks or urban areas, maps will show details such as benches, individual large trees, changes in terrain and statues.
Most clubs have maps of their orienteering areas on their websites for you to download. Go Orienteering also has lots of maps of orienteering courses already set up, that you can use to practise.
Familiarise yourself with your orienteering map before you set off, whether it’s paper or digital.
Find an event
There are over 1,500 registered orienteering events across the UK every year.
You’ll find events on mountains, in parks, city centres and everywhere in between! You don’t need to be a member of a club to take part, and most have courses that will suit all ages and abilities.
Find your local Club
The orienteering community are a friendly bunch and welcome new people into the sport. Joining a club can unlock training, big-brand discounts, cheaper event entry and a great way to meet new people.
If you are ready to join a club near you, please visit our official website or click the button below.
Find Out more about:
Orienteering Maps Route Choice Tp[ Tips for Beginners Frequently Asked Questions