Orienteering means maps, varied terrain and adventure through running, cycling or walking - and it can all be done at your own pace. Orienteering appeals to everyone and it doesn't matter whether you're fit, or a top competitor. Whether you fancy entering one of the many events in the region, or want to try your hand at this challenging sport for the first time, you're in the right place.
The Experience
Orienteering is a challenging outdoor adventure sport that exercises both the mind and the body. The aim is to navigate in sequence between control points marked on a unique orienteering map and decide the best route to complete the course in the quickest time. It does not matter how young, old or fit you are, as you can run, walk or jog the course and progress at your own pace. There are a whole variety of courses of varying difficulty and distance, and there are even special courses for young children.
Orienteering can take place anywhere from remote forest and countryside to urban parks and school playgrounds. It's a great sport for runners, joggers and walkers who want to improve their navigation skills or for anyone who loves the outdoors. It's a great way of discovering many of the quieter and most beautiful parts of Yorkshire.
To start orienteering all you need is a sense of adventure and a pair of trainers. It's a great sport for runners, joggers and walkers who want to improve their navigation skills or for anyone who loves the outdoors.
A good way to get started would be to try a local permanent orienteering course. These courses can be located in a forest, local town or country park. Permanent courses can be found at Dalby Forest, Ilkley Moor, Ogden Reservoir, Otley Chevin Forest Park, Richmond and in York. For many of these you can pick a map up on the day from a local visitor centre, but for some courses you will need to obtain a map beforehand. Find your nearest course.
Find out more
To experience the full excitement of orienteering, you'll need to take part in an orienteering event. Here you'll find lots of experienced orienteers who will be able to help you get started. Yorkshire has a number of very active orienteering groups running events throughout the year.
Full details on events for orienteering on foot and local clubs are available here.
