Orienteering provides the thrill of discovery and success time after time. On the other hand, orienteering also reveals the limits of your skills – but getting lost only represents a brief navigational error. An accurate map and a reliable compass means you won’t be lost for long, but it adds a little excitement to orienteering as well as the feeling of being safely lost. Getting back on track is the best kind of terrain reading practice.
In practical terms, orienteering means selecting your own route through the terrain by following points marked on a map in a specific order. This should be done as quickly as possible using a map and compass. This requires dialogue between the map and terrain language that is constantly being interpreted by the orienteer.
Regardless of whether you’re moving slowly and enjoying the scenery or pushing hard with your child, the large and diverse orienteering family knows how good this activity is for all of us. After an hour of orienteering, you’ll notice that you forgot all about everyday concerns for a while. Life is flowing through your veins, and the natural environment has done its job. As your navigational skills develop, you can also feel more confident when venturing off the marked trails on a wilderness hike.
Getting started with orienteering
The best way for beginners to get started is by participating in weekly recreational orienteering events organised by local clubs. Information on their location is usually available on the website of the sports or orienteering club in your home municipality.
Dress in outdoor clothing and running shoes suitable for the terrain. You’ll have time to learn about orienteering fashion at the event. A compass and control punch can often be rented or borrowed at the starting point. Check this with the organiser in advance if you do not have your own equipment.
Paying a map fee of few euros provides access to a course where you can select the difficulty based on your skill or energy level. Trails and clear landmarks support route selection on easy courses. Orienteering tactics also vary a great deal. Some people rush past the control point and then come back, others walk directly from one point to the next, and some are even able to run directly from one control point to another. Skills are best developed based on your own starting points and goals. Orienteering clubs will be happy to help you get started.
