I’m thinking about signing up for some corporate challenge guff at work, and one of the challenge components is orienteering. If I’m honest, I’m not even sure what ‘orienteering’ entails beyond “reading a map and walking somewhere.”

There’s, theoretically, some training involved. But can anyone recommend an online resource or something I can swot up beforehand and not look like a complete gibbon?

Tar,

You dont walk you run.

Let me google that for you!

Its good fun and the top guys move very fast! There are some “fixed” courses in country parks and so on so you can pick up maps and have a go.

My parents do orienteering …. a lot. They talking about ‘O’ing’ and wear Ronhill leggings, although clearly this is not compulsory. It keeps them pretty active – there’s running involved for the competitive types.

Try here http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/ and have a look at the ‘newcomer’s’ guide.

Edit .. too slow. 😉

Loved it !!
At school ….. pretty certain it would be walk-ienteering now.. 😳
Couldnt afford fancy running shoes so used to compete in mi rugby boots or pumps in the dry. Got to county level before i discovered girls 🙄

“Click here for more”

*clicks*

Notice: [2][mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: User dbo386941185 already has more than ‘max_user_connections’ active connections][/homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_database.php][46] in /homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_system.php on line 108

Notice: [2][mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: User dbo386941185 already has more than ‘max_user_connections’ active connections][/homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_database.php][46] in /homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_system.php on line 108

Notice: [2][mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: User dbo386941185 already has more than ‘max_user_connections’ active connections][/homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_database.php][46] in /homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_system.php on line 108

Notice: [2][mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: User dbo386941185 already has more than ‘max_user_connections’ active connections][/homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_database.php][46] in /homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_system.php on line 108

Notice: [2][mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: User dbo386941185 already has more than ‘max_user_connections’ active connections][/homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_database.php][46] in /homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_system.php on line 108
UNRECORDED ERROR: File: /homepages/43/d197018074/htdocs/lib/ta/objects/obj_database.php Line: 46 Code: 2 Text: mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: User dbo386941185 already has more than ‘max_user_connections’ active connections

They’re gonna need a bigger boat.

But yeah. So, it’s basically map reading + fell running? So I need to brush up on my map skills and buy some non-goretexed shoes?

But yeah. So, it’s basically map reading + fell running? So I need to brush up on my map skills and buy some non-goretexed shoes?

You need to brush upon your MAP and COMPASS skills… you need to be able to plot bearings (oh and being able to do a back bearing is useful too) and measuring/guesstimating distance travelled is a good one too.

as for fell running…. try navigating in a dense coniferous wood

What ever you do, don’t subscribe to Compass Sport (their magazine). They have a very PC attitude and no dress sense so always picked ‘larger’ ladies for their front cover, dressed in very tasteless skin tight nylon ‘O’ suits. I signed up and had it delivered to work many years ago. Never lived it down, it’s basically no different to a fetish magazine, except the ‘models’ hold compasses. I’d have been less embarrassed having Razzle delivered to work…

I also had great difficulty adapting from fell racing / KIMM to orienteering. I’d look at the map, take a bearing and then run right across the entire course and out of the wood, hit a dual carriageway that wasn’t even on the map and then figure out that it’s not a 1:40000 Harveys map, but some stupid 1:50 orienteering map and my 5k leg was in fact only 200m. Needless to say, I never troubled the leader board.

If you’re taking bearings you’re probably doing it wrong, if you’re taking back bearings you’re definitely doing it wrong, it’s about close contact map reading whilst running. At a basic level you really don’t need anything beyond a compass and something you’re comfortable to run in, you used to have to have full leg cover don’t know whether that still holds.

You’re generally best off focussing on navigating accurately and making good route choices1st and running hard 2nd.

To be honest my subscription to Compass Sport put me off the whole thing for life. I’m still traumatised by some of the images in their magazine.

If you’re taking bearings you’re probably doing it wrong

Depends what you mean by taking bearings. Fiddling around with turning bits on your compass is a definite no, but I’d expect to navigate on the compass (by lining it up in the direction I want to travel on the map, and then rotating map and compass until north lines on the map line up with the needle) several times in every event. Most events you can’t see far enough for a back bearing to be of any use, but when you are on open ground, a back bearing done in a similar way is actually a very accurate way to navigate.

Mind you, most corporate style events don’t actually mean proper orienteering when they mention orienteering – far more likely to be a watered down version usin OS maps and easy to find checkpoints at path junctions.

I’m reigning British Candle Orienteering champion, so I should know what I’m talking about 😉

then figure out that it’s not a 1:40000 Harveys map, but some stupid 1:50 orienteering map and my 5k leg was in fact only 200m.

They tend to be 1:10,000, so no wonder you’re overshooting things…

In the right weather (read sunny) and the right terrain (Swinley, Cannock, Lake District) it’s good fun; fell running and working out the quickest route A to B.
In the wrong weather and the wrong terrain (anything with tussocks, rain or snow) it’s awful.

You could always do a ‘String Course’ but don’t be upset if you get whupped by some speedy toddlers! 😳

It was also possibly the most pretentious sport in existence, they all turn up to ‘O’ suit fetish meets with bumber stickers saying ‘The thinking person’s sport’.

As you can see, I have unresolved issues to deal with….

Ha ha, do they still have window stickers that say ‘orienteers do it in the forest’? Didn’t think the flimsy baggy O suit back in my day was too bad but I agree it got bad when the overweight over 40’s all started wearing Lycra! You’ve brought back memories I would like to forget and reminded me why I wear baggies while riding my bike!

I meant twiddly compass guff, takes too long and it also tends to make you focus on the compass not the map. Keeping the map aligned with the compass and using a fixed points sight is faster and less likely to go wrong. Back bearings mean you’re looking the wrong way to be going quickly.

I was Welsh international squad until I had to stop so I should know too 😉

Back bearings mean you’re looking the wrong way to be going quickly.

That depends which direction you’re taking a back bearing.

loved it as a kid/teen, still would i suspect

for corporate guff you want to ensure your map reading, including using a compass is top notch, if you dont waste any time you dont need to be as fast in a straight line as your colleagues.

as above, plenty of ‘fixed’ courses around, find your local one and have a couple of goes

In a nutshell? Good fun, cheap events, as competitive as you want it to be, gives you something to think about while running other than “OMGmylegshurt” as courses can be very technical.

Point to remember – most people can run much faster than they can read a map. This just leads to getting lost faster.

If you see someone of an international standard competing, it’s pretty impressive. They’re reading a highly detailed map and navigating through dense forest or complex urban environment at what is pretty much a full sprint pace. Have a look at cityrace.org for a good example of an urban race.

All good stuff. Cheers guys.

Former orienteer here, British Schools Champion and NW regional squad member, many years ago.

I can’t really offer any advice, as I was leagues ahead of everyone else in terms of the actual running, but my navigation was, shall we say, slightly off the mark. This kind of balanced us out; I could make a navigational error but make the time up by sprinting to the next control. So if you’re looking for navigation tips, try someone else 😉

Massively cliquey sport and hugely middle class. Being on the NWJS actually made me give it up. We’d go away for a weekend training camp and whilst I was smoking tabs outside the doss house we’d be staying in, trying to tune my Walkman into the local pirate radio station, everyone else would be inside playing Knock Down Ginger and listening to The Levellers.

So, er, yeah. Get involved! It’s a great sport.

and walking somewhererunning through brambles

and listening to The Levellers.

Surely you meant The Archers?

I’ve only done one orienteering event. The point about running off the edge of the map is very valid.
If you’ve only ever used 1:50k and 1:25k OS maps before, it comes as a bit of a surprise how quickly even a slow runner can cross a 1:10k map.

Yep, never realised how small Epping Forest was (compared to say a KIMM course in the Highlands).

I used to a do a bit, good fun. Usually you don’t have to go too far to do it, a good blat around for an hour or two then home in time for lunch. As above, main problem for me was always misjudging how far/long to run! Did do a few annoying ones where the controls were a bit too hidden- you’d arrive at the right spot and then spend ages looking behind bushes which I personally don’t think is really in the spirit of it.

If it’s a corporate challenge though I’d imagine it’ll be a bit more relaxed.

Did do a few annoying ones where the controls were a bit too hidden- you’d arrive at the right spot and then spend ages looking behind bushe

reminds me of a KIMM on ’93 ish. We were one of the last pairs off and arrived by the camp site in the dark with one control just by the check in a field. Took about 30mins to find it even though we were never more than 50m from it, thanks to driving rain and stupid penlight torches. Think someone tripped over it and shouted ‘Found it!’. Twenty very wet pairs were never so happy.

Turned out the delay was the best thing that happened to us, we got the worst pitch spots, on a slope up a hill as all the flat spots by the river were taken. Come 3am when the river flooded, taking out half the campsite, we felt so smug (well would have if we weren’t asleep).