Forestry Commission England invites families to take part in a forest adventure this spring and summer, working in partnership with British Orienteering.

Children can plot their way through the trees on a Gruffalo themed orienteering course.

The children’s favourite book character will lead visitors on a navigational challenge which will involve a healthy mix of physical activity and problem solving, making it a great exercise for both the body and mind.

Children can choose to run or walk the course through the woodlands and can time themselves against the clock if they want to increase the challenge.

The course will be marked out on a simple map for children to use to find twelve Gruffalo markers. Once each marker has been found, children will be challenged with a question related to the marker in the Gruffalo orienteering leaflet.

Peter Rawlinson (Role) Forestry Commission, said: “Kids will love the excitement of using a simple map to try and find twelve Gruffalo markers. Once they've found each marker they need to answer the question related to the marker in their Gruffalo orienteering leaflet.

“It is a fun outdoor activity in which the whole family can get involved and there are boundless benefits to following a course in the fresh air and stunning forest surroundings.”
 

Craig Anthony, Head of Development at British Orienteering, said: “Orienteering is a fantastic family sport for kids providing an exciting sense of adventure. As an activity, orienteering provides valuable life skills, along with the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors.

We are delighted to be working again with the Forestry Commission. Woodlands provide a unique and spectacular setting, making them the ideal partner for an orienteering forest adventure.”
 

Mum of Gruffalo Orienteers, said:  “I loved that this added an extra element of challenge for our boys who were able to have a go at following the map and were more than capable of reading and answering the questions as we went around. It made it really exciting for them and the questions were pitched perfectly to draw out what the children already knew and add a little to their knowledge of the forest.”
 

The Gruffalo orienteering map, along with a leaflet containing questions and a certificate are available to buy from on-site visitor centres for £1.50.