Nature's Playground – Mapped
This is family time reimagined, one checkpoint at a time. It's nature's playground like you have never seen it before. Get outdoors this season and try orienteering together. Let the adventure begin!
Family Time, Reimagined—One Checkpoint at a Time
Imagine an adventure with a purpose.
One that is cost-effective, doesn't require you to purchase any new equipment, and boosts key skills such as navigation, map-reading and communication.
Take a 'boring' walk or hike and transform it into the ultimate treasure hunt that is available on demand! Welcome to your new activity: orienteering. Your goal is simple: find all the checkpoints (markers) on a special map.
Come and get involved in a sport that the whole family can enjoy together and where your little ones can make new friends, have fun in the fresh air and most importantly, burn off all that excess energy!
Nature's playground is mapped - now it's time for you to explore it!
Fresh air, open trails, and shared journeys
You do not need to be a paid member of British Orienteering or a club to get involved with orienteering.
Earlier this year, we were delighted to launch our new free Digital Membership. It's the perfect place to sign up and get a rundown of the local events available to you, as well as lots of beginner guidance on how to prepare for your first time orienteering.
Many of our clubs offer beginner-friendly events, so you can turn up and give orienteering a go before you decide if it's the sport for you! Check out all club's upcoming events using our event finder below. Don't forget to tick the relevant boxes (E.g. newcomer/family friendly) to ensure that the events meet your requirements.
Our maps
The beauty of an orienteering map is that although the checkpoints are numbered, the direction you take, the pace you go, is all controlled by YOU!
Start by familiarising yourself with the map area and any key symbols that you may need to be aware of. Your aim is to reach each of the little numbered circles on the map (markers). Do this at your leisure, or challenge yourself as a team and try to reach them as quickly as possible.
Using your mobile to track your progress
In orienteering, we often refer to 'virtual orienteering' courses. These are courses that have been mapped and uploaded to a special app known as MapRun. You can download the MapRun App via this link.
Once you have found your local virtual orienteering course, all you have to do
Benefits of MapRun:
- Courses are all readily available in a digital format (no need to access a printer!)
- Courses available on the MapRun app, and the app itself, are FREE
- Uses location services to track your movements, so you can track your progress in live mode
- Instant feedback is provided with track, personal result and leaderboard screens.
Navigate the Green Spaces of your local City
Wilderness not really your thing? Did you know that there are plenty of areas that have orienteering courses mapped in and around your City?
Explore your local parks, green spaces and streets from a new angle and try a permanent or virtual orienteering course in your local area!
Visit the Go Orienteering website, enter your postcode and search for local permanent and virtual orienteering courses near you!
Working with local councils to deliver family-friendly events.
We are proud to work with local councils across the country to deliver FREE family-friendly orienteering events. No need to bring anything to these events; you will be given a simple map, and your aim is to find several markers that are located around the park.
At each marker, children need to identify what is pictured and enjoy learning a fun fact to tell their friends.
