Open Orienteering Maps and Courses
These are free open orienteering resources aimed at anyone who wants to have a go at orienteering. Perfect for getting kids outdoors and exploring this great activity in your local park. (Gradually I hope to add new courses and by all means please feel free to get in touch for requests).
These courses have all been set up virtually. You will need to use the free app from Sporteering to collect your points (see below). Enjoy!
Instructions
1st – Get the free Sporteering app from Google Play (for android) or from the App Store (for Apple iPhones). Register your details with them.
2nd – For each course below simply search for it on your Sporteering app. (Just scroll through ‘Events’). Filter the results by Country (UK) Discipline (Foot) and distance to start.
3rd – For each course below, click on the map link for a 1:5000 scale orienteering map with the controls marked. (Best to print this off at home – or just read from your phone). On these maps the controls are numbered in multiples of 10 relating to their scores. Eg #42 is worth 40 points and #31 would be worth 30 points. The Sporteering app also allows you to view a map on the screen. For novices and children, the best option is to print off a map beforehand.
4th – In the Sporteering app, start the course by clicking on “Scan GPS” once you are at the start/finish location
5th – Finish the course by clicking on “Scan GPS” on the Sporteering app once you are at the start/finish location
Open Orienteering Courses for London Parks
Greenwich Park
Get the event controls on your Sporteering app – search for Greenwich Park Orienteering and download the map from here. The course starts and finishes at the playground in the North-East corner of the park.
Hampstead Heath
Get the event controls on your Sporteering app – search for Hampstead Heath Orienteering and download the map from here. The course starts and finishes at the Parliament Hill Playground and Paddling Pool.
Richmond Park
Get the event controls on your Sporteering app – search for Richmond Park Easy and download the map from here. The course starts and finishes at the Pen Ponds Cafe.
Hyde Park
Get the event controls on your Sporteering app – search for Greenwich Park Orienteering and download the map from here. The course starts and finishes at the playground in the North-East corner of the park near Speakers’ Corner
Open Orienteering Courses for the Peak District
Surprise View and Lawrencefield
Get the event controls on your Sporteering app – search for Lawrencefield (Peak District) by Will4Adventure and download the map from here. This course starts and finishes in the Surprise View Car Park S32 1DA. (The map for this course is best printed to A3 paper. If it is compressed down to A4 paper then the scale will be 1:10,000 ie 1cm will represent 100m).
Bradwell Village, Derbyshire
Get the event controls on your Sporteering app – search for Bradwell Orienteering and download the map from here. This course starts and finishes in the village green.
Open Orienteering Courses for Sheffield
Sheffield Botanical Gardens
Get the event controls on your Sporteering app – search for Sheffield Botanical Gardens (Easy) Will4Adventure and download the map from here.
Sheffield Endcliffe Park
Get the event controls on your Sporteering app – search for Sheffield Endcliffe Park (Easy) Will4Adventure and download the map from here.
Sheffield Crookes Valley and Western Parks
Get the event controls on your Sporteering app – search for Sheffield Crookes Valley and Western Park (easy) Will4Adventure and download the map from here.