Orienteering

You can test yourself in urban areas, Country Parks, and in more remote areas of Shropshire’s fantastic countryside. Run, jog, or just walk through ancient woods, valleys, hills and moorland, over Open Access land and following Public Rights of Way, and country lanes, to improve your skills and fitness. This exciting and challenging sport is for all ages and abilities with a sense of adventure.

See Shropshire’s Interactive Map for Public Rights of Way and Unclassified County Roads.

Newcomers to Orienteering require very little equipment to get going, just a map and a compass, to navigate between locations. Please make sure you are appropriately dressed for the terrain you are walking in, including appropriate shoes.

For competitions a ‘dibber’ is usually required; an electronic device, worn on the index finger, that registers your time at each location, known as controls, along a course and at the finish. At some events you can compete on your own, in pairs, in small groups or families.

For an introduction to the sport, and an events list, see the British Orienteering website.

The National Trust has orienteering trails in Carding Mill Valley.

Wrekin Orienteers, affiliated to British Orienteering, hold both rural and urban events in many areas of Shropshire. They have some permanent orienteering courses in Shropshire, including ones at Lyth Hill, Llanymynech Limeworks and Nesscliffe Hills and the Cliffe Countryside Heritage Parks and the Severn Valley Country Park.

West Midlands Orienteering Association is the regional body,  it is affiliated to British Orienteering, covers Shropshire, and is hosting the 2016 British Championships on Brown Clee.

Map Reading Skills

Ordnance Survey have some really useful free guides on map reading, for adults and children.