Orienteering is all
about map-reading, map-reading and map reading! You basically use a
coloured map to find your way around around the woods and locate
various controls. The challenge is to a) locate all of the controls and
b) complete the course as quick as possible.
Beginners: Beginners start off on the Wayfarer type
courses
(White
Courses) to learn the basic techniques of orienteering without being
timed.
The navigation here is along or parallel to linear features. Once they
have mastered the basic techniques then they are ready to try some
simple
orienteering courses (such as Yellow and Orange courses......timed or
not
timed). Beginners may go in pairs or on their own. Youngsters starting
off should be accompanied by one or more of their parents. |
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Equipment:
No special equipment is needed. Old clothes and a
pair of runners with good grip (or orienteering shoes) are all that is
required. A compass is an optional
extra. Red
biro
& transparent plastic bag. |
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Map Colours:
The international colours used for orienteering
maps are:
BLACK: Is used for Rock Features (cliffs, crags,
boulders,
….)
and for Man-Made Features (tracks, paths, stone walls, fences,
buildings,
cairns, .....).
BROWN: Is used for Landform (contours, hills,
depressions,
gullies,
pits, knolls, spurs, re-entrants, ....) and all-weather surfaces (tar
roads,
parking areas, tennis courts,….).
BLUE: Is used for Water (lakes, ponds, marshes,
rivers, wells,
.....).
GREEN: The normal areas of forest/woodland are
left WHITE on
orienteering maps. Successive darker shades of GREEN are used to show
how
the density of the woodland would impede your progress. DARK GREEN is
for
impenetrable areas (often called “fight”). LIGHTER GREEN is for areas
where
you can expect to “walk” or at the most go at a “slow run”. Green is
for
vegetation.
YELLOW: Is for open areas. Grassed areas are
shown as solid
bright yellow whereas rough open or semi-open areas are depicted by a
paler
colour.
PURPLE or RED:
Is for course
overprinting. A red
triangle
indicates your start position. Red circles indicate the position of the
controls (kites or flags with punches attached). The finish area is
represented
by a pair of concentric circles. In smaller events the Start and Finish
areas are often in the same place. |
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(The quality
and detail on the real map is a lot
better.
The quality of the above image has been reduced to allow for faster
download
speeds)
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Map Symbols: Most symbols on
orienteering maps can be
classified
as either Linear Features or Point Features. Beginners only need to
worry
about the linear features (roads, tracks, paths, rivers, fences,
walls,....)
and they can use these to navigate their way through the forest.
Symbols
for the linear features are shown in the map legend.....study them.
Beginners
do not need to learn all of the
symbols shown below. As
you get more experienced, you will
begin
to learn what the symbols mean.
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The Feature
|
Details at the
Feature
Which
Feature
Location
of the Control
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| Map Scales: Most O-maps are either of scale 1: 10,000
or 1:
15,000.
One cm on the 10,000 scale represents 10,000 cm or 100 metres on the
ground
(approx. 40 double paces if jogging, or 60 double paces if walking).
One
cm on the 15,000 scale represents 15,000 cm or 150 metres on the ground
(approx. 60 double paces if jogging, or 90 double paces if walking).
Magnetic North: Orienteering maps are aligned with
magnetic
north
(for compass work).
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Competition Classes: The usual classes
are: 10 and under, 12
and under, 14 and under, 16 and under, 18 and under, 20 and under, 21
to
34, 35 and above, 40 and above, 45 and above, 50 and above, 55 and
above,
60 and above, 65 and above.
Basic courses (often called Wayfarer courses) are always provided for
beginners of all ages at Local Events, C4 events, C3 events and C2
events.
The navigation here is along or parallel to linear features.
Colour Coded Courses: Most events use
colour-coded courses.
The
easiest is the WHITE COURSE (1 to 2 km in length with controls on
linear
features). Next is the YELLOW COURSE, then the ORANGE COURSE, then the
RED COURSE, then the GREEN COURSE, then the BLUE COURSE and finally the
BROWN COURSE (over 7km in length but is technically difficult as the
controls
are on point features in the wood such as boulders, knolls,
re-entrants,
etc.). Some events have courses for Mountain Bike Orienteering
(MTBO) |
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Types of Events: Most competition events are of the
“Cross-Country”
type in which all the controls on that course must be visited and
in numerical order. The fastest time is the winner, similar to a time
trial.
Other types of events sometimes used are: “Score” event where you visit
as many control sites as you can and in any order within a specified
time
limit; “Norwegian” event where you only know the next control
site
(or the next few sites) and when you get there another
mini-master
map is at the site; “Relay” event; “Line” event; etc.
Competitions: Cork County Leagues September to
December;
Winter
Leagues January & February; Spring Leagues March & April; Cork
County Championships; Ballyhoura Three-Day (Easter); Business Houses
Spring
Leagues April & May (Thursday evenings); Business Houses Summer
Leagues
June & July (Thursday evenings); Night-O events; Cork Schools
League
September to December; Cork Schools Championships February; Munster
Schools
Championships and All-Ireland Schools Championships March; Community
Games
competitions; Scouts and Guides competitions; Provincial Championships;
All-Ireland Champs, Inter-Provincial Champs, etc.
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DEVELOPING A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO NAVIGATION: The following
six questions provide a systematic approach to navigation and the
orienteer
should ask himself these questions and answer them before moving
towards
his destination.
First of all fold the
map to a working size.
Q1. Is my map oriented?
Check and adjust as necessary (your thumb should be able to reach the
centre
of the map from all 4 sides of the map).
Q2. Where am I on the map?
Place your thumb on the map at the point where you are standing.
Q3. Where is my
destination?
Select an attack point.
Q4. How will I get there?
Identify a route to your destination, which you can follow
confidently
and safely, using handrails wherever possible. Thumb your way round the
course by placing your thumb at your present or last known position on
the map and read the map in front of your thumb.
Q5. What will I see along
the way? Identify major check-off features.
Q6. What
will I see if I
go
too far? Identify a catching
feature beyond the destination. |
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