Find Your Way

Annie Brewster JP, High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, found her way to Stanborough Lakes on Saturday 10 August to help launch a new, permanent virtual orienteering course.
There are also 3 new Find Your Way courses here now available for people to try on their mobile phones at any time.
More than 45 people took part on Saturday morning, as Hertfordshire Orienteering Club and British Orienteering volunteers helped get them started. The High Sheriff joined them and enjoyed discovering the 3 courses on offer.
Hertfordshire Orienteering Club are hosting a series of free events across Hertfordshire to help people explore their local areas in a novel way. The next one in the Welwyn, Hatfield area is at Panshanger Park on 7 September.

Elizabeth Disney, project manager for Hertfordshire Orienteers said “it was wonderful seeing young people, families and others enjoying our new courses. We’re looking forward to our new information board being installed near the Splashlands kiosk, where anyone will find help to get started at any time. You download a simple, small app on your phones, choose your course and head out to explore!”
People without a mobile phone can also grab a free map from the café kiosks at Splashlands, Stanborough Lakes.
For more information on taking part at Stanborough anytime, or our nearby organised events, see www.herts-orienteering.club/free-summer-holiday-events/

Now that the Beat the Streets - West Reading game has finished Berkshire Orienteers have created a MapRun activity for competitors to keep up their exercise and visit the Beat Box sites they know again. Start anywhere on the map (and finish at the same place) and visit as many Beat Box sites in 1 hour. You can go back and try it as many times as you like. Can you increase the number of sites you visit?

The Deeside Orienteering Activity in Marbury Park was held on Friday 29th December 2023. There were three MapRun courses but most groups tried the 3km route. Despite the park being wet, we had a dry morning and were delighted that 137 children, parents and grandparents took part. Everyone was provided with a map with the course and given guidance to set up the MapRun app on their mobile phone.

Thank you to the local schools who shared the details of this free activity for families. A particular ‘shout out’ to Cuddington School who had the most families taking part. If you look at your results on MapRun then click on ‘Show Tracks’ and then ‘Select All’ then ‘Replay’ - this bit is fabulous - you see the coloured blobs race around your course like tadpoles!

Thank you also to Cheshire West and Chester Councils as well as David James and Mel Bradley, the Marbury Park Countryside Officers for their kind support. The Marbury Park and other Find Your Way courses remain available for you to try, at any time, in the future.

Find your Way had a fantastic number of runs recorded over the summer. Almost 250 in August alone! Congratulations to all those clubs who put on Launch activities this summer. You time and effort is much appreciated.

Last weekend the FYW team were at Gilwell Park in North London for the 2023 Gilwell Scout Reunion. We spent two busy days talking about MapRun, the Find your Way project and how to develop orienteering skills in young people. Even more encouraging, lots of leaders registered on MapRun and even tried the two courses available at the site both during our workshops and in their own time.

The first of three FYW events launches at Armley Park Leeds this Saturday. In conjunction with Breeze-Leeds, AIRIENTEERS are launching brand new courses at Armley Park then next week at Nunroyd Park and Bramley Park. Come along see us.

A full programme of summer FYW activities starts this weekend down in Dorset. We have FYW activities taking place at Durlston Country Park in Swanage and Meyrick Park in Bournemouth so come along and find out more about virtual courses.

There are now even more FYW areas in Kent!
We have just added four courses at High Meadow in Dover. All maps available to download on the South East London/Kent club page.
In addition SAXONS OC and White Cliffs Countryside Partnership are doing a Launch day on 26th August. Check out 'White Cliffs Countryside - Whats on' for more details.

A very successful event at Fell Foot Park, Newby Bridge launched Find Your Way in Cumbria yesterday. Lakeland Orienteering Club put on the event and had more than 100 locals taking part. Some were so enthused that they tried a second or third course in the morning. Others taking a spare map to come back at a later date!

Last week FYW had a successful launch at Brockhill Country Park near Hythe, Kent. With over 100 participants including families and groups as well as lots of individual walkers and runners. Many came ready with MapRun and courses already on their phones.
For more information on other FYW areas available in Kent and South East London check out the links on our 'Meet the Clubs' page.