Sports · Advice & Questions · Oct 19

I keep following other people at orienteering events. How do I learn to navigate without turning the next outing into a failure?

Sports

At the fourth control, I realised I'd arrived because I followed a red shirt through the trees. I could point to the control on my map now, but I couldn't explain the route I'd just taken.

This was a staffed beginner event in a park. I enjoyed being outside and finding the flags, but I finished without knowing which choices were mine. My friend was pleased with our pace and said there was no need to make a fun morning difficult.

I'd like to return and actually use the map. [British Orienteering's beginner tips](https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/tipsforbeginners) emphasise orientating it, relating nearby features to it, and checking control codes.

What would be a sensible learning goal for the next introductory session? I'm happy to be slower. I don't want to announce that I must navigate every leg perfectly, then follow the first person who passes because I've become embarrassed about stopping.

Discussion

2 community replies

@maren17

Choose a goal you can describe afterwards, such as explaining one route choice you made yourself. That is different from requiring a flawless whole course. Tell the event's beginner helper what you want to practise and ask for an appropriate introductory course.

@northstar88

Your friend may want a pleasant outing more than a navigation lesson. That's a reasonable preference, but it doesn't have to set your goal. You could agree on a practice session with support instead of trying to change the purpose of an event once you've started.

I keep following other people at orienteering events. How do I learn to navigate without turning the next outing into a failure?

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