Without wishing to upset any of our rambler friends, for the purpose of this information page, we have focussed most of our attention on the sport of Orienteering. The reason for this is that orienteering requires all of the same skills as rambling, in being able to select routes, make decisions about tracks and positions, map reading etc. The difference being that with orienteering this all happens at a pace and against a clock, whereas with rambling, my experience is; that, part of the fun is actually taking the time to sit back on a nice bank, get out the binoculars, map magnifier, compass, etc and whilst confirming your exact location on the trail relaxing and enjoying the scenery.
Orienteering is a competitive form of land navigation. It is for all ages and degrees of fitness and skill. It provides the suspense and excitement of a treasure hunt. The object of orienteering is to locate control points by using a map and compass to navigate through the woods. The courses may be as long as 10 km.
The sport of orienteering combines map reading and navigation skills, with physical fitness, speed and stamina. With no route marked out already - orienteers must navigate with maps, pedometers and compasses while running or cycling. Maps used are generally Ordinance Survey and provide detailed information on the terrain such as the gradient of hills, ground surface, obstacles etc. To be successful in this type orienteering, the orienteer needs excellent map reading skills, absolute concentration and the ability to think quickly and be focused… even on the toughest route and while running at high speed!
COMPASS: There are a wide variety of sophisticated compasses to choose from. They can be divided into two main categories - base plate and hand-held compasses. The base plate compasses lend themselves particularly to planning and use with the map, although they are versatile enough to be used as bearing compasses too. Hand-held compasses start from the basic (this way is North) type of device, right the way up to comprehensive compasses with inclinometers and mirrors to assist with accurate positioning and height measurement. With compasses, like most outdoor sporting equipment, you really do get what you pay for. Professional/expert compasses are extremely robust, often made from brass and an absolute pleasure to use. Lower cost models tend to have much fewer facilities and are generally made from lower quality materials.
PEDOMETERS: A pedometer is literally a walking meter, although different pedometers have differing characteristics and can be used as running meters, jogging meters, etc. In general the type of pedometer is indicated by the name:
Pedometers add another dimension to the orienteer's knowledge of their position and basic information. These devices give an accurate measurement of the distance walked (run or jogged) and thereby, allowing for terrain, the experienced user can be fairly sure of their position on the route and the distance they need to travel to the next waypoints. Pedometers are also extremely useful in helping the orienteer to benchmark their walking/running/jogging performance by giving them fairly accurate measurements of actual distance traversed, rather than the flat measure provided by GPS. Pedometers, being independent of any external factors (such as GPS signals) work just as well in mountain passes and indeed below the dense woodland cover which tends to render GPS of little if any use.
MAP MEASURERS: These lightweight devices (also known as odometers) measure the actual track distance across a map, and are calibrated to the popular scales that are in general use. Simply set the measurer/odometer to zero and roll its small wheel along the actual route on the map to get the distance of the planned path. This instrument can be very useful if used in combination with a pedometer, especially in measuring the distance along winding paths. By reading off the distance traversed on the pedometer and rolling the map measurer along the route, a very accurate position can be achieved.
ALTIMETERS: Altimeters measure height above sea level, or more accurately they measure air pressure. They are effected by air density on the day and a good device will allow the orienteer to correct for this using air meteorological reports. These add the final dimension in providing an accurate vertical fix on the orienteer's position. Unlike GPS, which has some altitude abilities, the altimeter is lightweight and does not need clear horizons in which to receive sufficient signal for altitude readings.
Athletes who cannot participate on the same level as fully able-bodied people can still participate – the same rules apply for instance, with the Paralympics.
Click here for our library of useful links covering all manner of topics related to Orienteering, Rambling, Maps, Equipment and many other essential resources.