Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => General Chat => Topic started by: MikeD on May 06, 2011
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I think I'm going to start doing this next wednesday May 11th.... looks like fun and learn to use a map a bit more and get some running in....
http://www.niorienteering.org.uk/wee/2011/index.php?act=view_event&id=2 (http://www.niorienteering.org.uk/wee/2011/index.php?act=view_event&id=2)
http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/page/newcomers_guide (http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/page/newcomers_guide)
Anyone else fancy it (only costs £4 a night for adults) ?
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....crackin event.... was at the Belmont Park event....was good turnout....fantastic for bringing on navigation skills....and seeking out detail....though takes practise getting used to the maps.... :)
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Sounds a perfect activity for me!
Are you going to the next event Bic ?
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....i am, been to a few organised by Lagan Valley Orienteerers....good craic....in a physical, feckin.... kneckering sense...lol...
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.. great, hopefully i'll meet you there and you can give me a quick induction :-) !
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....roger, sure just confirm if you or anyone esle....via... here night before...lots of info availiable online....main difference to normal navigation is level of detail, scale of map and colour of features..... :)...
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Right, well, I'm sure we'd be able to get a few peeps up for this...
MG ?
666 ?
Lenny ?
Twenty ?
Et Al ! ?
Come on !! What else would you be doing on a Wednesday night ? Plus, you can treat yourself to a few beers when you get home :P
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I did about 3 of these at the end of last summer in prep for the MMM. Brilliant fun, and the maps are a real challenge until you get used to them. Scales and everything change - I was running too far all the time being used to the Mourne 1:25000 :D
I'm currently working on Wednesday nights, and usually cycle with some mates or hit the climbing wall when not; but I do hope to get a few of these in again this year. Really sharpens the on-the-move navigation!
Recommended for everyone!
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Meant to add, you don't have to run either - there are families take part too. There is a time cut-off when they close up shop, but as long as you arrive with a good hour should be fine.
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i'd love to have a go at this as i like navigation events but wednesday nights are out for me :'(
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...second... everything that Twentyclicks has said above....and to further add ....they run 2 events ....long and short....very much aimed at introducing people into the sport....and being able at the same time cater for persons that want a bit of turbo charged short run, to blow the cobwebs outta the lungs.....
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Wednesday nights are out for me sorry football on Tuesday nights.
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Okedokee, im sure some other members might be up for it
I defo need to work on my navigation and this seems perfect.
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.....i,d be happy to take you/anyone through the navigation aspects of it, aiming off, catching features...etc...i,ll bring a few old orienteering maps and a 1:25,000 of the Mournes to show comparison, will also have thumb compass and Silva Exped 4, to show although different in makeup.....they both do wot it says on the tin....(to coin a phrase)....and if you haven,t seen the recording system to record that you have been to the correct location in the correct order...one of three systems... http://www.sportident.co.uk/
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Most excellent ;D
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...to further add......lots of people in my experience find it easier to cross deck from learning from Orienteering Maps to Larger Scale Maps......and associate skills learnt in orienteering to full on Map Reading with a 1:25,000 or 1:50,000..Twentyclicks touched on....a common problem is over shooting...
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So, had a class time running around trying to find the little stations. Immediately was disorientated by the map and what way I was supposed to go, the compass was showing me one way and i thought another..... And i think my electronic tag was causing the compass to react to it (thats my excuse anyway).... so, after about an hour and a half (most people take 20 minutes I think) of continually being unsure where I was going, I managed to bag half the controls points before it shut for the night !!
So, I really did learn loads from it, I know my navigation skills are really going to improve over the next few weeks.... I'd recommend anyone else who doesn't feel comfortable navigating to give it a go...
Thanks again to Bic for the induction ! Much Appreciated !
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Mike....
.....sorry had to shoot off, and again for the fast pace induction, if your happy i,ll join you next week or at least next time your there and i,ll take a run round with you and spend a bit longer showing you a few pointers.....
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Sounds exactly like everyone's first time at the orienteering Mike :D My head was pickled.
Apart from the maps being totally different and deciphering the wee codes of where to find the checkpoint, it took a while to get used to 'thumbing the map' and keeping it oriented - I'd forget after making a turn then wonder why I didn't recognise anything! You'll be flying in no time and planning the next checkpoint on the way to your current one 8)
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Been meaning to give orienteering a go for years now. This is just the reminder I needed! Will have to give it a go this week. Don't think I'm fit enough to run it, but maybe a fast walk/slow jog combo might be acceptable! Though the maps may flummox me too! But even if I get lost it sounds like a good excuse for mid-week fresh air.
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good stuff, if you see a confused man standing around, it'll probably be me!
Let me know if I can help with anything, I'll be aiming to start about 7pm and will probably put myself down for the shorter course this week !
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Barnetts Park last night near shaws bridge, i thought the course was excellent, the weather was beautiful and I'm making decent progress ! Still never completed the long course tho as ran out of time (cos there were long queues to get started - or else I would have)... anyways totally knackered after.