Orienteering

Includes: orienteering, rogaining, large-scale orienteering, orienteering races, letterboxing, geocaching Outdoors, Adventurous, Nature and the great outdoors

Activity time:
1 meeting

Age:
5+

Cost:
Low

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Go your own way

Grab your map and compass and head for somewhere new. Orienteering is a chance to explore, and test your sense of direction.

Overview

Orienteering - involves using map and compass skills to navigate from point to point, usually across unfamiliar terrain.

Similar activities include:

Letterboxing - girls seek out hidden boxes and collect the rubber stamps inside them.

Geocaching - girls use GPS receivers to find hidden boxes containing logbooks, and swap items they find inside.

To go orienteering, you will need to arrange a suitably qualified activity instructor and identify an orienteering course that is suitable for the age and abilities of the girls.

Planning checklist

Safety notes

The activity instructor should fully check the course in advance and brief group leaders about hazards, boundaries and accident procedures.

Select a suitable course and qualified instructor.
Inform your local Commissioner.
Make sure you have parental consent.
Carry out a risk assessment of the elements of the activity for which you are responsible.
Organise your Leadership Team to cover ratios.
Check the weather forecast.
Ensure girls are appropriately dressed for orienteering.

The activity instructor must have a good understanding of orienteering that is relevant to the age and abilities of the girls, and to the terrain being navigated.

The activity instructor must be appropriately qualified to lead walking activities for the terrain in which the activity is taking place.

Section	Number of girls per adult
Rainbows	5
Brownies	8
Guides	12

How many adults are needed?

Use this calculator to find out the ratio of girls to adults that is required for this activity

Calculator Enter the number of girls taking part and your section Select a section

2 adults needed

On easy or familiar terrain - for example the local park - there should be one instructor for every 20 participants. On more difficult or unfamiliar terrain, there should be one instructor for every 10 participants.

Forms

An Activity Information and Consent form is required to participate in this activity - PDF | Word
A Risk Assessment form is required for this activity - PDF