Inverness pupils get chance to take part in schools orienteering league

School pupils across Inverness are being encouraged to find their way into orienteering at a series of events next month.

The Inverness schools orienteering league consists of three local events which are ideal for beginners to the sport.

The league gives school pupils the opportunity to participate in local, fun and friendly orienteering competitions suitable for all levels, with pupils new to the sport able to learn map-reading skills at school before the events.

Organiser Dagmar Borrowman, who is the active schools coordinator at Charleston Academy as well as being a member of INVOC – Inverness Orienteering Club, explained that orienteering is an exciting outdoor adventure sport for all ages.

She said: "The aim is to navigate between checkpoints or controls marked on a special orienteering map. There is no set route so the skill and fun come from trying to find the best way to go.

"In competitive orienteering, the challenge is to complete the course in the quickest time. Courses are graded by a colour indicating the increase in technical and physical difficulty.

"White, yellow and orange courses are short courses with checkpoints on paths or visible from the path, designed for complete beginners, while green, blue, brown, and black courses get harder and longer."

The schools events will be held in the late afternoon/early evenings at Craig Phadraig on Wednesday, May 3; Ord Hill at North Kessock on May 17; and Culloden on May 31.

For more information contact INVOC on schools@invocmail.org.uk

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