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Scout Orienteering
Scouting Ireland, 2010

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Orienteering
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Orienteering
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 5
Equipment Required for Training Programme ....................................................................... 6
Equipment Required for Event .............................................................................................. 7
Timetable for programme ...................................................................................................... 8
Orienteering for Beaver Scouts ............................................................................................. 9
Lesson 01 – Beaver Scouts – String Trail Orienteering ....................................................... 10
Lesson 02 – Beaver Scouts – Tracking Signs ..................................................................... 12
Orienteering for Cub Scouts ................................................................................................ 13
Lesson 03 – Cub Scouts – Orient the map .......................................................................... 14
Lesson 04 – Cub Scouts – The Orienteering Equipment ..................................................... 18
Lesson 05 – Cub Scouts – The Orienteering Map ............................................................... 20
Orienteering for Scouts ....................................................................................................... 22
Lesson 06 – Scouts – Map References ............................................................................... 23
Lesson 07 – Scouts – Contours and Map Symbols ............................................................. 25
Lesson 08 – Scouts – Compass Work ................................................................................ 28
Lesson 09 – Scouts – The Orienteering Event .................................................................... 31
Orienteering for Venture Scouts .......................................................................................... 34
Lesson 10 – Venture Scouts – Map making ........................................................................ 35
Orienteering for Rover Scouts ............................................................................................. 40
Lesson 11 – Rover Scouts – Clue Symbols ........................................................................ 41
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Orienteering
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Orienteering
Introduction
Orienteering is a sport that involves navigation with a map and compass. The typical format
is a timed race in which individual participants use a special purpose „orienteering‟ map and
a magnetic compass to navigate through diverse terrain and collect in sequence, control
points that are indicated on the map. These control points are typically only given to the
competitors just after they start when they must transcribe them to the map. Competitors
start at staggered intervals, are individually timed, and are expected to perform all navigation
skills on their own. Full rules and principles of the sport are defined by the International
Orienteering Federation.
When we look at the skills that the sport requires it is quite easy to see parallels to the Scout
Method. Participant scouts are learning by doing in the outdoors with nature navigating
around a course that is a personal challenge to the individual at their ability level.
Orienteering is an excellent activity to complete a Special Interest Badge in or even as a
Personal Challenge from the Physical area.
This document is intended as an addition to the Scout Group programme for the month
before a scout orienteering event. Its objective is to use orienteering as a theme to improve
the overall navigation skills of the youth members. It is also a useful document for youth
members and Scouters planning such an event.
This resource was developed by the 25th Limerick Scout Group.
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Orienteering
Equipment Required for Training Programme
I have tried to keep the cost of the equipment for this programme to a minimum however you
will need to accumulate the following.
1) Print copies of Appendix A of this document.
2) 30 x clear poly pockets.
3) 10 x Red pens.
4) 10 x Silvia type compasses.
5) 10 x Paper hole punches.
6) 10 x Multicoloured sports cones.
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Orienteering
Equipment Required for Event
Event Equipment
The following list of equipment is required by the event co-ordinator to set out the courses
described in this document.
1) 30 x orienteering kites.
2) 30 x orienteering punches.
3) 200 x orienteering control cards.
4) 200 x orienteering maps.
5) Beaver Scout marking signs.
(Annex C)
Group Equipment
The following list of equipment is required by the participants.
Beaver Scouts: Clear bag
Cub Scouts: Clear bag
Scouts: Clear bag, red pen, compass, safety pins
Venture Scouts: Clear bag, red pen, compass, safety pins
Rover Scouts: Clear bag, red pen, compass, safety pins
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Orienteering
Timetable for programme
0
1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Scout Group Timetable Group - k - k - k - k - k - k - k - k - k - k
e e e e e e e e e e
e e e e e e e e e e
W W W W W W W W W W
Lesson 01 – String Trail Orienteering Beaver Scouts
Lesson 02 – Tracking Signs Beaver Scouts
Lesson 03 – Orient the map Cub Scouts
Lesson 04 – The Orienteering Equipment Cub Scouts
Lesson 05 – The Orienteering Map Cub Scouts
Lesson 06 – Map References Scouts
Lesson 07 – Contours and Map Symbols Scouts
Lesson 08 – Compass Work Scouts
Lesson 09 – The Orienteering Event Scouts
Lesson 10 – Map making Venture Scouts
Lesson 11 – Clue Symbols Rover Scouts
This timetable works back from the event. Some lessons within the group can be linked. For
example the maps made by the Venture Scouts in Lesson 10 are made from week -9 to
week -6 and are therefore available for the other group lessons.
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Orienteering
Orienteering for Beaver Scouts
Beaver Scouts should be given the skills necessary to read a simple map, follow string trails
and trails made with scout tracking signs. To bring in the orienteering dimension, the event
should consist of an obvious trail made with obvious scout trail signs on a simplified map
with orienteering controls at various intervals.
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Orienteering
Lesson 01 – Beaver Scouts – String Trail Orienteering
Section:
Beaver Scouts
Objective:
To teach the Beaver scout about the use of maps and string trails.
The string course is a short orienteering course which is marked by a continuous ribbon or
string. The map below shows a sample string-orienteering map with the course marked. The
map is usually simple and includes just the area around the course. Beaver Scouts may
colour it in with the appropriate map colours, as you can see in the map below the colours
are indicated for them.
Siúlna hAbhann–Beaver Scout Map
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Orienteering
Laying the String Trail
From the start, a continuous length of ribbon leads the Beaver Scout along the course. The
route that the string takes is shown on the map. When the Beaver Scout reach the places
circled on the map they will punch the control onto the squares on the map. Eventually the
string leads back to the finish.
The Beaver Scout need only follow the string around to find all the points and will not get
lost. For the youngest, this is sufficient and gives the child exercise, fun and some exposure
to maps, as well as confidence in being alone in the woods. Even at this simplest level,
however, children can be taught map symbols, map colours and simple orienteering skills.
Next steps
For Beaver Scouts ready for more challenge, the locations of the controls can be left off the
map. The child must figure out where the controls should be on the map.
Map colour exercise
Get the Rover Scout, Venture Scout or Scout section to make a simple map around the
Scout Den but leave the colours of sections off. Indicate what these colours should be and
their function. Get the Beaver Scouts to colour in their map correctly.
String Trail around the den exercise
Get the Rover Scout, Venture Scout or Scout section to make a simple map around the
Scout Den area.
Using the control pages in Annex E, print them out in colour and place in poly pockets,
connect a hole punch with a piece of string to each and stick them up at the control points.
Lay a string trail course using these controls and get the Beaver Scouts to follow it. Once
they have enough confidence to perform this, move the exercise to a park and then into the
woods.
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Orienteering
Lesson 02 – Beaver Scouts – Tracking Signs
Section:
Beaver Scouts
Objective:
To teach the Beaver scout about the use of tracking signs and how to follow a tracking sign
trail.
Tracking is one of the traditional Scouting activities and involves Beaver and Cub Scouts
leaving signs or symbols made from natural material on a trail or course for others to follow.
Tracking signs can easily be mixed with orienteering where the Beaver Scouts follow
Tracking Signs instead of the string trail from orienteering control to orienteering control.
When laying such a course it is important that the trail is easy for the Beaver Scout to follow.
Here is a chart of the most common Tracking Signs used by Scouts.
Turn Right
Group has split
Two gone left and
3 straight on.
Turn Left
Follow trail
Do not
follow trail
Gone
Message hidden
Home
4 paces away
Tracking Sign Trail around the park
Get the Rover Scout, Venture Scout or Scout section to make a simple map around the local
park. Lay a Tracking Sign trail course and get the Beaver Scouts to follow it. Once they have
enough confidence to perform this, move the exercise to the woods.
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Orienteering
Orienteering for Cub Scouts
Cub Scouts should be able to complete an orienteering course around roads, paths,
bridleways and tracks that are clearly marked on the map. The key less lessons that the Cub
Scouts need to learn is to orient the map correctly using the topology on front of them, the
sun and a compass.
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Orienteering
Lesson 03 – Cub Scouts – Orient the map
Section:
Cub Scouts
Objective:
To teach the Cub Scout the art of map orientation.
Using the topology to orienting the map
Take Cub Scouts to a place on a local map (it does not need to be an orienteering map, a
large scale ordnance survey map will be adequate).
Tell them to turn their maps to fit the ground.
Talk with them about how they did it.
Ask questions such as "how do you know it's turned to fit the ground?"
Establish that a good way to do it is to look around and find one or two big features that they
think should to be on the map. Ask everyone to do that.
Look for a fence line, a building, a footpath or road.
Ask them to look at their maps and find the big features, and to put a thumb on the map to
show where they are standing. Then turn their maps until the big feature on their maps is on
the correct side of their thumb, i.e. on the same side as the real thing is.
Next, they should check that the second big feature is also on the correct side of their thumb.
They may need to turn their maps a little.
The map being turned correctly, the children should then be led to look about and check that
other features fit too.
Repeat the practice at a different place on the map, preferably on the opposite side of a
given building.
Folding and thumbing the map
Once the map has been turned to fit the ground the tip of a thumb should be placed on the
map immediately below the position where you are standing. As you move along the thumb
is moved along, checking off each feature as it is passed. Thumbing helps keep track of
where you are on the map.
From time to time it will not be possible to comfortably thumb the map because of the width
of the paper and where you need to put your thumb. In that case the map needs to be folded
so the thumb can reach your present location on the map. Care has to be taken to fold the
map so the areas around where you presently are and where you are next going to are
visible. As you proceed around the course it will probably be necessary to refold the map to
expose the next area that the course goes through.
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Orienteering
Using a compass for orienting the map
This is a simple skill and is probably the most important use of the compass:
Hold your map horizontally.
Place the compass flat on the map.
Rotate the map until the "north lines" on the map (a series of evenly spaced parallel
lines drawn across the map, all pointing to magnetic north) are aligned with the
compass needle.
The map should now be oriented to the terrain. This makes it much easier to read, just as
text is easier to read right side up than upside down.
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Orienteering
Using the sun to orienting the map
Typically orienteering events occur in the late morning or early afternoon so the sun is
roughly in the south sky. You will not be going too far wrong pointing the bottom of the map
(and the bottom of the “North Lines” i.e. South) at the sun to orient the map. It is wise to
confirm your orientation by cross checking with some topographical features in front of you
against the map.
Map orientation exercise
Using a local map or one developed by the Venture Scouts in the locality of the scout den
get the Cub Scouts to orient the map without compass, simply by using the topological
features around them.
When the topological method is mastered get the Cub Scouts to orient the map using the
compass.
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Orienteering
Training orienteering event
If you haven‟t a local orienteering map you could consider giving it to your Venture Scouts as
a project to make one. However a great way to get a training event going quickly is to use
Google Earth to print off a small area around your den, estate or park.
Mark out a short course
around the area and
1
give clues with the
controls.
Using the control pages
in Annex A, print them
out in colour and place
in poly pockets, connect
a hole punch with a
5
piece of string to each
and stick them up at the
control points.
Use the control cards in
Annex E and run
through your event as
2 4
described in the lesson.
3
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Orienteering
Lesson 04 – Cub Scouts – The Orienteering Equipment
Section:
Cub Scouts
Objective:
To teach the Cub Scout about the orienteering equipment.
Control cards can take various forms, but all include numbered boxes for punching in at
successive controls as well as spaces for the name of the scout, the course and class, the
start time, the finish time, and the elapsed time.
For most orienteering events, starts are staggered so that no two people on the same course
start at the same time. The standard orienteering event is a point-to-point race; controls are
numbered on the map and connected in the order the scout is to visit them. Upon reaching
each control, the orienteer punches a pattern in the corresponding numbered box on the
control card. This allows the event organisers to verify that the correct controls were visited.
The control card shown is typical.
The Cub Scout should fill in his/her name on the card and pin it to their sleeve in such a way
that you can easily mark the control boxes with the control punch.
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Orienteering
The Cub Scout also gets a clue card. This card gives a clue as to what to look for when you
approach the area marked on the map. Is the control kite at a boulder ?, behind a tree ? or at
a track, river junction ?.
Intermediate Length 5.2 Km Climb 156M
1 FG Base of cliff
2 CD In shallow depression
3 GT South East side of rootstock
4 HY North side of boulder
5 MN Track , stream junction
6 LO Lower part of tree
7 GV Inside cave entrance
Control Kite and Punch
At each control the scout will find an orienteering control kite
and attached to it a control punch. They should use the punch
to mark the appropriate box on the Control Card appropriate to
the clue on the Clue Card.
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Orienteering
Lesson 05 – Cub Scouts – The Orienteering Map
Section:
Cub Scouts
Objective:
To teach the Cub Scout about the Orienteering Map
Orienteering maps are of a much greater scale than
ordinance survey maps (typically between 1:5000 and
1:15000) the symbols are more numerous and of more
significance. The legend to the left gives some of the more
common symbols but it is certainly not the complete picture.
We can see from the map below that a course is marked.
The start is indicated by a purple or red triangle, the controls
by circles and the finish by two circles.
Give out to the scouts a number of old orienteerring maps
and ask then to pick out the symbols to the left.
6
5
7
4
3
2
1
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Orienteering
Orienteering Mapping, Control and Clue Card exercise
Print for each Cub Scout a copy of the map in Annex D and the Control Card in Annex E.
Give each a red pen.
Ask each Cub Scout to transcribe the course marked on the map on the previous page down
on their map.
Ask each Cub Scout to make out a clue card with the information they can see at each
control on the map. i.e. Control 4, Power line junction, Control 5, Fence, road junction etc...
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Orienteering
Orienteering for Scouts
Scouts should be able to complete a course as described for Cub Scouts before starting this
training programme. It would be expected that Scouts would participate in a full orienteering
course much as would be laid out at an event organised by an orienteering club.
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Orienteering
Lesson 06 – Scouts – Map References
Section:
Scouts
Objective:
To teach the scout about references on a map.
Introduction
500000
The first thing you will notice when you look
A B C D E
at any ordnance survey map is the grid lines 400000 dir G
that are superimposed over the map itself. F G H J K o N
These are formed from a grid superimposed
300000 htr
L M N O P
on the whole island of Ireland which is 200000
broken into 25 100x100 Km grid areas each Q R S T U
100000
identified with a letter („i‟ is missing so it
V W X Y Z
cannot be confused with „1‟). 0
The lines you see on the ordnance survey
000001 000002 000003 000004 000005
map are further subdivisions of these grid squares.
Northings
The grid lines running
15
from the top to the
14
bottom of the map are
13
12 15 considered to be running
50
14 in series across the map
13 so are called Eastings.
Eastings 12 The lines running across
the map are considered
45 46 47 48 49 50
to be running in series
from south to north and
45 45 46 47 are called Northings.
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Orienteering
Grid Reference
A Grid Reference is a method of using the national
grid to refer exactly to a point on the map. This is
15 given as three parts.
50
14
<Grid letter><Easting><Northing> S 23 45
13
If you are using a large scale map like 1:25,000 or
12
50,000 it is customary to drop the grid letter as it is
impossible to have to eastings or northings that are
45 46 47 48 49 50 the same from different grid squares.
In the diagram above therefore we have (46 13) and (48 12). This is
13
called a four figure reference and it is accurate to within 1 Km. To
125
increase accuracy we subdivide each square again, we can see on
12 the left the subdivision of the grey coloured grid above.
45 455 46
Enlarging this subdivision we can see that it is now
130
possible to get more accurate grid references, in
?
fact we can now get six figure references. In the
example we can see (453 123).
125
What is the grid reference indicated by the question
123
mark ?
120
450 455 460
?
453
For orienteering we do not need to refer to
points on the map with grid references. We also
do not need northing lines, in fact we do not
need eastings either but we do need lines
pointing north to take bearings.
For this reason on orienteering maps we get a
set of lines pointing up the map, these point in
the direction of magnetic north. We will see
more about this in the next lesson.
Grid Reference exercise in the den
Taking the map in annex C and have each
scout work out the six figure grid reference for
the base of each scout emblem on the map.
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Orienteering
Lesson 07 – Scouts – Contours and Map Symbols
Section:
Scouts
Objective:
To teach the scout the parts of a map and in particular the orienteering map.
Introduction
All maps have a legend and in some ways this is similar from map to map. We will first
discuss this for ordnance survey maps and then look at the differences for orienteering
maps.
Here we can see some of the symbols above, these are described in detail along the map
edge and are pretty common from map type to map type.
Contour lines
Along most maps you have typically brown lines which Concave Slope
join points of equal elevation (height) and are called
contour lines. By using such lines with a constant Convex Slope
elevation interval it is possible to show valleys and hills,
and the steepness of slopes.
Combination Slope
In the diagrams we can see how the series of contours give away the shape of a feature.
60
30
Round top Saddle
Re-entrant
Conical
60 60
Spur 30
30
Flat top
Saddle
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Orienteering
Map feature exercise in the den
Taking the map in annex C and have each scout work indicate one of each of the following:
Post Office Hill
Cross Road Saddle
Church Concave slope
County boundary Convex slope
Picnic area Sharp drop in ground
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Orienteering
Orienteering Map legend
As orienteering maps are of a much greater scale than
ordinance survey maps (typically between 1:5,000 and
1:15,000) the symbols are more numerous and of more
significance. The legend to the left gives some of the more
common symbols but it is certainly not the complete
picture.
To keep maps simple they are limited to very few colours,
Yellow, Green, Blue, Brown, Black and White are the only
colours you will find on the map.
Like ordnance survey,
orienteering maps make
extensive use of contours, and
again like the ordnance survey
these are brown.
In the example to the left we
can clearly see a spur with
mixed vegetation flowing from
left to right.
For orienteering maps the typical contour interval is 5M,
this compares to a 10M interval on most ordinance survey
maps.
Orienteering feature exercise in the den
Taking the orienteering map in annex D and have each
scout work indicate one of each of the following:
Ruin Building
Depression Track
Earth bank Boulder
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Orienteering
Lesson 08 – Scouts – Compass Work
Section:
Scouts
Objective:
To teach the scout how to use a compass so that he/she will be able to use it as an aid to
navigation.
Introduction
The diagram to the right shows the parts of
the compass. Each scout should be familiar
with these and their function.
Basically the red end of the red and white
needle in the centre of the dial is pointing to
the magnetic field located roughly in the
area of Ellesmere Island in northern
Canada. This is quite near the north pole
but not quite, the difference in angle
between the two is called magnetic
declination which is a changing figure as
magnetic north moves about. Currently for
Ireland it is approximately 7°.
Technically there is another north called grid north.
Magnetic North Grid north comes from the national grid which is a
North Pole
grid of 5x5 = 25 100 Km squares over Ireland.
Obviously the north pointing edges are parallel and
therefore cannot all point directly to true north but the
difference is so slight we can (up to about 1°) take it
that True and Grid north‟s are approximately equal.
Note: The grid lines on an orienteering map are
actually pointing to magnetic north so no
7°
addition or subtraction is required in that sport.
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Orienteering
Taking a compass bearing
To determine the magnetic bearing:
Point the direction-of-travel arrow at the distant feature.
Keeping the compass level rotate the compass housing
until the orienting arrow and the magnetic needle are in
line.
Read off the magnetic bearing to the feature on the
compass ring at the direction-of-travel indicator.
Finding the feature on the map
To find the feature on the map, you simply need
to know where you are on the map and:
Convert the magnetic bearing received
from the compass to a map bearing
(which uses grid north instead of
magnetic north) by subtracting the
magnetic declination (7°) (CMS,
Compass to Map Subtract).
Place the back edge of the compass at
the place where you (indicated by the red
dot) are and rotate the map until the
orienting arrow is parallel to the eastings
on the map.
Follow a line along the edge of the
compass until you see the feature on the
map (indicated by the blue dot).
Note: The yellow D in the photo indicates
magnetic declination.
Taking a bearing from map to ground
Obviously the opposite is also true. If you take a bearing on the map by placing the compass
edge where you are and the forward edge where you want to get to, align the orienting arrow
with the eastings pointing north. Read of the bearing and add the magnetic declination
(YMCA – Your Map to Compass you Add) you can now rotate the level compass until the
orienting arrow and the red needle are in line and the direction-of-travel arrow is pointing in
the direction you wish to go.
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Orienteering
Bearing exercise in the den
In the scout den layout some cones as
Toilet Kitchen
shown in the diagram.
Give each scout a copy of the colour
chart below a pen and a compass.
Place a scout on each cone.
Ask each scout to mark in the magnetic
bearing from their cone to the other five
cones along the line of their current
colour.
Once each scout has completed ask
them to rotate cones clockwise to the
next cone and repeat the exercise until
they have filled their chart.
B lu e G r e e n W h ite B la c k Y e llo w R e d
Blue
Compare the results of each
scout to see who has grasped Green
the concept and who needs
further work.
White
Give each scout a fresh chart
and ask them to convert each Black
bearing to a map or grid
bearing. Yellow
Red
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Orienteering
Lesson 09 – Scouts – The Orienteering Event
Section:
Scouts
Objective:
To teach the scout about the orienteering event.
Arriving at the event
When you arrive at the event you should be clothed fully (no shorts) and have your
compass, clear plastic bag and two safety pins. You will be given a blank map, a control card
and a clue card.
Fill in your name on the card and pin it to your sleeve in such a way that you can easily mark
the control boxes with the control punch. Make sure your clue card is handy.
Intermediate Length 5.2 Km Climb 156M
1 FG Base of cliff
2 CD In shallow depression
3 GT South East side of rootstock
4 HY North side of boulder
5 MN Track , stream junction
6 LO Lower part of tree
7 GV Inside cave entrance
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Orienteering
Starting the event
At your time to go the controller will mark your start time on the control card and you will be
permitted to approach the Master map area.
You will find a map with the course
laid out like that in the diagram.
The purple (or red) markings
6
indicate the route.
Start
5
1 Control & number
7
Link line
4
End
Carefully transcribe these details
to your map, remember an error
3
2
could have you confused in the
forest for a time so it is worth
spending a fraction of the potential
lost time correctly marking your
map.
1
During the event
Run around the course in order and at the control points you will
find the orienteering marker. Check the clue card to ensure that
the code written on the marker is the correct one and then stamp
the appropriate box on the control card with the control punch.
Finishing the event
When you reach the end point indicated by the double circles approach the controller to get
your control card marked with the exact finish time.
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Orienteering
Training orienteering event
If you haven‟t a local orienteering map you could consider giving it to your Venture Scouts as
a project to make one. However a great way to get a training event going quickly is to use
Google Earth to print off a small area around your den, estate or park.
Mark out a short course
around the area and
1
give clues with the
controls.
Using the control pages
in Annex A, print them
out in colour and place
in poly pockets, connect
a hole punch with a
5
piece of string to each
and stick them up at the
control points.
Use the control cards in
Annex E and run
through your event as
2 4
described in the lesson.
3
33

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Orienteering
Orienteering for Venture Scouts
Venture Scouts should be able to complete a course as described for Scouts before starting
this training programme. Venture Scouts should be able to compete in orienteering
competitions. This programme adds an extra element to the Venture scout in terms of
orienteering. The ability to make simple orienteering maps which can be used by the
younger sections.
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Orienteering
Lesson 10 – Venture Scouts – Map making
Introduction
Orienteering maps are drafted to the mapping standards developed by the International
Orienteering Federation. Mapping standards, such as scale, symbols, colour, and level of
detail, help ensure a consistent Orienteering experience around the world.
The general steps are:
1. Select a suitable area
2. Obtain permission to use the area
3. Prepare a base map
4. Select the map scale
5. Do the field work
6. Draft the map
7. Print the map
8. Archive the map
Base Map
Assuming that you have selected an area
and have obtained permission to use the
area then we must prepare a base map. This
is some form of map to use as a foundation
or pattern. Your base map should be
accurate enough to provide exact locations of
large point features, such as roads, rivers,
lakes, and major terrain features, so you can
accurately place the details you collect during
the field checking process.
Good sources of base maps are:
Old orienteering map of the area
Google Earth
Ordnance Survey maps
6” County planning maps
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Orienteering
Scale
Orienteering maps are typically 1:10,000 or 1:15,000, however other scales may be used for
special projects like estates or parks, 1:5,000 is quite common. Whatever scale you choose,
you'll need to convert the maps you've collected to that scale. A good program for
manipulating image files is IRFANVIEW, http://www.irfanview.com.
Global Positioning System
GPS are a good tool for confirming positions and distances between them, thought they are
by no means essential.
OCAD Software
OCAD9 software is available in demo form free of charge at http://www.ocad.com this
software will allow the creation of a small scale mapping project.
Planning the map
Select the predominant colour. In our case we will mark the private houses in grey so we
need to create a grey layer. The next area I decided to add is the swamp water to the left
edge of the map.
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Now the yellow open land areas are added as a layer followed by the green fight and
vegetation.
In the top centre we see the addition of runnable wood. We also add the contour to mark the
depression in the wooded area plus an earthbank along the edge of the estate.
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The final colour to be added is black to
indicate tarred roads and walls. This is the
map complete.
On the next page you will find the completed
map with legend and other edge detail.
Map-making exercise
Using the area around you Scout Den make a map that can be used by the other sections in
your group.
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Orienteering
SiúlnahAbhann Scale 1:1000
ORIENTEERING MAP
Fight
Open
Private
RunnableWood
Road
Wall
Earth bank
Tree/Bush
100M
Cartography by D. Ó Briain Survey March 2008
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Orienteering for Rover Scouts
Rover Scouts should be able to complete a course as described for Venture Scouts before
starting this training programme. Rover Scouts should be able to compete in advanced level
orienteering competitions. This programme adds the ability to use symbol based clue cards.
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Lesson 11 – Rover Scouts – Clue Symbols
Introduction
Although clues are always written out for beginners' courses, clues for advanced courses
are given as symbols in a table format. The system is quite simple to master and is more
compact and specific than a written description.
Advanced Length 5.2 Km Climb 156M
1 FG 3
2 CD
3 GT 2.5
4 HY 1.5
5 MN
6 LO
7 GV
400m
This example shown here begins with a course designation of Advanced. This is followed by
the course length and the climb in metres along an ideal (though seldom possible) route.
This is followed by lines describing each control with a final line describing the approach to
the finish from the final control.
A B C D E F G H
1 FG 3
Each control row is split into a number of columns which function as follows:
Column Description
A Control Number
B Control Code
C Which of several features (upper one)
D The feature (Cliff)
E Details about the feature appearance
F Size (3 M high)
G Location of control kite (at the foot)
H Other information
Clue card exercise
Using table of icons on the next few pages, put together an imaginary control card. Swap
with another Venture Scout and see do they get the same result.
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Column ‘C’ - Which feature ?
Northern South eastern Lower
Upper Between Middle
Column ‘D’ - The feature itself
Earthbank Re-entrant Spur
Quarry Erosion gully Rib
Earthwall/Dam Dry ditch Small knoll
Terrace Hill or knoll Saddle
Depression Boulder Waterhole
Small depression Boulder field Stream
Pit Boulder cluster Wet ditch
Cliff Stony ground Marsh
Bare rock Lake Small marsh
Firm ground
Cave opening Pond
in marsh
Well Spring Open land
Forest corner Clearing Rough open land
Vegetation
Thicket Logged area
boundary
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Column ‘D’ cont.
Tree cluster Road Trail
Tree cut Fence Wall
Bridge Building Ruin
Hunters stand Tower Feed rack
Rock pillar Single tree Root stock
Charcoal burning
Trig. marker Rock pile
platform
Anthill Broken ground Special feature
Special feature Note: Special features are defined by the organiser
Column ‘E’ - Details of feature
Shallow Deep Overgrown
Open Rocky Marshy
Sandy Evergreen Deciduous
End western Bend Y junction
Crossing
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Column ‘G’ - Location of Marker
West corner
Northern side Southeast edge
(inside)
East corner
Northern tip Eastern part
(outside)
Upper part Lower part On the top
Southern foot At the foot
Column ‘H’ - Other information
Manned
Drinks Radio control
control
First aid
Last control to finish
400m 400m marked route to finish
400m 400m marked tunnel to finish
No markings to the finish 400m
400m
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