Orienteering will soon be made easier than ever thanks to Swansea Council.
Courses are being made available online and maps can be downloaded for free.
Swansea Council has worked with the Swansea Bay Orienteering Club on the project- an organisation with about 100 members that’s keen to attract new recruits.
Orienteering is described as a cross-country race where people use a map and compass to find their way through unfamiliar territory.
Dave Mitchell has been a Swansea Bay Orienteering Club member for over 20 years and has introduced his sons, Ben and Sam, to the sport.
Dave said: “Orienteering is a challenging sport that really makes you think on your feet. It’s suitable for all ages and abilities and is a great way to keep fit. It’s also a great way of seeing parts of the countryside that many people don’t get to see.
“We’re always looking to attract new members to the club and would urge anyone interested to get in touch.”
Following on from the introduction and popularity of the existing permanent courses in Swansea, six more permanent orienteering courses are to follow later this year. These will take place in parks and outdoor spaces across Swansea including Brynmill Park, Coedbach Park, Coed Gwilym Park, Heol Las Park, Cwmdonkin Park and Castle Woods.
Ian Beynon, Swansea Council Development and Outreach Manager, said: “Swansea has an abundance of beautiful parks and open spaces that each offer their own unique reasons to visit.
“It’s great that orienteering has really taken off and that it gives people another incentive to visit their local park while taking part in an enjoyable physical activity.”
Visit www.swansea.gov.uk/orienteering to download the maps or to get more information about orienteering in Swansea.
Organisers of groups looking to get hold of the letters corresponding to the numbers of the controls at each site can do so by emailing [email protected]
Introductory events in the area are planned on Wednesday evenings on April 7, April 14, April 21, April 28 and May 5.
Further details will be made available on www.sboc.org.uk closer to the events.
