Permanent Orienteering Courses

There are numerous permanent orienteering courses throughout the United Kingdom. They are suitable for those who wish to try out orienteering or practice their skills.

How to start?

The aim is to navigate around a course and find the control posts which are located at the centre of the numbered circles on your map.  The map symbol Δ shows the start point for all courses. At each control post you will see an orange and white sign with a number and a letter on it.  The number corresponds with the number on your map.

The video below provides an introduction to using permanent courses.

Details of the types of courses and levels of difficulty are available here.  There is also an explanation of orienteering maps and how to use a compass here.

Where can I try one out?

For beginners we would recommend trying out the White, Yellow, Orange or Score Courses at the following Permanent Orienteering locations:

Can I use my smartphone to help me on these courses?

Some of our permanent orienteering courses (and printable maps) are also available as Smartphone Orienteering Courses using the mobile phone app UsynligO (including the recommended beginners course outlined above).   Smartphone Orienteering Courses use an app to enable you to physically go orienteering without there being real controls to find.  The list of available BOK courses is on the UsynligO website.

The following pages outline how to use our smart phone app - on both our permanent courses, and also on an increasing number of courses that are Smartphone Orienteering Courses (they only use smartphone beeps to show you have reached the right control rather than a physical control post).

What other courses are available?

The full list of Permanent Courses in BOK's area are available on below, including how to get maps.

Bristol Orienteering Klub maintains permanent courses at:

South Gloucestershire Council maintains the following permanent courses:

The National Trust maintains the following permanent course:

There are also courses at Goblin Combe as part of the Environment Centre, at Combe Hill Wood near Street, and at the Mendip Snowsport Centre.

Details of other courses nationwide are available from the British Orienteering website.

Details on how to stay safe whilst orienteering on our permanent and smartphone orienteering course are available here.


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