A Good Reason to be Wet and Filthy!
It all started with a note through my door saying not to worry about the cars parked at the square that evening, it would only be the local orienteering club. Curious, I went to the estate office to find out more and was told that anyone could take part. The more the merrier! I had a distant recollection of orienteering once at school and seemed to remember it was quite fun so thought I would give it a go. It was one of those evenings where the rain lashed down while everyone was on the course and as soon as we had finished the sun came out!
That was the spring series event at Ardkinglas three years ago and I have been to virtually all the spring and autumn events since. Each event brings its own challenges – I’m sure some of the planners find the deepest, wettest bog to put their controls in! But that’s fine; it all adds to the fun. I attend each event expecting to get soaking wet and covered in mud and if the sun shines and my feet are relatively dry at the end of the course it’s a bonus. Orienteering is a valid excuse for getting wet and filthy!
The first year I went on the easier yellow courses with a friend’s 8-year-old son. That was a great introduction. The following season I decided to try the harder green courses to give myself more of a challenge and hopefully have improved slightly since those early days.
Then there was the SOL4 event this year. After speaking to Lynne about what it would be like, I decided to give it a try. I also volunteered to help on the day. That’s when I got my initiation at helping park cars. The mud on the course was nothing to the mud encountered in the parking areas. I eventually got to do my run. I set of with my usual positive manner and reached the first control without any problems. It was after that that things started to go wrong, eventually finding control 2 after asking someone to show me where I was on the map. Control 3 was never found! At this point I was starting to think about giving up. The course was much harder than anything I had done at the club events. Perseverance paid off and I eventually found control 4. Taking bearings and counting paces I managed to find the remaining twelve controls without too many more serious navigational mistakes. I certainly didn’t break any records for speed but had a sense of achievement at having got round.
If anyone asked me about orienteering, would I recommend it? Definitely. It’s a chance to get out in the country, often in weather where you wouldn’t bother if there weren’t a good reason. It’s good exercise too but more than that; it’s mental exercise as well (I certainly make more mistakes towards the end of a course as I get more tired if I don’t concentrate when picking my route between controls). I’m not particularly fit and not a great fan of running but perversely I do enjoy orienteering. There is as much satisfaction to be gained by completing the course without making route errors as doing it in a fast time.
Posted on 18th May 06
by Carol Burnapp - Cowal Area rep
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