Orienteering is about finding your way through unfamiliar territory with the aid of a map and compass. You select a course that requires you to visit a number of checkpoints, or "controls" identified by distinctive orange and white flags, taking whichever route you choose between controls.

The basic skills of orienteering, map reading and compass use, are easy to develop. As competition increases, finer points are learned which nicely combine athletic and thinking skills. It is a sport where the "tortoise" with careful navigation, can beat the more athletic "hare".

Although orienteering is a competitive sport, there is a growing number of people who simply enjoy it as a leisurely bush walk in pleasant surroundings. As such, it makes the perfect family sport as everyone from Grandma to toddler can join in.