Adult Learn-to Program: Basics and Beyond

Our Basics and Beyond program is an 8-week course designed for those over 16 years of age.

In this program, we start by teaching you the basics of orienteering and then we progress to guiding you through the skills needed to comfortably complete novice and intermediate orienteering courses. This is a skills course, in which we emphasize the development of basic orienteering skills rather than physical fitness. In other words, during the program you may run or walk at whatever speed you wish!

Program Details

Over the course of the 8 weeks we will go over the following skills:

Basic map-reading and compass skills
Understanding standard orienteering maps
Route choice and navigation systems
Navigation using surrounding terrain features

Each Basic & Beyond group will be led by 1-2 experienced orienteering instructors. Each session will consist of a combination of instructions from your instructor, independent learning, and a chance to practice new skills at hand.

Is the program similar to adventure racing?

The Basics and Beyond program focuses on the essential navigation skills involved in orienteering, many of which can be used in adventure racing. The program's curriculum includes map reading, using a compass, relocation, and route choice. You can also practice these skills at our local meets. The program does not teach declination, triangulation, or other similar navigation skills.

The program does cover essential compass skills, but always used together with a map. For those wanting to develop a strong understanding of navigation skills not directly involved in orienteering, we encourage you to explore these topics with other organizations dedicated to these specific skills.

Sounds like the program is for you?

Registration for the 2025 spring offering of the Basics and Beyond program is now open - Register Here

Who can take part? Orienteering Ottawa offers a Youth Learn-to program for youth ages 6-16. Individuals over 16 who would prefer to learn in an adult environment are welcome to register in the Basics and Beyond program.

Orienteering is fun for the whole family! Have kids who are looking for a new sport? Our Basics and Beyond program is offered at the same time as our Youth Learn-to programs, so the whole family can learn orienteering at the same time!

Info Sessions: There will be information sessions where we will discuss how our programs work and offer you a chance to ask any questions you might have, and even try a few of our activities. Stay tuned as we announce the dates/locations of our information sessions for the Spring 2025 season.

Program Schedule

West End		East End
Week 1-4 Tuesday, April 15 to May 6, 2025 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM	Wesley Clover Park View location on Google Maps	Week 1-4 Wednesday, April 16 to May 7, 2025 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM	Ski Hill Park View location on Google Maps
Week 5-7 Tuesday, May 13 to May 27, 2025 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM	TBD	Week 5-7 Wednesday , May 14 - May 27 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM	TBD
Week 8 June 3 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM	TBD	Week 8 June 3 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM	TBD

Registration information

Registration for the Spring 2025 offering of the Basics and Beyond Program is now open - Register Here.

The Basics and Beyond program costs $135 + HST and includes:

2025 Orienteering Ottawa adult membership (value $25)
8 weeks of programming and coaching
A family pass to the first event of our Summer Solstice Series.

Orienteering Ottawa's refund policy can be found in our policy manual. Any questions can be directed to our This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Coming Prepared

Please plan to bring the following with you to the program each week:

Running shoes: Trail running shoes with a good tread are ideal as we will be moving on trails, grass and through forested areas. Other types of road running shoes may be suitable, but prepare to get dirty!
Long pants: We recommend you wear pants/bottoms that cover the full leg as we will be running in long grass and in the woods which like to scratch at bare legs.
Clothes that can get dirty: Remember to dress ready to explore in clothes that are appropriate for the weather. It is likely to vary greatly throughout the season so check the forecast before you leave. We guarantee that you will get to enjoy the mud at least once!
Water bottle: There will be a spot you can leave water bottle for the hour so you won't need to carry it with you.
Safety Whistle: A basic precaution for all Orienteering Ottawa events and programs.
A sense of adventure! Do we really need to explain this one?

Program Policies

Refunds

Orienteering Ottawa's refund policy can be found in our policy manual.

Weather and Cancellations

Orienteering is a rain-or-shine sport. Only in the event of dangerous conditions (e.g. lightning, frostbite warning) will a program session be canceled. Cancellations are sent in an email to all participants no less than 2 hours prior to the start of the session.

We do not guarantee refunds for cancelled sessions. If we cancel more than one session in the season we will look at how we can compensate families for the missed sessions.

Natural Hazards

Ticks, poison ivy, and wild parsnip are common natural hazards found in the Ottawa area. We will discuss basic safety precautions in the first week of the program. It’s also a good idea to read through our safety page (page de sécurité et éthique).

To see the club’s full weather policy as well as our program behaviour and safety policies, please consult our policy manual.

Communication

All official communication for this program will be done via email. We will be adding participants to an email list after they sign up.

Attention! Please do not unsubscribe from this list as you will no longer receive important notifications about the program. We clear the list at the end of each season, so you won't continue to receive updates that aren't relevant to you.

You will receive an email confirmation when you register. You can also expect to receive emails 1.5-2 weeks prior to the start of the program and an additional email a few days before your first session with important pre-session details.

Please note that program emails are sent from the address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Some email systems will sort our emails into junk or spam boxes. Please check for our emails there if you do not get them when you expect to, and add this address as a contact.

Upon registration, the program coordinator will provide you with a phone number for urgent inquiries during program hours for faster communication.