Orienteering Ottawa has a number of permanent courses in Ottawa.  With these, our members and others are able to get out into the woods and city parks, enjoy the out of doors and discover new areas to run,  hike or walk.

These permanent courses are set in both Kanata and Orleans.  They have been created to introduce the sport of Orienteering and provide a simple outdoor activity where you can practice some of the basic skills.

It does not need to be a race. It can be like a family hike or a simple challenge. 

You can find them here :

• In Orleans 
  •  the  Cairine Wilson Course is bounded by Orleans Blvd, the Ottawa River, Bilberry Drive and Jeanne D'Arc Blv
  •  St.  Matthew HS & Bilberry Park Course is bounded by Jeanne D'Arc Blvd, Bilberry Drive, the Queensway and Bilberry Creek
• In Kanata 
  •  Kanata Highlands PS Map Walk is bounded by Innovation Drive, property of  Kanata Highlands Public School, Terry Fox and a railway line. 

Go to this link to read the instructions and download the maps (the .pdf files).  Print the map in colour or bring it with you on your tablet. A compass is not needed but you can bring one if you have it, or use the app on your phone. Allow ½ hour to 45 minutes to walk all or part of the course. You can visit the controls in any order and visit as many or as few as you wish.

Conditions of Use

Any Orienteering Ottawa logo and/or website address must NOT be altered or removed from the maps.

The users of any of these maps waive all responsibility from Orienteering Ottawa ((OOC), Orienteering Ontario (OOA), Fédération québécoise de course d’orientation (FQCO), and their agents from any loss of property or personal injury that may occur during the use of any of these maps.

Possession of the maps does not imply permission to be on the land. Permission must always be obtained from the private and/or public landowners.

Important Safety Precautions: You are responsible for assessing risks and managing your safety. Ensure that you are properly trained and aware of the risks before embarking on any unsupervised orienteering activity. Always carry a whistle, a communication device, go with a "buddy", and obey all government and local regulations.

Note that online maps may be out-of-date and may not have been recently field-checked. New hazards may exist that are not shown on the map. If you have any concerns about the safety of an area, please let us know and do not go out on the course or map

If you wish to know more about the club and our activities go to our membership page to see how you can join us.

If you enjoyed the permanent courses, we have other 'on your own' courses (for members ony) using an app on your phone to find virtual controls.  See more here.