Orienteering
Navigate Ireland's forests and mountains by map and compass
Orienteering is navigation as a race: you're given a detailed map and a set of control points, and you choose your own route between them. Ireland has an active club scene running events most weekends year-round, mainly in Coillte forests, in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains, around Killarney, and across the Belfast area. Events are graded by both length and technical difficulty, so a beginner course and an elite course run on the same day in the same forest. You need nothing to start. Clubs lend compasses, and the entry fee for a local event is small.
Where to go
Season: Year-round · Suits: Beginner to Advanced
Wicklow
WicklowForest and open mountain within an hour of Dublin. The densest event calendar in the country.
Dublin Mountains
DublinTicknock, Cruagh and the Coillte forests on the city's edge. Most Dublin clubs run their winter league here.
Killarney
KerryMixed woodland and mountain terrain in the national park, and a regular venue for national-level events.
About orienteering in Ireland
Orienteering combines running with navigation across Ireland's terrain, from dense Coillte forests to open mountain landscapes. Events run nationwide year-round, welcoming beginners and competitive racers alike.
Common questions
What do I need to start orienteering?
Running shoes, clothes you don't mind snagging, and the entry fee. Clubs lend compasses to newcomers and provide the map at the start. You don't need to buy anything to try your first event.
Do I need to be fit or fast?
No. Courses are graded by technical difficulty as well as length, and beginner courses follow paths and obvious features. Plenty of competitors walk. Route choice beats running speed more often than newcomers expect.
Is orienteering suitable for children?
Unusually so. There is no minimum age, the youngest race class is 10 and under, and smaller children simply take the shortest course with a parent alongside. Everyone starts from one venue within the same window on courses of different lengths, so a family can compete together without staying together, and junior and family entry rates are standard. It is the least gated adventure sport in the country to try with children.
How long does an orienteering course take?
A beginner course typically takes 30 to 45 minutes; longer technical courses run 60 to 90 minutes. You start when you choose within the start window rather than in a mass start.
Where can I find orienteering events in Ireland?
The Irish Orienteering Association publishes a national fixtures list covering clubs across the island, including Northern Ireland. Most events accept entry on the day.
Find a centre
No governing body publishes a provider list for orienteering, so we have no accredited centres to name. The full directory holds 76 adventure centres, many of them multi-sport.