Why Join Us Orienteering at University?
Hear directly from university clubs about what makes university orienteering so special, and why you should consider getting involved this academic year.
What has motivated other university students to join an orienteering club?
Aberdeen University Orienteering Club
"I immediately wanted to join a society or sports club to meet new people and get involved. Orienteering was relatively new to me and I’ve never even run before, but I’ve heard good things about the sport so I decided to give it a try. It was a great idea!"
Bath University Mountaineering Club
"Many club members have never competitively orienteered before joining! Some join from more experience with the climbing or walking sectors of the club and want to see what orienteering is about, while others come from a running background and use it as a fun and interesting way to get more runs in."
What do students value most about being a member of their university orienteering club?
Oxford University Orienteering Club
"OUOC is the best community I have encountered at university (and I’ve been here 6 years now…). Nowhere else have I found such like-minded individuals who are able to strike the right balance of friendliness and competitiveness. Everyone pulls together to help the club to run smoothly in all aspects from sport to social."
UCL Orienteering Club
"Lots of our members are people who have previously felt disenfranchised from sport, so it has been awesome to see how comfortable they feel in the orienteering community, which has been so supportive every step of the way - that’s why we are proud members of our club and of the wider orienteering community!"
What advice would our clubs give to someone wanting to try orienteering for the first time?
Leeds University Orienteering and Fell Running Club
It's important to understand that to do orienteering you don't have to be a good runner at all, you can walk the courses if you prefer and it's a very inclusive sport, accommodating newcomers to experienced orienteers, with different difficulties and course lengths.
Cambridge University Orienteeering Club
We’d say – give it a go! Don’t be afraid of getting lost, asking for help with map symbols or taking your time to get your bearings right – so long as you are enjoying it, you’ll pick up more skills as time goes by!
Stirling University Orienteering Club
Get stuck in! Orienteering is a fantastic way to meet other adventurous and outdoorsy people at uni. It’s also a great way to keep fit and learn new skills in a supportive and friendly environment. You get to explore lots of new places as well as challenging yourself.
Sheffield Universities Orienteering & Fell Running Club
Don’t be afraid to be yourself and have fun! Joining a new club can be terrifying, especially if you have never tried the sport before, but everyone is super friendly and supportive, and, as one wise member put it when we asked them this question: you can act like the least functional human possible, and it will be fine!
UCL Orienteering Club
Another great thing to remember is that our courses are stratified at different levels - there is always a course that you can enjoy, which is hard enough to be rewarding but realistic enough to complete.
The British University Orienteering Championships take place each year. Find out more about what you can expect, and why clubs love the opportunity to come together to compete.
Leeds University Orienteering and Fell Running Club
BUCS was a great opportunity to compete with people your age which was so much fun, the social in the evening was also fun to meet new people from other universities and being able to dress up in our designated fancy dress theme!
Oxford University Orienteering Club
On the whole, BUCS is a great way to meet loads of new people in the university orienteering clubs. There is also ample socialisation opportunity, with a meal for everyone after the individual and a night out after in the hosting city if you’re interested!
