Scottish Orienteering launches “Edinburgh-O Midday Map Runs”

A series of lunchtime events is being launched this spring to introduce new people to the sport of orienteering ahead of Edinburgh hosting the World Orienteering Championships in 2022.

Starting on Wednesday 18 March, the Scottish Orienteering Association is creating a six-week series of events in Edinburgh’s West End designed to give people a new, fun way of enjoying their lunchtime exercise and help them discover new corners of the city.

The weekly “Midday Map Runs” will come under the banner of “Edinburgh-O” – an initiative created by Scotland’s Governing Body for the sport of orienteering to raise awareness and participation in orienteering ahead of the 2022 World Championships.

Accessible to tens of thousands of people on their lunch break, the series will use smartphones to make orienteering easily accessible to anyone. Entrants simply sign up in advance and turn up between 12pm and 1:30pm each Wednesday where, for just £2, you’ll get a course map making the streets around you into a playground you can run, roll or walk at your own pace.

“We really want to shatter the impression that orienteering is a rural sport and show how easy it is for anyone to enjoy the sport in the urban locations people live and work in every day,” said Fiona Keir, Chief Operating Officer of Scottish Orienteering.

“Ahead of the 2022 World Championships taking place right in the heart of Edinburgh, we want to bring people into orienteering and show them how much fun it can be for them and their families. We hope lots of people will enjoy these events and end up joining local orienteering clubs before enjoying the same course as the elite runners in two and a half years’ time!”

You can find more information and sign up for Midday Map Runs at scottish-orienteering.org/edinburgh

Events will take place on six Wednesdays from March 18 to the start of May, with the two Wednesdays each side of Easter acting as “catch up weeks” for those who miss an event.

Can you help make Midday Map Runs a success?

If you’ve ever wanted to get your Edinburgh friends and colleagues into orienteering, this is the chance!

As well as volunteers who can help on the day, we’d really love the orienteering community to please get behind this and help promote it to your friends and colleagues.

Please get as many friends and colleagues as you can to sign up, and you can email edinburgh@scottish-orienteering.org if you’d like a printable poster or leaflet you can share.

Edinburgh-O Midday Map Run Dates:

Wed March 18

Wed March 25

Wed April 1

*Easter Break*

Wed April 22

Wed April 29

Wed May 6