Change your Direction
Something new?
Are you looking for something new? Something a bit different to the usual trail running scene?
Taking part on your own, with mates, in pairs or teams?
Something all the family can do?
Learning new skills, in an awesome, friendly environment?
Then keep reading, as this may be the one for you.
Navigation Trails – something new?
Navigation Trails
We’ve just launched a brand new navigation pilot event at Rydal Hall, Ambleside, Lake District on Saturday 25th May, and it’s proved a huge success with around 100 adults and 50 children taking part in glorious spring sunshine.
The beautiful gardens of Rydal Hall made for a spectacular finish
The event, called Navigation Trails, attracted newcomers to try their hand at navigation, with an emphasis on family fun and inclusion for all ages and abilities.
Family fun on the Navigation Trails
Courses were created so that everyone and anyone can take part – walkers, joggers and runners, up to international standard trail, fell and mountain runners.
GB International mountain runner, Chris Holdsworth, taking part in his first ever navigation event
No previous experience is necessary, you don’t even need a compass. We provide specially drawn course maps and SportiDent timing ‘dibbers’
Specially drawn course maps
Rydal Hall
The venue Rydal Hall and Showfield was perfect for an event of this nature, with check points on easy to find obvious features, such as boulders, small hills and mature trees.
Finish run in at Rydal HallÂ
It’s about direction awareness and distance judgement, getting people used to map symbols and finding their own way around a course using a specially drawn map.
Our giant Maze
Amazing the kids
Shorter courses and a huge maze provided day long entertainment and were a big hit with children.
Spectacular scenery on the Navigation Trails
Navigation Trails, is a not-for-profit venture and has been created as a Tribute to my Dad, Alistair, who was one of the early navigation pioneers in the UK, back in the 1960’s. As the founder of Lakeland Trails and after becoming World Masters Orienteering Champion in 2022, I was in a unique position, able to bring all my event experiences into creating something new, exciting and different.
Event Director, Graham Patten, here running on the Lakeland Trails in Keswick
Recognising that there’s few, if any, inspiring events in the UK for newcomers to practice and develop their navigation skills, my ideas revolved around courses that help people gain confidence first, before moving on to the more technical elements. I found this out for myself the hard way when I started back in orienteering six years ago, after a thirty year break. I was hopeless, often getting lost and feeling completely out of my depth.
Lakeland Trails in Keswick
It’s a similar reason to why I started the Lakeland Trails 20 years ago. Moving to the Lake District in 1999, I realised there wasn’t anything for non-fell runners to gain off-road running experience, so Lakeland Trails provided a stepping stone into the world of fell running, effectively bringing the sport of trail running to the UK at the same time.
Fun on the Navigation Trails at RydalÂ
Now I’m hoping something similar can happen with Navigation Trails using a European, all-inclusive, ‘big occasion’ style of approach.
From all the smiles and happy people on Saturday, it looks like it may be another winning formula.
Why not change your direction and give something new a try? Come and join us for the next one!
Find our more from our event website: www.navigationtrails.com
Graham
Graham Patten
Event Director
VO2 Max Events
Navigation Trails
This first pilot event was a collaboration between key members of Warrior, Lakeland and West Cumberland orienteering clubs, and supported Ambleside AC Juniors who were providing volunteer marshals for the event.