A NEW permanent orienteering course has been launched at Arrow Valley Park.
It’s all the work of the Harlequins Orienteering Club and involves using a map to find a series of checkpoints – and discover some of the less-visited parts of the park.
Starting from near to the Visitor Centre, the updated course offers a total of eight different routes, ranging from a 1.2km family-friendly taster to a challenging 9km trail run.
In total there are 30 checkpoints to find plus a wheelchair-accessible course.
Marian White from Harlequins Orienteering Club, said: “As lockdown restrictions begin to ease, permanent orienteering courses have proved to be very popular.
“Lots of people have been looking for new types of socially-distanced exercise or family activities, and orienteering is ideal for this.
“Arrow Valley Park is the perfect place to try orienteering for the first time, as there’s a really interesting mix of woods, meadows and open spaces, plus you’re never too far from a main path.
“The course also finishes right next to the Visitor Centre, so you can reward yourself afterwards with an ice-cream from the kiosk, or a refreshing drink from the outdoor bar!”
The team from Harlequins have worked with Rubicon Leisure and Redditch Borough Council to refresh, update and extend the course in time for summer.
Councillor Mike Rouse, deputy leader of Redditch Borough Council and portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said: “I’m very impressed with what Harlequins have put together.
“I can’t wait to take my kids to have a go, as they love visiting the park and this is something a bit different for us to try. This is a great example of the council working in partnership with local groups to deliver something of real value to Redditch.”
For more information, search Arrow Valley Orienteering on Facebook. The introductory course map, with details of the first four courses, is available free of charge from the Arrow Valley Visitor Centre kiosk, or can be downloaded from: https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/poc/arrow_valley_country_park
