Orienteering means maps, forests and adventure. You can walk, jog or run and choosing your route to the red and white markers is fun. It does not matter how old, young or fit you are - you go at your own pace. If you like excitement, fresh air and exploring the countryside then Orienteering is the sport for you.

Orienteering can best be described as competitive navigation on foot. You find your way around a course going from point to point using a specially drawn large scale map and a compass. No expensive kit is needed - just sensible outdoor clothes (long trousers are compulsory at most events), a good pair of trainers, a red pen, a clear polythene bag to put the map in and a whistle for safety.

Getting started is easy. Each league event has 5 courses. If you are new to the sport, you can start with the beginners courses of about 3 kilometres (white and yellow), and when you get more confident, you can move up to the intermediate courses of about 4 kilometres (orange and light green). In addition, there is a longer course of about 5 kilometres (blue), aimed at experienced orienteers.

SWELL is the South and West Essex Local League which is run by Havering and South Essex (HAVOC) and Chigwell and Epping Forest (CHIG) orienteering clubs. There are eight events held on either a Saturday or Sunday between September and April each year. There is an end-of-season event, when the certificates and trophies are presented.

There is a series of leaflets to help people start Orienteering. If you would like more information please contact Graham Batty

2009/2010 SWELL LEAGUE EVENTS:

Results 2009/10

Results 2007/8

Time:
All events have Registration from 10am until at least 11am. Starts will be from 10.30 until 11.30 (12.30 on Sundays). Courses close at 1pm on Saturdays and 2pm on Sundays. 
Courses:
All events will have courses suitable for beginners, improvers and experienced orienteers. 
(a minimum of colour coded standard White, Yellow, Orange, Light Green and Blue courses)
There will be help and advice for beginners at every event. (Please contact the Co-ordinator if you wish to bring a large group so that we can make arrangements to give you extra help with Registration and allocating Courses and Start times etc.)
Cost:
Saturday events: Seniors: approximately £4 Juniors: £1.50 
Sunday events: Seniors: approximately £5 Juniors: £2 
The events on Sundays are larger events, with a wider range of courses and normally a larger map. 
We charge £2 extra to adults who are not members of an orienteering club. 
All events normally use electronic punching (SI). There will be an additional charge of £1 to hire an electronic punching “dibber” if you do not own one. 
Car parking:
NB Essex County Council levies a car parking fee of £2 per car. 
Dogs: 
Unless otherwise stated dogs are welcome at these events, but must be under strict control at all times, both in the Registration area and in the competition area. 

HAVOC’s website is at www.orienteering-havoc.co.uk
CHIG’s website is at www.chig.org.uk
SWELL coordinator can be contacted: swell@havoc.co.uk or Tel: 01277 213758
Please contact the SWELL coordinator is you wish to be added to an e-mailing list to remind you of forthcoming events and to send you details of events in Essex and Kent run by other clubs.