Last year, I was a Scouter with a group of Beavers here in Ottawa. One of the activities that I organized was an orienteering challenge, where the beavers had to navigate their way from clue to clue using a compass. It was a pretty big hit with the kids, so I thought that I’d write it up in case others want to use it.
There are four different trails, all starting from this bench in the south-east end of the park. The numbers of steps given are kid-sized steps.
What I did is to mark the locations for each clue with a bit of tape, and then once we arrived at a clue location, one of the scouters would read the next clue in the sheet. I was worried that if I left the actual clues at the locations, one group would take them when they discovered them, which would make it impossible for the next group.
If you have a bit of caution tape, that’s perfect, because nobody messes with caution tape, but any kind of marker will do. Just remember to pick up all of your markers afterwards.
If you do this activity and find that something’s changed (a tree got cut down, or someone removed the chair) please leave a comment.
Trail 1
- Follow the path N 50 steps and look at the rocks for the next clue.
- Go N another 40 steps, look for the memorial stone. Another 10 steps N, the next clue is behind the bench.
- Look E for a pole. What is the number on it? (X39034)
- Go back to the path and continue N. At the entrance to the park there is a maple tree with a post next to it. Find the post.
- Find 1 piece of litter (not 1 per person) and put it in the garbage.
- Go west 180 steps to the large tree on the N side of the path. What species of tree is this?
- Go S. The next clue is in the fir trees
- Go S until you get to the berm with a path on top. Turn E and go to the next bench (you should be back at the start)
Trail 2
- Go S and take the south fork. Look for the tree next to the water with the long, slender leaves.
- Keep going along the trail. It will curve SW and at the entrance to a group of the trees is the next clue.
- Look for a concrete pad where a house used to be, to the W side of the path. Do not climb up onto the concrete (there is glass). It is said that the ghosts of the house’s occupants still party there at night.
- Go back to the start.
Trail 3
- Look for a path heading E. Go 40 steps, there will be a tree to the NE. Find the clue.
- Go SW 70 steps to a green hut. Find the clue.
- Emergency Evacuation! Half of the group has been injured and you need to carry them to the evacuation point, 25 steps SW of you. Each healthy person has to carry 1 injured person on their back. Watch out for dog poo!
The next clue is on the Tamarack tree (needles and tiny cones) - Follow the trail W until the next intersection, about 30 steps away. Look on a tree to the South. Note – there is wild parsnip to the North.
- Go SW 60 steps, next clue is on a pole.
- Take the W fork, once you get close to the parking lot, the next clue is behind one of the rocks.
- Head N to the light post next to the baseball diamond.
- Run backwards to the tree to the S
- Run sideways W to the white post.
- Go NE and follow the fence to the NE corner of the baseball diamond
- Go back to the start.
Trail 4
- Go W 100 steps. There are 2 plaques on the S side of the path and one on the N side. What are the 4 first names? The tree for Deirdre has the next clue.
- Go W, where the path turns S, look for the next clue.
- Continue S 44 steps until there is a manhole on the W side of the trail.
- Go 30 steps S, turn E at the intersection, go 30 steps E, turn S, go to the end of the path to the Southernmost rock.
- SSW there is a sign. The clue is on the back.
- Go W to the big tree.
- NNW there’s a path that leaves the field. Take it, and at the 4-way intersection there is a sign to the N. The clue is behind it.
- Follow the trail NE back to the start (just follow the same path)