Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival
The Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival is held annually in Scotland, usually somewhere within the central belt. The event provides an opportunity for all pupils from P5 up to S6 across Scotland to come together and enjoy orienteering in the outdoors, and in many cases experience something new. Whilst this is a sporting event, the focus is on participation rather than performance and all pupils are welcome. They can run, jog or walk as well as choose to compete individually or as a pair.
The event is usually organised by a Scottish Orienteering Association (SOA) member club, in a different area each year. It is supported by local club volunteers and overseen by the Scottish Schools Orienteering Association as well as the SOA. The SSOF is designed to be an accessible and inclusive introduction to orienteering for newcomers whilst having an element of competition for those that want to race. The courses are set to be appropriate for each age group, with time penalties for wrong or missing controls to ensure everybody gets a result – nobody gets disqualified. There is a focus on fun with plenty of downtime for playing and even an orienteering maze
2026
Venue: Beecraigs Country Park, Linlithgow
Date: Thursday 4th June 2026
Entries: Please head to the SSOA website for more information, entry details and forms for completion. A list of FAQs can be found here. Any issues, get in touch with louise@scottish-orienteering.org
Pupils are expected to have had some experience of orienteering before attending the festival, ideally having participated in at least 3 orienteering training sessions or events, either in school, through a club or at a local event. The ‘Let’s Get Started Orienteering’ resource on the SOA website is a great place to start, or if you require more support or information please get in touch with us at info@scottish-orienteering.org.
We can also provide in-house training and CPD opportunities for teachers and support staff, such as our Introducing Orienteering Course. Please get in touch if you are interested in this opportunity or have any further questions.
Previous events
| Venue | Date |
| Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline | Thursday 5th June 2025 |
| Drumpellier Country Park, Glasgow | Friday 7th June 2024 |
| Callendar Park, Falkirk | Friday 2nd June 2023 |
| Scone Palace, Perth | Wednesday 1st June 2022 |
| Hopetoun House, South Queensferry | Friday 7th June 2019 |
| Pollok Country Park, Glasgow | Friday 1st June 2018 |
Results from previous years can be found on the SSOA website.
