Difficulty

Green - Beginner

The course is in terrain with clear and connected features such as roads, larger paths, buildings and open land. The controls on a green course must always be placed on handrails and must provide reassurance that the competitor is following the correct route. Control features may be path bends, path junctions, telegraph posts, buildings or other clear features or objects.

White - Very easy

The terrain is the same as for green courses, i.e. clear and connected features, e.g. roads, larger paths, open land and buildings. The controls on a white course must mark only the end of one leg and the start of the next. The control features must therefore be easily identified and distinct. As well as green course features, controls on white courses may also be on e.g. boulders, crags, fences and similar features.

Yellow - Easy

Yellow courses can be in more difficult terrain but runnability and visibility must still be good. The terrain must have a connected network of roads, paths, fences, waterways, open areas etc. Control points may be on more difficult features, for example on the top of a very distinct hill, but must always have a clear attack point. There must be a clear catching feature behind controls.

Orange - Intermediate

Orange and red courses must use runnable terrain, with gentler hills and forest, preferably with areas of cultivated land. Terrain details must be clear. Compared to green, white and yellow courses, more difficult control features may be used, for example larger re-entrants, distinct ridges, hills and crags. There must be a clear feature a maximum of 200 m before the control and a clear catching feature behind it.

Red - Intermediate

Same as for orange courses but you can encounter all types of terrain.

Purple - Intermediate

All types of terrain may be used. Very physically tough terrain should be avoided. All types of control feature may be used. Compared to orange and red courses, purple courses place higher demands on, planning skills, choosing quick routes ahead of safe routes and finding controls without clear catching features behind them.

Blue - Difficult

On blue and black courses, the difficulty should always suit skilled orienteers, even if anyone can compete. The increased difficulty level compared to other courses is because of more orienteering uses contour features, detailed terrain and small features is used

Black - Difficult

Same as for blue courses but you can encounter all types of terrain.