IN the sport of orienteering the Lake District provides the best areas in England.

Technically and physically, the wealth of contour detail, rock features, varied vegetation, streams and marshes all make for arduous racing.

Many an experienced orienteer will come unstuck while map-reading on the run. So, just imagine the challenge presented by orienteering over such terrain in the dark.

Last weekend saw the first two major championship races of 2017. Great Tower, an intricate woodland beside Lake Windermere, was the venue for the climax to the winter night navigation season –the British Night Orienteering Championships.

Having secured the senior women's trophy in the Yorkshire and Humber Night Orienteering League, 17 year-old Laura King from Ilkley won the highly-competitive W18 class.

With a winning time of 47min 17sec, a meagre 12 seconds separated the first and second placed runners.

Fellow Ilkley Grammar School student, Lucy Haines, took third place.

With little time to recover both girls then competed in Sunday's Northern Championships held on the Bigland Estate near Newby Bridge.

In the Women's 18 Elite class, Haines and King took third and sixth places respectively with Lucy being crowned northern champion in the W18E class.

Both girls are members of Airienteers, the orienteering club for Airedale and Wharfedale. Aire's next major event will be held on Burley & Ilkley Moors this coming Sunday. Details can be found at https://www.aire.org.uk