Permanent courses enable people to try or practise orienteering without having to wait for an event. Instead of orienteering markers, permanent posts are used, usually wooden with a number and a letter routed into it. The number corresponds to the number of the control shown on the map, so that you can check you are at the right control. The letter is written down on the accompanying card to prove that you have been to the right point if needed.

There is usually a selection of suggested routes, linking together different controls, to provide a progression of physical and technical difficulty, with most being aimed at beginners and intermediates.

Permanent courses are also an excellent resource for teachers and leaders wanting to introduce or develop orienteering with their groups, significantly reducing the time and effort required to organise and plan sessions, and removing many of the problems of land access that can be encountered.