A fun family-friendly navigation challenge will run in two Mansfield parks this summer – with the first sessions taking place during Love Parks Week.

Xplorer is the perfect free outdoor activity for primary and pre-school children – and older children and adults can join in too.

The first of the five weekly sessions coincides with Love Parks Week, which runs from 24th July to 2nd August and encourages people to visit, enjoy and take pride in their local parks and green spaces.

Xplorer runs for five weeks on Tuesdays from 28th July at Titchfield Park, Mansfield, and on Wednesdays from 2th9 July at Yeoman Hill Park, Mansfield Woodhouse, from 10am to noon.

Using a map, the aim is to find markers located around the park. At each marker children need to identify what is pictured and can learn a fun fact.

Older children can compete against friends and family to see who can complete the course in the quickest time and younger children will enjoy the excitement of finding the markers.

Everyone who completes a course will get a certificate and there will be different courses and challenges each week.

The navigation challenge is based on orienteering, which is an adventure sport that exercises both the mind and body. No experience of map reading is necessary and you can walk, jog or run the course at your own pace.

Council staff and members of friends’ groups will be on hand to offer guidance at each of the sessions, which are run in conjunction with British Orienteering.

Coun Andrew Tristram, Portfolio Holder for the Environment at Mansfield District Council, said: “Following the success of last year’s Xplorer events when almost 500 people took part, we are very pleased to bring this navigation challenge back to two of our award-winning parks. It is a fun way for all the family to exercise both the mind and body while exploring the great outdoors and best of all – it’s free!”