Navigation Training
Map and Compass: Walk your own way
Useful things
This is where we will put resources and links to the things that we find helpful.
Navigation resources
There are lots of these available, here are some that we have used and liked:
Cath's book: Navigate your way around the South Pennines
Navigation - Finding your way on mountain and moorland. Kevin Walker. £12.99
Navigation - Techniques and skills for walkers. Pete Hawkins . £8.99
How to use a compass to take a bearing
Mountain Safety site - some great resources here for hill walking
Lyle Brotherton's Ultimate Navigation Manual and other resources
Navigation Skills from Mountaineering Scotland
GPS Training, excellent trainers and resources
Jak's resources list, lots of ideas on here
Short videos
How to use walking poles, courtesy Chris Townsend and BMCTV
How to use a layering system, courtesy Chris Townsend and BMCTV
The magic and mystery of Naismith's rule
This is as simple or as complicated as you like, the following sites can help to unravel how long it takes to get where you are going:
Maps, maps, we love maps
Well it stands to reason that they will figure quite highly! Here are some of our favourite map places:
Walk Highlands (register to access GPS planner for free, uses OS 1:25K mapping)
Bing Maps (select Ordnance Survey for free access to 1:25K mapping)
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Miscellaneous
Mountain Weather Information Service
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Top 3 Tips for hiking
1 Footwear is as important as the tyres on a car, keep your boots clean and proofed and carry a spare pair of laces.
2 Water is more vital than food, think clean maybe use a filter bottle like Water2Go or a bladder. Keep bladder clean between trips by sterilising using e.g. Steradent tablets or Milton solution, rinse out thoroughly and keep in the freezer.
3 If it moves, tie it down. We've lost maps and kit by not having them properly attached. Fix your compass and map to your body, mini carabiner clips or old bootlaces, use whatever works best for you.
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Leave No Trace
We get asked about wild camping. It's only actually legal in Scotland and on Dartmoor. If you do wild camp in England or Wales then you need the permission of the landowner. This isn't so easy so the general advice is to camp at over 600m of height. Make sure your outdoor loo is at least 50m away from water courses. We also promote the 7 principles of Leave No Trace.