Navigation For Beginners 2

Ok, hopefully you've had a glance at a map and now know all about its scale, grid lines and what contours look like. So, what about this compass thing? It has several bits, but all we're interested in at the moment is the compass needle (often coloured red and white). Left alone and not interfered with, what does the compass needle do? All the time? It points North. With the red bit of the needle pointing to the North. That's all. Till the end of time. Wherever it's put down (except next to something metal or electronic that may affect it of course). Additionally this simple and wonderful instrument can be used to help us find our way around the hills but what it essentially does is point North.

Ok, to a bit of real nav action. Get a map and a compass. Open the map right out and put it on the floor (not to be recommended outdoors in a high wind though!). Put the compass on the floor next to it. Ok, remember the compass needle points North, always. But, think back, where is North on the map? At the top, always. So, if you leave the compass alone (don't touch it!!) and turn the whole map around until the top of the map is pointing in the same direction as the compass needle, what have you just done? It's called setting or orientating the map. It means that the map is now exactly the same way round that the bit of ground that it represents is in real life. Ok? Or, if you were in a helicopter hovering above the ground, the map and ground would line up exactly. This can be difficult to imagine, but is a crucially vital skill to learn. In reality, when on the hill we don't open the whole map out, lay the compass on the ground etc. So, more practically, fold the map up to a reasonably small area, hold the compass anywhere on the map that is convenient (under a thumb on either the left or right side of the map?) and then turn your whole self around (keeping the map and compass firmly held together and flat) until the red compass needle points to the top of the map. Now do this over and over again until setting the map is as familiar as brushing your teeth. Don't worry about twiddling the dial around on the compass or what the numbers are for or anything. Get used to plonking the compass on the map, holding it firmly and turning yourself around until the red needle points to the top of the map. Done.