How do I navigate in the woods?

[Leigh Robinson]

Hi,

I have been searching all over for this but can't seem to get anywhere.

When I am in the woods I want to be able to navigate. I can use a map and compass fairly well but when there are no discernable features to navigate by it makes it much harder.

I think I need a pedometer or be counting my paces then judging on a map? Can anyone point me in the direction for a source or answer please.

I plan to spend quite a bit of time in the woodlands this year.

I was up snowdon last week and navigated the ranger path. Didn't get to the top though as there was too much ice and thick fog. We nearly made it but had to turn back. Great experience though.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Orienteering is navigating in the woods. Using contours and features with a map and compass for bearings. It's actually micronavigation. Find a local country park that has a permanent course, and try it out. The more experience doing different areas the better. You can only learn thru practice.

Nick

 

[traderran]

Get a good topo map and use the features on it to go by.
falling that get a GPS as it will pinpont you to within feet.
of where you are.

 

[Graham_S]

really for accurate navigation in the woods you need a decent map, a compass, and pace beads.
measure out 100m.
-x--000000000--x--0000---x-
walk it and count your paces.
when you walk 100m, move a bead on the string ( i use 9, then a knot, then 4.)when you've moved all 9, move one of the 4. you've just walked 1km.

 

[BorderReiver]

I would second the orienteering suggestion.

Apart from being good exercise and great fun, it gets you "tuned in" to noticing quite small natural features on the ground. The aiming off technique is a good one to get the hang of in forests and other terrain with fewer obvious features.

 

[Shewie]

Graham beat me to it

I was going to suggest counting beads aswell, just hang them off one of your rucksack straps and knock them off every 100 paces. You can work out your average pace length on flat ground by counting how many steps you take over 100m. Once you've got that worked out you can then take into account uphill and downhill differences. Even slight slopes can make a big difference over a long distance so it's best to break it up into smaller sections, constantly stopping to check your progress.

It's quite good fun to learn it aswell, try it somewhere you're familiar with and see how your paces compare to the actual landscape. Pick out points on a map and navigate to them by taking a bearing and see how paces you take in relation to the actual distance.

It's a useful skill to have for night time aswell

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Yes, aiming off is useful. As is handrailing features and night O is really good fun. It's surprising how you can tune in at night for navigating.

Nick

 

[sandbender]

Try to be more aware of where you are on the map at all times, so rather than checking it every half hour or so check it as you pass each and every feature, always try to know where you are on your map. Pace beads are a worthwhile accessory too and are probably more reliable than a pedometer.

 

[jungle_re]

The technique you need to look at is called Dead Reckoning, it is however reliant on accurate bearings and acurate distance measuring (one of the main tecniques in desert nav where ther are few features including slope). Pacing is by far the best way of easily doing this but you will need to calculate your pacing under different envionment and weight of kit as it will vary quite a bit. Pace beads, tally counter, pocket of stones will all do the same thing and will help keep count.

 

[harryhaller]

http://www.go4awalk.com/navigationskills/

 

[bri66]

Hi Leigh,make sure you keep your nav. sections short as pacing tends to be about 10% inaccurate,fixing your position often,learn to read the contours and practice often.The Orienteering Federation teaching book is a good resource,Brian

 

[Rebel]

GPS :tapedshut Ok I'll get my coat.

 

[philaw]

"Finding Your Way Without Map Or Compass By Harold Gatty" is an interesting book that covers this and you can preview it on google books.