I recently wanted to get a book to help improve my navigation when out for a walk. I generally get by but on numerous occasions I have managed to convince myself the OS map had footpaths and hills in the wrong place. In practice most of my walking is in lowland England – mainly Leicestershire – and the books recommended in a recent thread
"Can someone recommend me a good navigation course / book"
in Resources (Sorry – can’t work out how to add a link)– didn’t seem right for what I wanted so I had a look at what was recommended on Amazon. I wanted something that covered lowlands and Peak District etc.
“Navigation for walkers” by Julian Tippett had some good reviews on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Navigation-...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239553315&sr=8-1
and seemed more like what I wanted so I got a copy. Searching on
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/
http://www.comparisonmagic.co.uk/
http://www.bookbrain.co.uk/
http://www.bookkoob.co.uk/
found the best price, including P&P.
The book is excellent.
It contains all-colour map extracts with photos of the actual landscape so that you can better visualise what the map is telling you. ( I don’t know if other books also do this.) It covers both lowland and high land and has a specific chapter on Hill and Moorland navigation.
The chapters are:
What is a map – symbols, grid references etc
Shape of the landscape – reading contours
Where am I – setting the map
Reading the map – making mental images of what you should be seeing
Navigating the route – a drill to follow
The compass – a key support to map reading skill – not a replacement for it
Planning a walk – designing your own walks for YOUR purpose
Hill and moorland navigation – applying the general principles to hills and moorland
If lost – how to get back on track (doesn’t include how to make a cup of tea though)
and are well written and illustrated, and easy to follow.
I tested the book out by trying to follow a route I first attempted a year or so ago but which I gave up when I couldn’t find the way. This time I completed it without any problems.
For me, the top tips from the book include the use of:
• a 1:25000 map rather than a 1:50000 – more detail, including field boundaries which are important in lowland Britain
• a clip-on compass – eg a Silva type 19. I had never seen one of these before - they cost about £13 from Facewest, including delivery http://www.facewest.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=FW&Screen=SRCH&search=silva+19&submit=Search
The book includes a ‘Clippy Card’ that you can use with the Clip-on Compass. For those not familiar with this type of compass (as I wasn't) you clip it to your map and it, together with the Clippy Card, reduces the hassle in orienting it.
• ‘distance measurers’ – these are pre-printed rulers given in the back of the book with distances for 1:25000 and 1:50000. They just make measuring distances between points easier. You may have these already on the base plate of your compass but they are easier to use. I just hung one to the map case with a bit of string. You could make one yourself easily.
• use a small piece of removable, matt Scotch/3M sticky tape – available from large stationers – to place over waypoints on your chosen route. You circle the point with a red permanent marker pen eg ‘Sharpie - this makes it very easy to find where you are on the map
An additional tip, based on my personal experience, is to carry a monocular – smaller and less heavy than binoculars but as useful for navigation and general use. I used to have one of the little ones (eg 8x21) but found it difficult to locate things easily because of the small field of view. I now have an Opticron BGA 8x42. A lot more expensive (eg about £113 from
http://www.hiltonphoto.co.uk/products/details/17.html
but really good in the field for scanning for routes and watching wildlife. Also they are (claimed to be) waterproof. It would also be good at the theatre but I don’t go very often and forget to take it when I do.
One part of the book I have not yet tested is adjusting for magnetic variation. It suggests drawing a ‘correct’ line, for the area in which you are navigating, on the compass housing using semi-permanent ink.
So, in summary, an excellent introduction to navigation that will stand you in good stead.
Just to confirm – I have no connection with the publishers, Julian Tippett or any of the suppliers/products mentioned above.
"Can someone recommend me a good navigation course / book"
in Resources (Sorry – can’t work out how to add a link)– didn’t seem right for what I wanted so I had a look at what was recommended on Amazon. I wanted something that covered lowlands and Peak District etc.
“Navigation for walkers” by Julian Tippett had some good reviews on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Navigation-...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239553315&sr=8-1
and seemed more like what I wanted so I got a copy. Searching on
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/
http://www.comparisonmagic.co.uk/
http://www.bookbrain.co.uk/
http://www.bookkoob.co.uk/
found the best price, including P&P.
The book is excellent.
It contains all-colour map extracts with photos of the actual landscape so that you can better visualise what the map is telling you. ( I don’t know if other books also do this.) It covers both lowland and high land and has a specific chapter on Hill and Moorland navigation.
The chapters are:
What is a map – symbols, grid references etc
Shape of the landscape – reading contours
Where am I – setting the map
Reading the map – making mental images of what you should be seeing
Navigating the route – a drill to follow
The compass – a key support to map reading skill – not a replacement for it
Planning a walk – designing your own walks for YOUR purpose
Hill and moorland navigation – applying the general principles to hills and moorland
If lost – how to get back on track (doesn’t include how to make a cup of tea though)
and are well written and illustrated, and easy to follow.
I tested the book out by trying to follow a route I first attempted a year or so ago but which I gave up when I couldn’t find the way. This time I completed it without any problems.
For me, the top tips from the book include the use of:
• a 1:25000 map rather than a 1:50000 – more detail, including field boundaries which are important in lowland Britain
• a clip-on compass – eg a Silva type 19. I had never seen one of these before - they cost about £13 from Facewest, including delivery http://www.facewest.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=FW&Screen=SRCH&search=silva+19&submit=Search
The book includes a ‘Clippy Card’ that you can use with the Clip-on Compass. For those not familiar with this type of compass (as I wasn't) you clip it to your map and it, together with the Clippy Card, reduces the hassle in orienting it.
• ‘distance measurers’ – these are pre-printed rulers given in the back of the book with distances for 1:25000 and 1:50000. They just make measuring distances between points easier. You may have these already on the base plate of your compass but they are easier to use. I just hung one to the map case with a bit of string. You could make one yourself easily.
• use a small piece of removable, matt Scotch/3M sticky tape – available from large stationers – to place over waypoints on your chosen route. You circle the point with a red permanent marker pen eg ‘Sharpie - this makes it very easy to find where you are on the map
An additional tip, based on my personal experience, is to carry a monocular – smaller and less heavy than binoculars but as useful for navigation and general use. I used to have one of the little ones (eg 8x21) but found it difficult to locate things easily because of the small field of view. I now have an Opticron BGA 8x42. A lot more expensive (eg about £113 from
http://www.hiltonphoto.co.uk/products/details/17.html
but really good in the field for scanning for routes and watching wildlife. Also they are (claimed to be) waterproof. It would also be good at the theatre but I don’t go very often and forget to take it when I do.
One part of the book I have not yet tested is adjusting for magnetic variation. It suggests drawing a ‘correct’ line, for the area in which you are navigating, on the compass housing using semi-permanent ink.
So, in summary, an excellent introduction to navigation that will stand you in good stead.
Just to confirm – I have no connection with the publishers, Julian Tippett or any of the suppliers/products mentioned above.
