Navigation for Walkers and Bikers

Always getting lost? Break out in a cold sweat when the map gets passed to you? The answer to your problems may be at hand.

Though it may sometimes seem like a mysterious and dark art form, navigation is really just a glorified logic puzzle; think of it as Sudoku on a hill-side. Much like Sudoku, all you need to do is learn how to look for the right clues, use the information in the right way, and away you go. With a bit of practice and a few strategies up the sleeve, even the most committed cartophobe can pop out of the woods in the right place!

We offer two levels of training, Navigation I & II, which are aligned with the National Navigational Award Scheme (NNAS) Bronze and Silver Awards. The courses are designed as a logical progression and will teach the core skills to help you know where you are, where you are going and how to make sure you get there.

The courses will be conducted on foot, and candidates should be fit enough to be able to undertake a journey of several kilometres over mixed terrain. Courses may be a single day of training, or a training day followed by a practical day where you get the chance to put your skills to the test. Students who demonstrate suitable ability on the practical day will receive the appropriate NNAS award. We can schedule private courses for your group if required. Please contact us for further details.

Course costs: single day £70 pp, two day course £120 pp Maps will be provided. Bring the compass you normally use if you have one.

Navigation I Syllabus

• Be familiar with the information a map contains and understand the key differences between different scales of map.
• Be able to relate the map to your surroundings using terrain features and a compass.
• Be able to identify specific locations in terms of a 6-figure grid reference.
• Be able to estimate distance on the map and on the ground.
• Navigate a route using ‘handrail’ features such as paths, and be able to identify your current position.
• Understand access issues, rights and responsibilities, and emergency procedures.

Navigation II Syllabus

• Understand the requirement for ‘Coarse’ and ‘Fine’ navigation and be able to use features to ensure that you are on course.
• Understand and be able to apply the following navigational strategies:
  • Aiming off
  • Attack points
  • Collecting feature
• Be able to demonstrate good route choice, and understand the implications of different route options.
• Judge distance accurately on the map and on the ground.
• Be able to plan a route using the skills above, and be able to work out your position when lost.
• Be able to use a compass to check your direction of travel and the alignment of feature on the map and on the ground.
• Be able to accurately follow a compass bearing.
• Understand the effects of fatigue and bad weather on navigation.
• Understand access issues, rights and responsibilities, emergency procedures.
• Be aware of your environmental impact and responsibilities towards other countryside interests like farming, forestry and conservation. .