Map & Compass

The mainstay of all good navigation, and when in remote areas, essential items to carry, even if just as a backup to another your handheld satnav.

The Brace Position
The brace position creates a stable platform to both take precise bearings and when working with the map and compass together.

Creating Radial Arms with the Sun to Navigate
A radial arm is any object which is clearly visible and gives you a reference to the cardinals of the compass, in this instance using the sun as the reference point.

Orienting the Map
All maps are drafted with north at the top – by rotating the map to align with north you will match the position of the features you can see around you to those on the map.

Taking a compass bearing from a landscape feature
This is a fundamental technique for all navigation and enables you to hold your course even if the feature is not always visible.

Taking a compass bearing from a map
An essential technique, where you can choose any feature whatsoever on a map, at any distance, and determine exactly which direction it is from where you are.

Walking on a bearing
How to accurately walk on a bearing to a feature using your compass.

Handrailing
A handrail is an easily identifiable linear feature, marked on your map that you can follow towards your next attack point.

Using pacing to measure distance
Determining how many paces it takes for you personally to walk 100 m, you use this known number of steps to establish how far you have travelled.

Using timing to gauge distance travelled
If you know your speed, you can easily work out how far you have travelled by timing how long you have been walking.