With shorter days, and wintry cold weather now here, finding your way in the outdoors can become a challenging prospect.
And it is not just the weather that poses a challenge: a lack of navigation knowledge can be just as perilous.
That is why Ramblers Scotland has launched a free, comprehensive series of new videos to tackle one of the biggest barriers to getting out into nature: the fear of getting lost.
Made up of 17 short, accessible episodes and packed full of tips, tricks and tactics, A Beginner’s Guide to Navigation is free and is designed to take the mystery out of the art of navigation and give everyone all the skills they need to get out exploring.
Presented by experienced mountain leaders – Ramblers Scotland’s Out There Award co-ordinator Sam Knight and its Arran-based vice-president Lucy Wallace – each video is around two minutes long guiding viewers from the basics of reading a map to more advanced techniques.
Sam, from Edinburgh, said: “With the nights drawing in and harsher winter weather on the way, it’s the perfect time to develop your navigation skills, regardless of whether you’re a beginner or a hardened hillwalker.
“It’s been great to work with our vice-president Lucy to create a range of simple films that provide bitesize guidance and share our passion for navigation, demonstrating that it’s fun to learn and you can practise it anywhere, even round your local area. We hope that these videos help walkers enjoy safe days out that are memorable for all the right reasons.”
Finding your way in the great outdoors can be intimidating: a recent Ramblers study revealed that 21 per cent of people between 18-54 cited concerns about getting lost as a reason why they did not go out walking.
The training is not just limited to physical maps, it also covers navigating using your phone. Jargon free and easy to follow, they are useful preparation for taking your first step out into nature.
As well as some fundamental techniques, from map reading to compass basics, A Beginner’s Guide to Navigation also covers a range of practical advice for finding your way in different surroundings.
A Beginner’s Guide to Navigation is now available at ramblers.org.uk/navigation.
Caption: A recent Ramblers study revealed that 21 per cent of people aged between 18-54 said worry of getting lost was a reason why they did not go out walking. The new Ramblers guide can help with that.
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