navigation

[Ehecatl]

Although the moss direction does work, you can find yourself in some woods where all the trees have moss and can also be on all sides, !
Dave

Surely this would mean you'd be at the North Pole? [discuss]

M@

[Dave ward]

Although in some cases the moss on tree trunks can be a good pointer i think in dense woodland etc it is just not a reliable pointer. I have been told that wind can be used to help you find water which in turn you can follow. I was once told that wind blows to large water source's in the morning and away from it in the afternoon, its ment to be something to do with air pressure over the water. At least if its true you can follow a stream/lake and hopefully reach safety but at least you'll have a source of water and possible food.

[Mark46w]

I think most of the obvious answers have been covered,but I agree with BJ on the stick in the ground method.
Does he get a prize?

[Silverback]

Although in some cases the moss on tree trunks can be a good pointer i think in dense woodland etc it is just not a reliable pointer. I have been told that wind can be used to help you find water which in turn you can follow. I was once told that wind blows to large water source's in the morning and away from it in the afternoon, its ment to be something to do with air pressure over the water. At least if its true you can follow a stream/lake and hopefully reach safety but at least you'll have a source of water and possible food.

Water always flows downhill. Follow a stream, to a river etc....usually will lead to some habitation. There's an exception to this.....Kinder Downfall flows uphill in strong winds

[Dave ward]

Well there's been some great methods here! Seems the stick and shadow is up there with the needle and water method, as for prizes, ummm we'll you get a congratulations from us all here

[andy202wr]

Phone my mate up. He has an app that can track a mobile phone if he has the No.
Ask him where I am , then use the compass on my mobile to find my way out.

[Bob W]

Find some shade and place a stick in ground vertically the sun will cast a shadow. Mark the end of the shadow with a stone. Rest for a quarter of an hour in the shade and enjoy the holiday. then place another stone on the end of the shadow which will now have moved . Draw a line between the two and you have a definite fix knowing the sun's path.

I often wander off on holiday, especially when the wife is in the shops. ( after all it's a holiday and a break from my usual role of "paying and carrying")

That will actually give you north I believe. In both hemeispheres!!

[Bob W]

If it's dark and you can see the plough, follow the two stars that form the back of the blade, the first bright star that a line drawn between these is the north star.

http://www.satsig.net/maps/how-to-fi...-pole-star.htm

But everyone already knows this I suppose!

[Under My Basha]

I always turn at track junctions and memorise the picture, started doing this because the return never looks the same to me lol.

Quick trick I learnt for distance from a guru, if you have a analog watch and set it to 12:00 then pull the crown out and using that run it along your route on a map then when finished run it backwards on the maps scale counting the units until it rewinds to 12:00 you have your distance. Thought its a clever trick and better than playing with string over swagging it.

[Rasputin]

Although the moss direction does work, you can find yourself in some woods where all the trees have moss and can also be on all sides, ! Also another method is that trees will grow more branches on the southern side due to more light exposure etc giving a ticking effect, these are guides not exact science Attachment 6755 this picture I took kind of knocks that theory also most growth was on the north west side, but this was due to these hazel stumps being in the bottom of valley so the light was bouncing of the opposite valley side and the bank and larger trees were blocking out the sun on the southern side. it's just a matter of reading the signs of the land to try and work out direction. The natural navigator book is a great little read as is Harold Gattys book


Dave

+ 1