using a compass

Compasses can seem like the best bit of kit around but how do you really get the most from it? The first thing is the red end of the needle points north. You better believe it! Once, when I was lost amid thousand of rotting tree stumps on the Williston lake- a huge man made lake 400km long in northern canada, because the land didn't seem to match the map I actually began to doubt the compass. I said to myself 'is the red bit really north'. That's the thing about navigation, you have to really trust your instruments- if you don't, you might as well not have them.

OK, the red bit points north, then what? Well, compasses are good for several things. First- walking towards something in a certain direction and keeping on that direction. To do this you need to sight up the compass on a distant landmark that is in the same direction as you want to go, then walk to the landmark. The problems often start when you go around the landmark and you change your course a bit. Then when you sight up the compass for a new landmark you've gone off a bit. If you go off a few degrees  each time you go round a landmark then over time you can really veer off course. So, before you line up a new landmark, face where you have come from and check the bearing- it should the dead opposite of the one you walked on.

Second you can use the compass to orientate a map to the same way that the land looks. If you lay out the map and align the north of the compass with the lines going up and down the map the top of the map will point north. If you then face north using your compass the map will look like the land ahead.

Lastly a compass can help get you out of somewhere when you're lost. Before setting out notice a 'general escape direction'. In other words, if things go wrong which is the general direction I should walk to find help quickest? Make this a habit so when things go wrong you're ready. For example in the Western desert of Egypt the general escape direction is always due east to the main oasis road. So even without a compass you can find your way- in the evening walk with the sun setting behind you, in the morning walk into the sun. but if you have your compass it's even easier.