News from Peak Navigation Courses

How to use a compass A compass is a simple and brilliant navigation tool.  At the very least it will have a needle that points north which will allow you to orientate your map and give you a rough indication of which way to walk.  If you have one designed for hill walking, mountaineering and orienteering then you will have "the full monty" and be able to use it for accurate map reading and navigation.  The compass used to illustrate this blog is a Silva type 4 Expedition (not the military version) and is a great all round compass. In this short feature I can't teach you all of the techniques involved in navigation but will show you how to use a compass to navigate across a short stretch of open moorland from a known point (where you are) to another point (where you want to go). Step 1: I want to navigate from the Trig Point 590m to Madwoman's Stones. Step 2: Lay the edge of the compass across the Trig Point 590m and Madwoman's ...

Each year, autumn sees an increase in people booking onto our navigation and map reading courses . We like to think that this is in preparation for winter where shorter days and the chance of poor weather can be more of a challenge if someone were to get misplaced in the mountains or on the moors. However the reality is that a significant number of people go out walking over the summer, enjoy it but get a bit lost. It’s this group that provide the majority of our autumn bookings. Introduction to Moorland Navigation Course Peak Navigation Courses provide a range of map reading courses and navigation courses from complete beginner to expert standard where people attend to refine or revise their skills.  Our Introduction courses both start with around 1.5 hours spent in the classroom (Foolow Village Hall) which is then followed by a walk taking in a range of landscapes that includes both open moorland and fields.  Both Introductory courses teach the basics of navi...

We have never stipulated which type of compass to bring along on one of our skills courses.  However recently a number of people have turned up with inappropriate compasses or even compasses that don’t work! Compasses without “orienting” lines in the middle compass housing make taking a bearing difficult or impossible.  We have even come across an imitation of a Silva type 4 (without a brand name) that pointed south instead of north! Compasses from reputable brands (Silva, Sunto, Recta, etc.) should do the job but for learning purposes a decent length of base plate and a range of measuring scales is helpful. The compass that we would choose is the Silva Expedition 4 (but make sure it’s not the military model). Shopping around (Amazon) you can get one for less than £20 and unless you are like me and shut one in the car door they will last many years! Peak Navigation Courses run navigation classes at all levels throughout the year based in the Peak District ...