Navigation Skills
Course
In Penrith
Description
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Type
Course
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Location
Penrith
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Duration
3 Days
This Lake District Navigation Skills course aims to give you the map and compass skills to enable you to navigate in all weathers and is suitable for beginners upwards.
Facilities
Location
Start date
Start date
Reviews
Course programme
INTRODUCTION:
The ability to navigate accurately is a really important skill for all hill walkers. In British mountains in particular the weather and visibility can change very rapidly, making it especially important for mountain users to be able to navigate effectively even in limited visibility. This LAKE DISTRICT NAVIGATION SKILLS course aims to give you the map and compass skills to enable you to navigate in all weathers and is suitable for beginners upwards.
The course is based in the Ullswater area and kicks off with an introduction indoors, followed by a day out on the fells learning about contours, learning to pace and time distances, and getting to grips with really understanding what the map is showing us and how landscape features are represented. Many navigation skills course participants liken this day to learning a new language, and are pleasantly surprised at how fast they can learn it! On day 2, we consolidate on the skills learnt on day 1, and also get to grips with taking and following compass bearings, and understanding the right situations to use a range of new techniques such as following 'handrails, 'aiming off' and using 'attack points'.
MAIN TOPICS COVERED
- Maps, scales, grid system, grid references
- Concept of the three D's - Direction, Distance and Detail
- The Compass, different types, advantages and disadvantages, measuring and taking bearings, allowing for magnetic variation
- Techniques for following bearings in bad visibility, back bearings
- Pacing distances and timing distances, all measuring and calculations,
- Understanding Contours - the shape of the land - and interpreting map features
- Navigation in very poor visibility
- Navigating around obstacles
- Routefinding skills - using the natural land 'flow' - hazard awareness- Equipment review- GPS and Memory Map
The maximum ratio at any one time will be 1:6, and it will often be lower than this, enabling us to give high levels of personal instruction.
Additional information
Students per class: 6
Navigation Skills