The benefits of good navigational skills.
Basic map and compass skills are useful for many walkers and essential in hilly, heavily wooded and remote areas. Even if you are following a signed route or using a guidebook, knowing how to find your way around with a map will give you more options for diversions and escape routes, and help if you get lost or encounter damaged or missing signs.
The ability to safely navigate is a core skill of a walk leader, and a useful skill for any walker to have. Appropriate navigation skills enable you to:
- Accurately plan a trip
- Comunicate the plan to others
- Estimate the time a walk is likely to take
- Change plans when something unexpected happens
- Communicate positional information to the emergency services if needed.
Ramblers Factsheets: Navigation Skills - Introduction Navigation Skills - Learning and Development Navigation Skills - Technology
Ramblers Resources - Navigation Navigation Videos
Our simple approach to navigating your walking route - Build your confidence with the five Ds method.
Ordnance Survey Resources
The Ordinance Survey provides a wide range of resources on map reading for both adults and children
Map Reading - from the beginner to the advanced map reader.
Map Reading Skills - Beginner's Guides
A guide to Ordnance Survey grid references
OS Locate - Do you know where you are?
Make the most of your adventures in the great outdoors with OS Locate. Used alongside your Ordnance Survey map, OS Locate is a fast and highly accurate means of pinpointing your exact location on the map, anywhere in Great Britain. More information
Maps
The entire Ordnance Survey (OS) map range is available free online on Bing Maps Note: on Bing Maps use the box top right to select Ordnance Survey option.
OS App - OS Maps anytime, anywhere.
Get unlimited mapping on any device making it easy for you to explore the great outdoors. Find curated premium trails for walks, cycling and more. NOTE: Subscription required - More information
Great though the internet and tech is please always carry a paper map with you.
Using a Compass - Compass bearing - YouTube
Books worth having a look at:
Navigation for Walkers - by Julian Tippett ISBN 978 1 904207 62 7
Map and Compass - The Art of Navigation by Pete Hawkins ISBN 1 85284 3942
Hill Walking - The official handbook of the Mountain Leader & Walking Group Leader Schemes, written by Steve Long with contributions from MTT Staff ISBN 0-9541511-0-0
Navigation - Techniques and skills for walkers by Pete Hawkins ISBN 978 1 85284 490 5
Navigating with a GPS - Effective skills for the outdoors by Pete Hawkins ISBN 978 1 85284 491 2
Ultimate Navigation Manual - all the techniques you need to become an expert navigator by Lyle F Brotherton ISBN 978-0-00-742460-3 Link to training videos.
Mountaincraft and Leadership - Eric Langmuir, ISBN 1-85060-295-6
Recognised as the official handbook of the Mountain Leader Training Boards of the UK the book is an invaluable reference for everyone, whether novice walker or experienced mountain leader, who wishes to venture into and enjoy the British hills in safety.