Introduction to Navigation
Learn to Navigate or Develop Your Skills on the South Downs in Sussex
If you can read a map but would like to feel more confident in your map reading abilities or if you can't even tell the motorway from the footpath on the map then our one day course can help you. The course is run in the South Downs National Park in Sussex, which makes an ideal safe environment in which to learn these invaluable skills. The South Downs also lend themselves to excellent opportunities for getting out and refining your skills after the completion of the course in such a beautiful and tranquil location, due to the South Downs' ideally situated location near to Winchester, Brighton and Chichester, and even London can be reached in around an hour.
This course will give you the necessary basic skills needed to read a map: working out where you are, where you're going and how to get there; essential skills for all walkers, fell runners, mountaineers, and anyone who might be interested in exploring, on or off the footpaths.
During the course of the day we will cover route planning, map to ground navigation using simple linear features such as paths and tracks, and basic compass work. We will also cover what to do in the event that you are lost and what equipment to take with you for a day in the hills. Often the reason people get into trouble while outdoors is due to a misinterpretation of the map or a lack of essential equipment, so while we can't guarantee that the weather will be nice or the path direct we can help ensure that you will be prepared for these situations!
If you feel you already have these skills and would like to develop your navigational skills further yet, why not take our Intermediate Navigation course?
Introduction to Navigation Course Photos
To view photos from some of our previous Introduction to Navigation courses, please click here.
During the course we will cover
- Map to ground navigation
- Contours and map symbols
- Grid references
- Route planning
- Basic compass techniques
- Equipment selection
- Emergency action plans