The lost art of navigation?

[Tiff]

I've had my eye on Sedbergh Hills. A perusal of the net to try to source some route info took me to this: http://www.racemaps.org.uk/sedbergh/sedbergh.htm.
Thanks. But the author's tale made me think; is it common now that folk are using GPS to navigate? Is this within the rules, or spirit, of our noble pastime? Is navigation a dying art, a skill destined to extinction?

[OnTor]

i've been out on Dartmoor when the rain and fog have been so heavy that the GPS had no signal. Navigation will always be vital.

[The Navigator]

I will continue to fly the flag!

[Latege]

Cairngorm MRT was called out four times last w/e by or for people who were relying on iphones for nav. GPS is a convenient extra (and I really like being able to quickly upload a route once I'm back home and have a record of where I've been etc. similar to how it's used on the racemaps website) but it's no substitute for proper nav. skills.

[that_fjell_guy]

We have a Garmin GPS but I've never used it! I'm generally a technophobe. Tho my Garmin watch has grid references etc once I look at the instructions.

[paulo]

I've spent far more time than is good for me reading forum threads, race reports etc in the last couple of weeks to find out more about various ultras. One thing that has really struck me is how many people who freely admit to being unable to navigate nevertheless enter events where nav skills and self reliance are required and may be key to safety. Many are much better runners than me and some will be displaying false modesty but even so - to enter the Fellsman, UTLD 100 and such like with no nav skills? Crazy, potentially dangerous and unfair to the RO and to the other competitors you will be relying on IMHO. Last year on the LDMT I kept bumping in to a very nice rather poshly spoken chap who made his way round by repeatedly asking anybody and everybody where he was on the map, what way they were going to the next CP, can i join you etc - I mean, why choose the Mountain Trial of all things when you know you can't read a map? I'm not some po faced traditionalist, indeed have often been accused of not taking things seriously enough myself, but it seems very wrong that this attitude is so common and apparently regarded as acceptable by many people and something to be boasted of and joked about in race reports. Or maybe I'm becoming a grumpy old git :angry:

P

[Stolly]

I kind of like getting lost in the hills and then successfully unlosing myself. Thats a real navigation art . On the plus side, going off beam is a fantastic way to get to know an area and be much better prepared for next time whereas these highfalutin 'get your map out and navigate properly-er's never nearly have so much fun or get to see so much as me

[shaunaneto]

Ahh, Stolly. The ability to relocate must be one the key skill of navigation.

I'm always surprised by the number of walkers I meet who are heavily reliant on GPS for navving in the hills. Even on crystal clear days!

[Hanneke]

And still find themselves on Robinson while they insist they are on Catbells, because that is what the Satnav tells them :-O

Ahh, Stolly. The ability to relocate must be one the key skill of navigation.

I'm always surprised by the number of walkers I meet who are heavily reliant on GPS for navving in the hills. Even on crystal clear days!

[Stolly]

Just before the Borrowdale fell race I happened to compare my compass (which was pointing north as you might expect) to Hester's which had the red arrow firmly pointing south! She was somewhat sceptical that her compass was wrong and compared it to Gavin's, another runner nearby. Gavin's compass too was pointing south! But both of their (micky mouse) compasses were absolutely wrong.

Never mind GPS, don't always trust your compass