The lost art of navigation?

[Henry Porter]

I find the best navigational aid for races is a good knowledge of vests. As we know the definition of 'navigational error' in fell running is 'following the wrong person'.

[DrPatrickBarry]

I find the best navigational aid for races is a good knowledge of vests.

One of our Pennine members got asked during a long welsh race by an Eryri runner which way is it? So I am not so sure your methodology is foolproof

[RachFR]

One of our Pennine members got asked during a long welsh race by an Eryri runner which way is it? So I am not so sure your methodology is foolproof

During Borrowdale someone said they thought I should know what I was doing because I was wearing a Dark Peak vest. My response was that only holds in the Peak District! (And not always then )

[Luv Shack]

Not sure if this has been mentioned already (apologies if so) but I've been doing a few events organised by Orienteering clubs over the last year or two. My local one is Manchester District (or MDOC) and they put on a varied calendar and are open to people turning up if you drop the organiser an email. Many are open score type events of between 1hr/90mins and very accessible - you have to get as many controls as poss within a certain time. There is sure to be an orienteering club near you wherever you are within reason. Here's MDOC's events list:

http://www.mdoc.org.uk/mdoc_fixtures.htm

Its certainly not a lost art with these lot - many youngsters doing it with great skill and having a great time too. My 10 yr old boy and I have really enjoyed going along together for some 'cunning running'.

I dont think nav on fell races is generally hard - just that some people can't be bothered to learn very basic stuff. More about habit and patience (i.e not running off into the mist without mentally marking a reference point/glancing at the compass, and not always following whoever is in front without checking for yourself, just hoping they've got it right). Although I've been guilty of all that many times.

Well said Will - plus a good plug for MDOC, who do put on some great "O" Events; ideal stuff for learning & honing Nav Skills.

Plus - as Will is doing with his Lad, starting from an early age is definately a big advantage; I can still remember being handed an old copy of the 1" Peak District OS, aged 9'ish and told I could head off with my mates to find Robin Hoods Picking Rods - some 5+ miles away from home, we made it there and back...and learned a lot too. A number of Pals' also organise impromptu' Nav Events for kids, thru's schools and also for kids' parties etc - they are great fun and ofen a first step into truly understanding the meaning of a map and the topography & landscape you are travelling thru.

As you will have gathered it's a subject close to my heart and sort of why the Kinder Trial came about....and of course like others on this thread I can "get lost" a bit too....

[that_fjell_guy]

"....get lost!".

I thought we only ever get mis-placed!!

[mr brightside]

I am sometimes geographically mislocated, having followed a cartographically misconstrued line.

[DrPatrickBarry]

I am sometimes geographically mislocated, having followed a cartographically misconstrued line.

I think you were actually locationally challenged

[XRunner]

I have enjoyed running in some of the more inaccessible areas of the world (China, India and Africa) where high quality ordinance survey maps do not exist.

This brings a new challenge of route finding while using a compass to pinpoint locations and a rather crude, small-scale map - often little better than a blank piece of paper, to remind me!

The best method I used was to do short runs over the same area of ground very frequently to familiarise myself with the topography and gradually extend the runs into new territory.

[Hes]

ha ha ha...me too! My problem is that sometimes I haven't yet arrived at the place where I think I am. This is mainly due to not mentally adjusting to a map with a scale that is different to the ones I'm used to...race maps tend to be the main culprits! I don't like the contours on the Harveys maps either, I prefer OS maps, but I know I just have to suck it up and get on with it if I'm ever going to be any good at navigation.

I am sometimes geographically mislocated, having followed a cartographically misconstrued line.

[Latege]

I have enjoyed running in some of the more inaccessible areas of the world (China, India and Africa) where high quality ordinance survey maps do not exist.

This brings a new challenge of route finding while using a compass to pinpoint locations and a rather crude, small-scale map - often little better than a blank piece of paper, to remind me!

The best method I used was to do short runs over the same area of ground very frequently to familiarise myself with the topography and gradually extend the runs into new territory.

My approach too (in such locations). Works most of the time too, though I have sometimes underestimated the "extensions". But I did find it slightly unnerving when I needed to walk to a village 16 miles away without really knowing the way. There was a sand track to follow, but plenty of dead-end off-shoots to confuse the issue. I remember a couple of hours into the walk thinking I'd never go out so unprepared in England and wishing an O/S map or equivalent was available.

We've got the best in this country, may as well make the most of them.