Are you an avid nature lover who occasionally goes hiking in the mountains with friends? Perhaps it has happened to you that you left the trail and needed to be able to orient yourself. Today's modern person has lost their sense of orientation because they rely on their mobile phone and GPS navigation. But what should you do if your phone or navigation doesn't work, or if you find yourself somewhere without any equipment and have to rely only on your own knowledge? How do you orient yourself in nature without tools, using only nature itself? How do you find out where north is? You will find the answers in this article.
Determining cardinal directions in the terrain
Basic orientation lies in the ability to determine the cardinal directions. Experienced hikers know how to orient themselves in nature and in the terrain and can determine the cardinal directions without equipment. It is important to observe nature. At school you learned the natural laws by which you can determine the cardinal directions, but over the years they have been forgotten. Let's refresh this important knowledge with us, which can save your life in some situations.
How to determine the cardinal directions without a compass?
By the Sun
The cardinal directions are very important when finding your way; determining them without tools is easiest using the Sun. When you stand exactly at noon facing your shadow, north is in front of you and south is behind you. With your arms spread out, your left hand points to the west and your right hand to the east.
By a watch
If you find yourself in nature without navigation tools, you can determine the cardinal directions using an analog watch. Point the small hour hand at the Sun, and bisect the angle between this direction and the number 12. The bisector of the angle will show you south. This applies in the northern hemisphere; in the southern hemisphere it is the opposite, and the bisector points to north. You need to make sure the time on your watch matches local time. During daylight saving time, we don't have the true time but a time shifted by one hour, so you should take this into account. In the morning, divide the angle counterclockwise, i.e. to the left, and in the afternoon clockwise, i.e. to the right. When determining the cardinal directions, hold your watch horizontally.
Natural indicators of the cardinal directions
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Deciduous trees - solitary trees, under normal conditions, have denser foliage on the southern side in the northern hemisphere, and on the northern side in the southern hemisphere. Whether you are in the northern or southern hemisphere is determined by the equator. Solitary trees have longer and stronger branches on the south side.
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Conifers and willows - these most often lean toward the sunny side
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Shoots - are denser on the northern side
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The stump of solitary trees - has denser growth rings on the more northern side. You can verify this by other trees and stumps, which are overgrown with moss and lichen on the northern or northwestern side.
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Moss - grows more often on the northern side of a tree because it needs moisture
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You can determine south by the position of an anthill, which is almost always on the southern side because of the sun's rays; beehive openings also face south.
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Trees with rough bark - the bark is more grainy on the northern side of the trunk
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Sunflower - constantly turns to follow the sun
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In spring, snow remains on the northern slopes, while on the southern slopes it has long since melted
By the moon
If the moon rises before sunset, pay attention to its illuminated side, it is located in the west. If it is the opposite and it rises after sunset, the illuminated part of the moon is in the east. But what should you do if the moon rises at the same time as the sunset? In this case, we are talking about a full moon - at that time it is at 6:00 PM in the east, at 9:00 PM in the southeast, at 11:59 PM in the south, at 3:00 AM in the southwest and at 6:00 AM in the west of the sky.
How to orient yourself in the dark? The stars will show the way.
If the moon is full, orientation is simple. The same principle applies as for the sun, using the hour hand. It is ideal when the North Star is visible in the sky. It is always located in the north.
If you can only see a few stars, make an improvised sighting device. Aim at any star that is best visible and wait a few minutes. The star will drift away from the sighting line, and depending on the direction it moved, you can determine the cardinal direction.
- The star moves diagonally to the upper right – you are facing east.
- The star moved diagonally to the lower right – you are facing west.
- When the star moves to the right and further along an arc slightly upward – you are facing north.
- The star moves to the right and further along an arc slightly downward – you are facing south.
For a better assessment of star movement, we recommend setting up two sighting devices. You will achieve a better result if you point the sighting device directly at west or east, where the directions of star movement are most distinct.
Orientation in the field using a compass
Learning how to orient yourself in the field according to nature is not difficult, but in critical situations you may not remember it. That is why you should also pack a compass. for a hike into the forest or into unfamiliar terrain.
A compass is a navigation device used to determine the cardinal direction. It works on the principle of magnetic force and functions in any weather. Together with a map, it should be an essential part of your equipment. Before heading into the mountains, learn how to use it correctly. Be careful that it is not affected by metal objects, such as a watch, because the compass needle reacts to them. If such influences are not removed, the needle may deviate by as much as 180 °.
Marking of cardinal directions on a compass
The cardinal directions on a compass in English are: N – north (north), S – south (south), W – west (west), E – east (east).
How to use a compass
The compass needle points to the Earth's magnetic pole. It is easiest to use with a map.
- Place the map on a flat surface and put the compass on it. Every map has squares drawn on it.
- Place the compass along one line on the map and rotate the map with the compass so that the needle pointing north is aligned with the line and at the same time points to the top of the map. Every map is drawn so that the top is north.
- If you need to reach a destination, you must determine the azimuth (the oriented angle formed by a certain direction). At that point, do not move the map anymore. Compass point it toward the destination. Read and remember the azimuth.
- The line on the map and the compass needle must always point north on the same plane.
- The colored line next to the needle shows the azimuth you should follow to reach your destination.
It might be difficult to understand, but orientation in the field using a compass requires a bit of practice. Try it out before you head into the mountains, even at home in the garden.
Orientation in the terrain using a compass
Compass looks similar to a classic compass, but it is complemented with a protractor, sometimes also a magnifying glass and a ruler. To precisely determine the cardinal directions or determine the azimuth (directional angle), you need a map.
How to use a compass
The compass is equipped with a sighting device, which you use to set the direction to a point in the terrain. The measurement is carried out using a rotating dial with a scale, on which angles are marked. The compass has a ruler drawn on one edge, which is used for reading distances on the map.
Use the compass to determine north as follows:
- Place the compass on your right hand.
- Turn the scale so that the north needle is parallel to the scale lines and at the same time aligned with the north (N) marking on the scale.
Orientation in nature is really important, and therefore be sure to add a compass or a compass with a map to your backpack on every hike. They will help you quickly orient yourself and are an irreplaceable helper in critical situations.
