Navigation Courses

By

Each year, autumn sees an increase in people booking onto our navigation and map reading courses. We like to think that this is in preparation for winter where shorter days and the chance of poor weather can be more of a challenge if someone were to get misplaced in the mountains or on the moors. However the reality is that a significant number of people go out walking over the summer, enjoy it but get a bit lost. It’s this group that provide the majority of our autumn bookings.

Introduction to Moorland Navigation Course
Peak Navigation Courses provide a range of map reading courses and navigation courses from complete beginner to expert standard where people attend to refine or revise their skills. 

Our Introduction courses both start with around 1.5 hours spent in the classroom (Foolow Village Hall) which is then followed by a walk taking in a range of landscapes that includes both open moorland and fields.  Both Introductory courses teach the basics of navigating using a compass, the difference between the two being that one has slightly more challenging walking (involving steeper hills).


Night Navigation

Once the clocks change at the end of October we run night navigation (6.30pm till 10pm) sessions aimed at giving people confidence should they be caught in the mist or down late off the hills in winter. Navigating in the dark or in poor visibility requires a slightly different approach and much more precision by those doing the navigation. This course looks at those skills and strategies required. It goes without saying that the course is finished with a pint!



All of the courses are listed on the Peak Navigation Courses website and can be booked online. If you are uncertain about which course to book, you can always speak to us first.

Popular posts from this blog

Using a Compass for Map Reading and Navigation

By
Image
Using a Compass for Map Reading and Navigation She's got it! Using a compass 1st Steps to Map Reading & Navigation Course It’s a commonly held misconception that a compass is only useful for navigating across open moorland, mountain terrain or in the mist.   Additionally many people carry a compass but do not know how to use it! We have been living and working in the Peak District for many years teaching Map Reading and Navigation. Frequently we watch people park up un the village green opposite our house get togged up for a walk and set off, only to see them coming back 5 or 10 minutes later as they had initially set off in the wrong direction. This is especially true of young people on their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions. Using a compass to “orientate” your map before setting off helps you to then recognise where features are on the ground (preferably using a 1:25k scale map) and therefore which way to leave the car park or village. With
Read more

How to use a Compass

By
Image
How to use a compass A compass is a simple and brilliant navigation tool.  At the very least it will have a needle that points north which will allow you to orientate your map and give you a rough indication of which way to walk.  If you have one designed for hill walking, mountaineering and orienteering then you will have "the full monty" and be able to use it for accurate map reading and navigation.  The compass used to illustrate this blog is a Silva type 4 Expedition (not the military version) and is a great all round compass. In this short feature I can't teach you all of the techniques involved in navigation but will show you how to use a compass to navigate across a short stretch of open moorland from a known point (where you are) to another point (where you want to go). Step 1: I want to navigate from the Trig Point 590m to Madwoman's Stones. Step 2: Lay the edge of the compass across the Trig Point 590m and Madwoman's
Read more

Choosing a compass to get the best out of your Peak Navigation Course

By
Image
At Peak Navigation Courses , we pride ourselves in our compass navigation, getting a real thrill out of sharing map and compass navigation techniques with others Whether you are a complete beginner or joining one of our advanced navigation courses where we use the compass to cross Kinder Scout, choosing the best compass for you can be a real minefield. Go to one of the outdoor or online shops and you will find a sometimes bewildering array of different compasses, so which is best, and how do you choose? If you are a new hill walker, or never used a compass before, a cheaper model is often appealing.  You can pick a compass up from an online shop for a couple of pounds, but is it worth it? Highlander Summit As a starter compass, this may seem appealing, it is light, easy to carry and will point north. However the plastic base is very short, and lacks an arrow to show which direction you should walk - not one we would recommend. Vango DLX0 The Vango DLX is a reasonab
Read more