Navigation skills course

Navigation skills course

 

I don't have the best sense of direction. Put me in a situation where I need to navigate and I will act confidently and proclaim that this is the best way to go. Mainly because I think confidence and decisiveness beats worry and indecision. Sadly is doesn't stop you getting lost or help you 're-locate' . So after deciding that I want to improve my trail running and being a solo walker/runner I need to know what I'm doing with a map and compass.

 

This being Scotland there are a huge number of courses available to choose from. In the end I settled upon a midweek evening course in the Pentland hills run by Steven Fallon. The course details and his website can be found here. His website was actually one of the reasons for using him as it was easy to navigate (boom boom). As it's a midweek evening course It's a little shorter than some other courses but is easier to fit into a busy schedule.     

 

The day started with a late train through to Edinburgh (I absolutely had watch the last episode of Game of Thrones). I got through and caught the bus from Princes Street to the Midlothian Snow Sports Centre where the event was being held. It started at 17:00 until about 20:00(ish). A fairly simple if a little long winded journey (A car and being able to drive would make this outdoors lark infinitely easier).

 

The course started promptly and had 5 participants including myself. All of us having a very varied background and reason for doing the course. Steven took us through the different types of maps and the various benefits and draw backs of each, pointing out subtle features that could easily catch people out. We then went through the features of a compass, again showing us how to use them and how they can go wrong. At this point I was amazed at the huge variety in types and quality of compass. Ultimately research and spend a little extra on this.  

 

After showing us how to take a bearing from a map we headed outside and started putting it all into practice. We spent 2 hours going over the 4 D's of navigation (if you want to know book onto his course) Using pacing and map and compass to follow a path that I'm sure Steven has done a thousand times before. The weather was clear, with a really cold wind that made me thankful I had some gloves with me.

 

Once the course was finished we got given some course material to take away including a very handy pacing chart. All that was left for me to do was  head off to meet my lift from the Brother and Sister in-law where I would be given bed and Breakfast for the night. 

 

On a really nice end note.  Everyone of the course participants, and instructor offered me a lift as they saw me walking to the bottom car park without even knowing where I was going. Once again proving hill folk are friendly folk.

 

The course also made me appreciate the Pentland hills and I'll look to do some more running there in the future.

 

Finally, it seems navigation is a skill and you only get better at it by practicing so I'll be trying to put these skills to practice as regularly as possible.  

 

The photos don't do the views justice.

 

 

 

 

Some Hill navigation courses in Scotland

StevenFallon - This was the course I did and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone I know.
http://www.stevenfallon.co.uk/navigation-skills.html

Mountaineering Council of Scotland
http://www.mcofs.org.uk/navigation-courses.asp

Glenmore Lodge
http://www.glenmorelodge.org.uk/mountaineering-courses/cat-19-summer-walking-navigation/qualifications/

N.B I'm sure there are other course but these were the ones I found quickly using google.


If you've been thinking of doing one of these courses or even just like walking I'd recommend giving it a go. You'll learn a lot and actually be able to use the compass that's sat in your backpack since you got it.

Weird disclaimer- I booked and paid for this course myself and didn't receive any money or any other nonsense to attend or review this course. Sad that this is actually needs to be said.