This intro to navigation course on Dartmoor is designed for you to be able to pick up a map and navigate your way along footpaths and enjoy the beauty the hills and mountains have to offer. You'll learn the basic navigation techniques and strategies to plan a route, techniques to help you relocate if you get a little lost and what a majority of the lines and symbols on a map are.
By the end of this course, you will have the confidence to start to plan and safely undertake your own walks along footpaths.
Instructor Tip:
"Always orientate the map to the ground when looking at your map! Put your compass on your map and turn the map so the North arrow on your compass faces Grid North on the map. Now you can move around the map, like if you put it on the ground. This makes looking for features and knowing which direction you want to go in much easier!"
(p.s. Did I say map enough?)
* Price indicated is for public course dates. For private/bespoke/1:1 bookings, prices start FROM £220 per day, +£30 per person extra. Get in touch to enquire or click the BESPOKE BOOKING button above.
OVERVIEW:
This course is for beginner hill walkers aiming to become independent in the hills and mountains of the UK. You'll gain the skills to safely navigate a walk on footpaths, start to understand the shape of the land and become familiar with the symbols on a map.
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?
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Hill walkers who want to start to explore the outdoors in confidence and discover new areas
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Those of you who are starting to discover Wainwright walks for example
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Individuals who have never picked up a map before and want to learn the basic navigation skills to navigate along footpaths
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You may have some hill walking experience within a group where others may have usually taken the lead in navigating
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No prior experience require, but has a keen interest in the outdoors and hill walking
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Suitable for individuals who can spend a day walking across uneven terrain for up to 6hours / 8-10km
DIFFICULTY:
(3/10) EASY - MODERATE
Short hill walks with frequent stops. No prior navigation experience needed.
Similar difficulty to: Guided Mountain Walks (Easy Peaks)
Easier than: Intermediate Navigation
Not sure what this means? See our Difficulty Guide → HERE
Compare other Hill & Mountain Walking Courses
COURSE CONTENT:
We will cover the following skills on this course:
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Conventional Symbols
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Maps scales and the grid system
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Grid references
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Orientating the map to the ground
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Identifying and using handrails
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Parts of a compass
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Simple compass work
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Contours and large features
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Measuring Distances
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Simple relocation
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Planning a route
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Decision making
WHAT TO EXPECT:
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A full day in the hills with hands on navigation practice
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Progressive learning in navigation techniques
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Safe, friendly atmosphere with others passionate in the outdoors
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A focus on your safety
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Opportunities to practice hands on navigation under the watchful eye of an experienced instructor
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Low ratio group numbers to focus on your personalised instruction
My courses are centered mainly on Dartmoor and the hills of the South West, but I do run navigation courses in Snowdonia and the Lake District throughout the year too! Check my course dates by clicking SEE DATES
However, if you can navigate on Dartmoor, you can pretty much navigate anywhere!
Intro to Navigation Course Dates
Want some pre-course learning?
Check out my blog post from my Online Navigation Course below on Intro to Maps for some prior learning before attending the course and see if it is right for you!
