 |
Navigation
|
| Listed below is an outline programme for a typical navigation weekend. But, this is by no means writ in stone! We do pride ourselves on our flexibility and are likely to make changes according to the weather, group's abilities etc.! | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Friday Evening: | Arrive 4-6pm for evening meal around 7.30 pm( late arrivals can be catered for). Chat and get to know your fellow guests for the weekend over tea or coffee. After dinner Ian will go through an equipment list and issue the maps | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Saturday Morning: | After tea in bed at 7.30am and breakfast at 8am, a
couple of hours deskwork to start covering the basics of mountain
navigation :
Then its a short minibus ride to a local venue to put these techniques
into practice. Navigating over short distances, you will be asked to
calculate a bearing and a timing to a point, what you will expect to see whilst
travelling there and upon arrival.
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| Saturday Afternoon: | By the afternoon the basic techniques should be coming
clearer. You will be sent off individually to find a number of
points to see how you are learning and any difficulties you may be having. This day takes place in a fairly low level area around 1- 1,500 ft |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunday Morning: | After tea in bed at 7.30am and breakfast at 8am, a short
session around the table discussing those items not covered on the
previous day:
Once out on the Hill the aim of the day is to introduce a more macro approach, navigating over longer distances - with or without the use of compass and timing. Also, to get to grips with contour recognition, relating what you are seeing on the map to the shape of the ground and vice versa . This day takes place in more of a mountain environment 1- 2,500 ft |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunday Evening: | After the evening meal you will be given the option of a
night navigation exercise which takes place on rough moorland terrain near the house. You are given
a map with a number of points marked and then, either individually or in
pairs, go out and navigate your way around the points. Arrive back usually in the early hours of the morning to discuss and have a laugh about the evenings events over a wee dram. |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Monday Morning: | A later start - after the night's exertions and then a route
planning exercise to try to pull together all you have learned. So, around
the table as a group you are given a number of points then asked to; plan a
route, work out how long it will take and then navigate your way around it-
with us keeping a beedy eye on you of course!
This day usually takes in a 3,000 ft peak.
Dependent on any train times, we usually get back to the house around 4pm in time for a light tea and goodbye's |
||||||||||||||||||||
Further recommended reading: |
|
Explorer Map 0017: Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa and Conwy Valley/Dyffryn Conwy (Explorer Maps) Amazon price: £5.59 
1:25000 map of Northern Snowdonia |
 |
| Mountaincraft
and Leadership Eric Langmuir Amazon price: £14.99
Comprehensive but concise navigation section. Also chapters on ropework, mountain weather and winter skills. Required reading for mountain leaders but also any keen hillwalker. |
 |
| Navigation
for Walkers Julian Tippett Amazon price: £8.99
An excellent book that takes the reader on a tour of basic navigation.
By using clear language the author communicates in a concise way how to
navigate. |
 |
See the High Trek Library for more books |