I remember life before mobile phones (and I’m not that old!) and I also remember that the dream for me as a sci-fi loving teenager was the idea of a fully functional, responsive and light computer. Now I have it: the smartphone. It is funny (though not surprising) to think how easily we got hooked […]
Navigation in the 21st Century Part 3 – Using a GPS watch outdoors, Garmin Fenix 2 case study
I always considered a GPS watch is one of those luxury items, which is why it took me so many years of navigation outdoors, trail running and general training to get one; what a mistake! I should have bought a GPS watch ages ago – it is now my favourite tool of navigation along with […]
Navigation in the 21st Century Part 2 – Home Printing Maps Using OS Maps Online and Other Tools
In the last 10 (or so) years, as internet and information have become more accessible, services like Google Maps, Open Street Maps and the like have started offering open source mapping that threatens traditional mapping services. The increasing quality of the open source maps led to an explosion of web-based mapping and annotation services to […]
Navigation in the 21st century Part 1 – are you up to date?
Navigation is a very personal thing, each person has their own tools and methods, different approaches and ways to implement finding their way around the outdoors. There are a few things pretty much all of us can agree on: have a physical map and know how to use it, have a compass and know how […]
Trail vs Route – which one is for you?
Listening back to one of the earlier shows of the Trail Show – I think it was number 16 – there is an interesting conversation about trail vs route, what each is and the differences between them. I loved that conversation and it got me interested in the idea of actually having two different definitions […]
Learn to navigate without a compass
Navigating with a compass is the most basic way we have today to find our way outdoors, but sometimes we luck out or make a mistake and end up without a compass. We might have forgotten it at home, lost it on the way or find out it is broken, and despite the fact that […]
How to navigate with a compass and map
Navigating when outdoors is pretty much a necessity to avoid getting lost, even if you are on clearly marked trails; we all have stories about walking/cycling/running on a clear route just to get distracted and end up on the wrong path. Venturing beyond the beaten path requires you to know navigation, and despite the simplicity […]
Compass – what is it and what makes it work
Compass (magnetic compass) is a basic navigation device that uses the earth’s magnetic poles to point a magnetized needle towards the north pole. A compass works because the earth’s rotation (and some theories add that the molten lava in the Earth’s crust) create 2 magnetic poles that allow a magnet (the compass needle) to be […]
Cape Wrath – update 2
It has been a while since I gave an update on what is going on with my preparations to walk the Cape Wrath way, but with two months left till May, the clock is ticking. Transportation to and from the trail is sorted now and lead to changing the route plan – I will be […]
Map Reading – How to plan a route on a map
If this is the first time you are joining the Map Reading series, you should start from the first post. Planning a route is a tool that is used prior to actually going outdoors and helps you be better prepared so you know what to expect. You can look at route planning as setting expectations […]