Learn essential outdoor navigation skills for Scouts, hikers and adventurers, including maps, compasses, bearings, GPS, grid references, orienteering and route planning.
Knowing how long a walk will take is an important part of route planning. It affects what time you start, how much food and water you carry, whether you will finish before dark and whether the route is suitable for everyone in your group. The simplest calculation is: Walking time = distance ÷ walking speed…
Rain Doesn’t Have to Stop Skill Practice Some outdoor skills are actually easier to practise when you are not rushing around outdoors. A rainy day gives you an opportunity to work on navigation, knots, equipment organisation, planning and observation without needing a full expedition. If the weather is severe, stay indoors. You can still practise…
You have planned your route, checked the weather, packed your bag and set off for a good day’s walking. Then you reach a footpath and discover that you cannot continue. It might be a fallen tree, flooding, a damaged bridge, a locked gate, a landslip, fallen branches or a temporary closure. The important thing is…
Navigation is one of the most useful outdoor skills Scouts can learn. Being able to read a map, understand direction and work out where you are can turn an ordinary walk into an exciting adventure. The best way to teach navigation is to get Scouts actively involved. Instead of spending the whole session explaining maps…
Activity Overview Difficulty: BeginnerTime: 1-3 hours depending on activitiesLocation: Suitable woodland, campsite or outdoor training areaBest for: Scout leaders, Explorers and outdoor instructorsSkills: Survival skills, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, navigation, shelter building, fire safety and outdoor awareness The best survival activities for Scout leaders are simple, practical exercises that teach useful skills without requiring complicated equipment…
What Is Compass Error Awareness? Compass error awareness is the ability to recognise factors that can make a compass reading inaccurate or lead to a navigation mistake. A compass is a valuable navigation tool, but it does not automatically guarantee an accurate direction. The way it is held, the surrounding environment and the difference between…
Walking pace control is the ability to maintain a steady, controlled walking speed over a set distance or period of time. It is a useful outdoor skill for Scouts because it helps you manage energy, stay together as a group and make better progress on hikes and expeditions. Walking too quickly at the beginning of…
Activity Overview Difficulty: BeginnerTime: 45–60 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Navigation, route planning, situational awareness, map reading, decision-making, group management The best way to deal with becoming lost is to avoid becoming lost in the first place. Good navigation is not simply knowing how to use a compass. It means continually…
Activity Overview Difficulty: AdvancedTime: 45–60 minutesLocation: Indoors for planning, followed by a suitable mountain or hill environmentBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Weather awareness, route planning, navigation, risk assessment, decision-making Mountain weather can change quickly, so a good plan considers what the forecast says, how conditions may change with height and exposure, and what you will…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 15–30 minutes to learnLocation: Countryside, farmland, woodland, villages and rural areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, walkers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Navigation, map reading, countryside awareness, route planning and responsible access A public right of way is a route that the public has a legal right to use, subject to the…
