Learn essential outdoor navigation skills for Scouts, hikers and adventurers, including maps, compasses, bearings, GPS, grid references, orienteering and route planning.
Navigation is one of those outdoor skills that becomes much easier when it’s taught through games. Cubs can learn to recognise landmarks, follow routes, understand maps and begin using a compass without needing to start with complicated theory. The key is to make navigation feel like an adventure rather than a classroom lesson. A campsite,…
Navigation doesn’t have to start with a compass and a complicated map. For Squirrels, it’s about developing the basic skills that help them understand where they are, where they’re going and how to recognise their surroundings. Simple games can introduce direction, observation and following routes without making the subject feel like a lesson. A campsite,…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Navigation becomes a very different skill when the sun goes down. Familiar landmarks disappear. Distances become harder to judge. Paths can be more difficult to identify. Even a route that feels easy during the day can require much more concentration at night. That’s what makes night navigation such a useful challenge for…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Navigation activities should take place in an area appropriate for the age and experience of the group. Set clear boundaries and make sure leaders know where participants are at all times. Start with simple, controlled exercises before allowing children to navigate independently. For activities away from your meeting location, use appropriate supervision,…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Modern navigation tools are extremely useful, but they should not be your only navigation method in the outdoors. Phones can lose battery, GPS devices can fail, signals can be unavailable and digital maps can contain errors or outdated information. For walks where getting lost could have serious consequences, carry an appropriate map…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST A route that looks easy on a map may be much more difficult on the ground. Before setting out, consider the weather, terrain, distance, daylight, your group’s ability and any specific hazards along the route. If conditions change or the route becomes unsafe, turn back or change your plans. Reaching the end…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST If you realise you’re lost, stop and tell someone if you can. Continuing to walk without knowing where you are can make the situation much worse. If you’re in immediate danger, injured, lost after dark or unable to find your way to safety, call 999 or 112 and ask for the appropriate…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST If you lose your compass, don’t panic and don’t immediately try to navigate using guesses. If you aren’t certain of your location or direction, stop and reassess rather than continuing deeper into unfamiliar terrain. If you’re with a Scout group, tell your leader. If you’re alone and the situation is becoming unsafe,…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST If you lose your map, don’t simply carry on and hope you recognise the route. Stop and work out what you know before moving. If you don’t know where you are, don’t take unnecessary risks trying to find your way. Stay safe, contact your group or get appropriate help if necessary. What…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST If you become separated from your group outdoors, your first priority is to stay safe — not to find everyone as quickly as possible. In many situations, stopping where you are is safer than wandering around looking for the group. If you’re in immediate danger, injured, lost in hazardous terrain or unable…
