Look up and around
Looking up & around (Brian F)
Credit:
Pete Davies
As you run/jog/walk/bimble around your course, what do you look at? Do you admire the view? Do you look out for your friends? Do you play hunt the control or just look at your feet?
It's never too early to start! (Hamish at the S6D)
Credit: Wendy Carlyle
It is natural to look down at the ground ahead of you so you don't trip up. But I suggest a good idea is to make an extra effort to look up, sideways, and properly observe your surroundings.
What should you look for? For features likely to appear on the map. Thickets, rootstocks, earthbanks, vegetation boundaries. Then look back at the map to check.
Why? Because by doing this you are less likely to lose contact with the map, i.e. get lost. A commonly used navigation tactic is to look for features on the map, then try to find them on the ground.
Try to reverse this - spot the features on the ground, and use these to confirm where you are on the map. So whenever you get the chance, look up and around.
Richard Sansbury
- Skilling Up- Hints and Tips for Improvement #19, QuOnicle #160, March 2015