Natural Navigation

Natural navigation is finding your way by using nature. It consists mainly of the unusual skill of being able to determine direction without the aid of instruments and only by reference to natural clues including the sun, the moon, the stars, the land, the sea, the weather, the plants and the animals.

The Sun

Knowing the direction you are traveling can be the difference between life and death when lost in the wilderness. Beyond survival situations, knowing the direction you are heading can help when lost on the road, or even when passing through an unfamiliar area. Since ancient times travellers have used the sun to determine direction.

The Moon

Like all other celestial bodies (stars, sun and planets) the moon seems to move through the sky from the east to the west direction, however if studied carefully it will be observed that the moon doesn’t move at quite the same speed as everything else. This is readily apparent if it’s position to a clearly recognisable star or planet is monitored over consecutive nights.

The Stars

Lots of people love the idea of finding direction and navigating using the stars, but are put off because they fear it is complicated. It does not need to be complicated at all, it is something you can learn to do in minutes. In fact finding direction using the stars is much quicker and easier than using a compass. It is also a lot more fun.

BUSHCRAFT