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The orientation skill is useful to every person in life, regardless of where he is: in the city, forest, desert, steppe or among the expanses of water. In fact, many people have problems with geographic orientation, and some even have difficulty quickly distinguishing between the right and left sides. And if a person finds himself in an unfamiliar place without visible identification signs of a residential area, random passers-by and marks, then you have to rely solely on your intuition and luck or … Or you can learn to navigate well in space with the help of improvised elements, signs and, in fact, nature itself .
We offer you the TOP 10 most popular ways, thanks to which you can learn how to navigate in any terrain and even in the wilderness.
10 By relief
This method, of course, is for advanced “naturalists”, as it involves attentiveness to the features of the landscape. If you find yourself in an open area in summer, autumn or spring, then the notorious moss will become your faithful assistant, which chooses the northern sides of trees, old abandoned houses and other objects for growth. If winter caught you in an unfamiliar place, then a carpet of snow will become a faithful ally. It turns out that in the south the coating melts a little faster.
9. By map
Going to an unfamiliar city or, for example, on a hike (even with a guide or group leader), do not forget to arm yourself with a map of the area, which does not take up much space. Believe me, even if you are not well versed in its marks and drawing the landscape on a scale, the map will definitely not be superfluous in your backpack. It is advisable to study the area even before the trip, so that with good access to the Internet, clarify controversial or incomprehensible points. Also, learn in advance how the symbols and marks on the map are read. To start orienting along it, select a real large object (for example, a river or lake), from which you can start and correctly determine the cardinal points. It is advisable, along with the map, to grab a compass and, possibly, a spyglass to look out for distant objects on the horizon.
8. By compass
This little helper already solves the key question – it helps to determine where the south is and where the north is. If you accurately indicate the direction of the world, then you can immediately find large objects for orientation, or at least simply choose the direction of movement. Do not forget that in order to obtain accurate data, the compass should not be used while driving and twirl in your hand. Stop and place it on the most even horizontal surface. The arrow will immediately point you to the north, and then use the map to determine where to continue moving in order to get to the control point.
7. I’m on the radio
In order to navigate using this method, you must bring a pocket radio with you. Next, you should try to catch and fix the signals of powerful radio stations, which will help you with the azimuth on the compass. It is desirable that the direction of the signals also coincide with the chosen side of the world. As you go, if you lose your bearings, you will set the receiver in the direction of the worst sound, which will help determine the correct direction of the world, previously indicated by the compass.
6. In the sun
The heavenly body has been helping tourists, wanderers and sailors to determine the direction of the world since ancient times. The method, of course, is not always stable, as a small accumulation of clouds, twilight or night will prevent you from orienting yourself to the sun. In fact, a special table has been developed that allows you to determine your location by the position of the Star in the sky in different seasons. If there was no compass at home, then it is very desirable to put a printout of the table in the map. If there is no table, then you can use a mechanical watch (only in clear skies). Place them on a flat horizontal surface so that the main (short) arrow points to the current position of the sun in the sky. Next, divide the angle between the minute and hour hands conditionally in half and draw an imaginary line that will show you the south side of the world.
5. By buildings
If you didn’t grab a map, and the moss, as luck would have it, doesn’t grow in the monitored area, then you can focus on unknown structures. For example, the altars of Orthodox churches (even destroyed or abandoned ones) will face east. Church bell towers are oriented to the west. Pay attention to the cross – its lower diagonal bar shows the north and south sides (upper and lower end). As for synagogues and mosques, their doors are located strictly to the north. Buddhist monasteries are built so that the facades point to the south side.
4. Along the North Star
So, an unfamiliar area caught you at dusk or at night, which means that it is not possible to use the sun or landscape landmarks. Then all hope is for the starry sky, which will be available only in cloudless weather. Take a good look at the sky and find the North Star (as we know from childhood, it is the brightest among the others). And here it is important to remember just one detail – the star is located strictly in the north, if you look at it with your face. If the brightness of the celestial body was not immediately found, then remember the lessons of astronomy – the North Star is located in the constellation of the Big Dipper (Ursa).
3. By the moon
The second important celestial body after the sun can help out even on a cloudy, gloomy and completely impenetrable night. Focus on the position of the moon, which will determine the cardinal points. But this requires some knowledge that the satellite has different positions in different phases and periods. If you do not want to memorize specific information, write it down on the fields of your map, because this may be the only way to navigate the terrain in the evening and at night.
2. By animals
It’s not so much about animals, but about insects that know how to properly orient their homes and obey the biorhythms of nature. Your first helpers in the warm summer period are, of course, the steppe bees, who choose the south side to build their hive. In the daytime, in bad weather conditions and in any season, try to find an anthill. As a rule, ants erect their “building” also from the southern part of the stump or tree. Pay attention to the very form of housing, since its more gentle side is the south.
1. By plants
In the meantime, you are busy looking for anthills and beehives (trust me, this can take many hours of stupid wandering), try to pay attention to the vegetation under your feet. Lichen and moss, we remind you, grow exactly on the northern part of the trees. But the grass more often pecks south of any nearby object. And here is another landmark – clearings are formed in the forest from north to south. And if you come across fruits or berries, then know that in front of you, apparently, is the south side of the world.
In the modern world, navigators and GPS solve issues with orientation to the terrain, and without Google Maps, many feel like they are without hands. However, it is good that you have read this article, because in the most uncomfortable and hopeless period, knowledge about orientation in the wild will emerge from the subconscious just in time.