How do you navigate in the hills?

I tend to find two type of map readers, the analytical who think in bearings, steps, pacing and that side of it, and those who are “Landscape” navigators, who can look at a map and see how it relates to the landscape around them

I’m Landscape, I did Geography at school, and living in North Wiltshire, with family on my dad’s side from out near Castle Combe, I was very familiar with a landscape that was anything but flat, and school taught me about the effects of glaciation, old meandering rivers cause oxbow lakes*, etc, so OS Maps have always been a fascination for me. My dad had a bunch of old OS maps around, so I learned early on how to relate what is on the paper to what the reality is around me on the ground.

I don’t do any real long distance walking in remote places, so navigating in the middle of flow country would never be an issue, the various mapping and navigation apps on my phone are more than adequate, on a just-in-case basis, like coming across an accident scene and being able to give proper map references.

My favourite is U.K. Map, which has 1:50k and 1:25k, as well as 1:10k with StreetMap footpaths marked; I’ve got several gigs of maps downloaded into it, and I get regular updates of map tiles in the app, and I’ll add new tiles if I’m going on holiday to get a good idea of what local conditions on the ground might be like.

I’m too old, and I no longer have the knees for a ten-twenty mile yomp across open moorland!

I tend to find two type of map readers, the analytical who think in bearings, steps, pacing and that side of it, and those who are “Landscape” navigators, who can look at a map and see how it relates to the landscape around them

Fair. Anyone who has navigated in more ‘austere’ environments will know how utterly spoilt we are by OS in the uk which does make ‘landscape’ a realistic prospect. All hail OS!

Check maps and plan before I go, sometimes bring a printout with me.

Rely mostly on my phone with memory-map offline maps. My wife has same on her phone. I have a battery pack and an older etrex with talky toaster maps installed on it. Also bring spare batteries for it.

Oh and offline maps loaded onto my watch.

My instinct is to say “map and compass”, as I’m a proper map lover. There’s another reason I want to say that, which I’ll come to at the end.

I can’t say it though, not honestly. A huge amount of my nav is actually done using a phone app. Always, though, I have looked at the bigger landscape on a bigger screen or, preferably, with a map laid out on floor or bed and pored over. I don’t use the app to follow a pre-loaded route, its simply a map in my pocket that also has the ability to pinpoint my location. And that is a real pleasure to me, having a map of the UK (or other countries) in my pocket is a miracle of modern technology.

In the mountains or wild country, I always have a “proper” map with me. I get this out frequently, but normally only when we stop properly for a break. Its then that the other aspect of maps comes in to play; maps are not just a means of navigation from A to B, they’re a tool to enhance your understanding and enjoyment of a whole landscape. This is where a full size map can’t be beaten, I can lose myself just crossing that landscape in my mind, exploring different places. Often this is mostly before a trip, but whenever I stop for a break, the map is out so I can look at the bigger picture. Maybe something in the distance will catch my eye, and the map will tell me all about it, a lot harder to do on the phone screen. Maybe something I see on the map will make me detour to have a look.

I also play games with myself; know where I am on the map before the phone catches up and puts a dot on my screen. Its rare that it beats me unless I’ve only moved a short distance since the last glance. I am guilty of not practicing proper navigation that frequently, though the sheer amount of time (every day) I spend looking at maps does no harm.
“I tend to find two type of map readers, the analytical who think in bearings, steps, pacing and that side of it, and those who are “Landscape” navigators, who can look at a map and see how it relates to the landscape around them, they are the ones who walk with their heads up, the best navigators combine the two.” 
I’m definitely a Landscape navigator normally, and sometimes have to force myself to slow down and use analytical methods. The latter are so important if you ever only have map and compass to work with, and the skills do become stale.

What I’m trying to say with all the above is that maps are so much more than just a navigation tool to me. The process of planning at home, through to being out there on a hilltop or wilderness lake, is enhanced hugely by maps. I just get so much joy out of using them, and still feel like a cheat if I just use the phone. I was recently in Sweden, canoeing a route through an intricate terrain of glacially formed lakes, linked by many portages, fortunately mostly fairly short, and surrounded by eroded rocky mountains. Though I had the app, I far preferred to have the open map out in front of me in the canoe, as in this unknown, magnificent, landscape it told me so much more than just glancing at the phone to check out location and direction and I loved navigating to hidden portages using a compass bearing.

Day to day, though, I use that app. Apologies to my map-loving soul. My work takes me all over the place, and I’ve always got that map in my pocket. Here you’ll have to trust me on what I’ve been saying, as the other reason I wanted to say just “map and compass” is that I might just work for a certain National Mapping organisation in the bit involving paper maps. I joined them, relatively recently in my career, because of all I’ve said above, I’m not saying it because of who I now work for. Honest guv. The reality is that everything works best together; there is a place for paper, a place for stand-alone GPS, a place for phone use, but a combination of the lot is the way forward. I just think a large map offers so much more pleasure than just a small screen. Of course, I’ve been caught out by tech failing, so would always have a back up, but whether that is a bought map, paper printout or other tech doesn’t matter as much if you’ve thought it through properly.

Of course, the other point is to make sure you know how to use whatever method you choose well, when the going gets tough, and that you can also confidently use your backup method, not just wing it when you’re already out on a limb.

how utterly spoilt we are by OS in the uk

So true.
But I also use Harvey’s (which are made up the road in Doune) and in many ways they are better.

I only use Harveys now. Find them easier to read. Also mostly carry the large area one of the lakes as I know it quite well, unless its an area I have not visited much and I have detailed maps for each. On my phone I use the OS app.

OS maps give me genuine joy to use

Interesting. I hate paper maps* they’re too big, too much flapping about, the bit you want is never a convenient fold, or is in a teeny corner, or you need to bring two with you becasue OS decided that “Folks will never walk along that really obvious path, so lets cut the map here” – I swear they must have a team of folks dedicated to just **** with my day. Add to that the speed of bikes and it’s about as useless a device for navigating that you could devise.

*at home I use them all the time, spread out on the dining table with a cup of coffee planning a trip or route is one of my very favourite things. But I’ll still plot it on the laptop once I’ve worked it out

Anyone who has navigated in more ‘austere’ environments will know how utterly spoilt we are by OS in the uk which does make ‘landscape’ a realistic prospect. All hail OS!

Totally this!

Mixture for me-use gps and pre marked route for bikepacking. Memory map on phone as a back up. If running or walking though, I’ll always use a paper map, probably a hangover from too many LAMMs, OMMs and SLMMs! Is nice to be able to see a bit more broadly than the km either side of your route too.

Let’s be frank and honest, the real reason Colin, Matt, myself and others carry paper maps is that we’re scared shitless of having to be rescued for some reason and then having MRT rip the piss out of us for not having a proper paper map.

LOOK AT THESE IDIOTS…

Chris Bonnington says ” I’d never go into the mountains without stout crampons, boots, beard and a proper map and a stern expression”

how utterly spoilt we are by OS in the uk

I was wondering this recently. Is the UK, or at least Britain, the best mapped country? You can just buy a 1:25,000 map of the entire place (IOM and NI excluded for some reason, although they do the 1:50,000 for IOM) Where else could you do this?

A street plan of Vatican city doesn’t count.

Most European countries have an OS equivalent. IGN in France BKG in Germany for example. I particularly like the way that IGN colours their maps, especially in places like the Alps, the contours are  immediately obvious in a way that OS lack.

Very much depends where I’m going and what I’m planning to do TBH.

If I’m headed somewhere unfamiliar I’ll try to have a pre-planned route loaded up in the GPS, and take a paper printed map as a backup. If the route isn’t totally planned and/or its a much longer route I’d at least have some key waypoints on the GPS and correspondingly marked on a paper map, I’d also maybe leave a copy of the marked map with the missus (who would not have a scooby what she was looking at TBH, but could hand it to someone competent if I go missing).

If I’m in a more familiar area where I know local features, I’d be much happier to rely on the GPS and my own sense of direction, and will probably leave the paper map at home these days, the ‘tech’ is improving both in reliability and accuracy (obviously leccy is the ever present limiting factor).

So Maps aren’t really the primary Nav’ tool for me anymore, but they are a reliable backup that you can trust.

Let’s be frank and honest, the real reason Colin, Matt, myself and others carry paper maps is that we’re scared shitless of having to be rescued for some reason and then having MRT rip the piss out of us for not having a proper paper map.

Soooo true.
The local team have a few pals on – I would never live it down.
And the next local team have my old landlord as boss, and old colleagues on the team.
Gotta think of my reputation!

how utterly spoilt we are by OS in the uk

Maybe once upon a time, but not now.

Locally OS maps are way out of date while Open Street Map has a lot more useful detail.

Harveys maps are excellent but have limited coverage.

Coming back to the Touch Hills, relying on the OS map would get you into serious difficulty: what are shown as tracks are waist-deep bogs. How they’ve ended up on the map is anyone’s guess – and they’ve been like that for 20 years or more.

Let’s be frank and honest, the real reason Colin, Matt, myself and others carry paper maps is that we’re scared shitless of having to be rescued for some reason and then having MRT rip the piss out of us for not having a proper paper map.

Surely that only applies to “I got lost please come help me” callouts.

If you slipped and broke your ankle and phoned them with your exact coordinates and sat in your bivvy/shelter brewing an artizanl jet boiled coffee in a nice titanium mug while you waited, would they still object to your lack of historic navigation equipment?

If you slipped and broke your ankle and phoned them with your exact coordinates and sat in your bivvy/shelter brewing an artizanl jet boiled coffee in a nice titanium mug while you waited, would they still object to your lack of historic navigation equipment?

They would probably ask for a brew, take the mickey of my artisinal coffee while also asking for a brew, and then lug me off the hill in an efficient and professional manner.
But reserve the right to take the rip at any undefined point in the future. 😉

Paper map and compass for me. Usually carry OS 1:25000 and Harvey 1:40000 …I really am that cool!

I’m more of a bearings and pacing type, but can visualise landscapes too.

I’ve got an app on my phone and also the ability on my Garmin watch to get an instant grid ref should I get confused. I used to be pretty good with nav, but not getting out much at present unfortunately.