Practical
Practical articles
The first article in this section teaches a simple but important skill: getting from one point to another with a map and compass. It's how orienteers, hikers and careful people who don't want to depend on a phone battery get around. We go through the steps using illustrative examples, including scale conversions. It's best to practise in a familiar park, where a mistake costs nothing.
A compass doesn't know where you are standing. It only shows direction honestly; you find your spot on the map yourself, from the landmarks around you.
What to prepare in advance
- A map of the area with a clear scale; a topographic map or a detailed park map works best.
- A baseplate compass with a rotating housing and a ruler, if you have one; a simple compass will do, but it is harder to use.
- A pencil to mark your start, finish and route line on the map.
- A charged phone with an offline map downloaded — as a backup, not your main tool.
- A message to someone at home: where you are starting, where you are going and when you plan to be back.
Find yourself on the map
Start from where you are standing. Match what you see to the map: a path junction, a bridge, the edge of a wood, a pond. Until you are sure of your starting point, it is too early to move on.
Illustrative example: you are at a bridge over a stream, and on the map a path crosses the stream in only one place — so you have found your start.
Set the map
Turn the map so its top edge points north and the paths on the sheet line up with the real ones. Now whatever is on the left of the map is on your left as well.
Illustrative example: on the map the path heads off to the right of the bridge, and in reality it also heads right — the map is set correctly.
Join start and finish
Draw a pencil line from your start to your destination. If there are obstacles on the way, such as a bog or a ravine, break the route into short legs between obvious features.
Illustrative example: instead of a straight line across a marshy meadow, take two legs — to the edge of the wood, then from the edge of the wood to the clearing.
Measure distance with the scale
Use a ruler to measure the leg on the map and convert it into metres. The scale tells you how many times smaller the map is than the ground.
Illustrative example: on a 1:25,000 map, a 4 cm leg equals 1,000 m, because 1 cm on such a map is 250 m.
Take a bearing
Lay the edge of the compass along your route line, turn the housing until its north marks line up with north on the map, and read off the degrees. That is your direction of travel.
Illustrative example: the housing reads 60 degrees — your target lies a little east of north-east, measured clockwise from north.
Allow for declination
The needle points to magnetic north, but the map is drawn to true north. The difference is called magnetic declination; check whether it is given in the map margin and adjust your bearing.
Illustrative example: if the map shows a declination of a few degrees east, you can ignore it on a short leg in a park, but not on a long route.
Walk from landmark to landmark
Hold the compass in front of you, spot an obvious object in that direction — a tree, a post, a boulder — and walk to it. Then pick the next one. This makes it easier not to drift off course.
Illustrative example: on a 500 m leg you pick a new landmark three times and check your direction against the compass each time.
Check where you have ended up
Once you have covered the calculated distance, compare what you see with the map. If your target isn't there, don't keep walking at random: go back to the last place you were sure of, or stop and set the map again.
Illustrative example: by your calculation the clearing should be close, but there is only forest around — you go back to the last post and check the bearing again.
Common mistakes
- Setting off without being sure exactly where your starting point is.
- Holding the map with north towards you or upside down, and mixing up left and right.
- Carrying the compass next to a phone, keys or a metal buckle, which deflect the needle.
- Judging distance by eye instead of converting centimetres using the scale.
- Walking with your eyes only on the needle and not picking landmarks along the way.
- Not looking back: the way home looks completely different from the way out.
- Carrying on when the ground no longer matches the map, hoping things will sort themselves out.
Other approaches
- If you have no compass, set the map using linear features — a road, a river, a forest ride — and follow them, checking off the junctions.
- If the map is hard to read, start with a waymarked trail: markers on posts and trees help you get used to it without any calculations.
- If your phone works, use it to check yourself: look at the dot on the screen and compare it with what you worked out using the compass.
Check yourself
- I can point to where I am on the map and explain which landmarks told me.
- I can turn the map so it matches the ground.
- I can convert centimetres on the map into metres using its scale.
- I know how to take a bearing and follow it from landmark to landmark.
- I remember that magnetic north and true north are not the same.
- I keep the compass away from metal and electronics.
- I know where the last place I was sure of is on my route.
- I have told someone my route and when I expect to be back.
Catalogue of practical articles
This is where standalone practical articles for the English version of the guide will appear. Each one is written for English-speaking readers and tackles a single task, from reading map symbols to a map walk with your child.
- Aion 2 farming: Practical Overview for Players
A practical look at Aion 2 farming: what players gather, where dungeons, raids and PvP fit in, how to plan routes, and what to know about rules and safety.
- Grand Theft Auto VI: Accounts Boosting — What To Know Before Starting
An explainer on GTA 6 account boosting: what the term means, why so little is confirmed before launch, the rules and security risks, and safer alternatives.
- Understanding Fortnite news, guides and game resources: Learning Resources
How to find your way through Fortnite news, written and video guides, community wikis and resource hubs, and how to judge which sources are worth trusting.
- GTA 6 Achievements and Completion Planning: What Players Should Know
What is and is not known about GTA 6 achievements, what GTA V's completion lists suggest, and how to plan a calm, organized path toward full completion.
Topics in preparation
- Understanding grid references on walking maps
- Finding your way on public footpaths and waymarked trails
- Getting started with orienteering events and permanent courses
- Planning a family walk with a map: games and simple routes
Catalogue rules
- Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
- Some articles link to third-party websites, including gaming services; we do not control their content, prices or terms.
- We do not publish advertising for devices, apps or shops, rankings, prices or reviews.
Where to go next
- Questions
Short answers about scale, map symbols, bearings, satellite navigation and safety.
- Reference
An orienteering glossary: scale, contour lines, bearing, declination, satellite systems.
- Collections
Reading paths: your first walk with a map, orienteering with children, a city without a sat nav.
What this page is based on
- Guides to land navigation and orienteering
- Topographic maps and their symbols
Maps go out of date, trails get overgrown and rules for visiting natural areas change. Before you set out, check up-to-date information and follow any instructions on site. This guide covers general techniques and is no substitute for training and preparation for demanding routes.