If you ever thought that you don’t need to learn map and compass reading because you have a nice shiny new GPS in your car, please read this before you leave town.

“On 8th August 2009, an 11-year-old boy died in the intense heat of Death Valley National Park after he and his mother became stranded. His mother told rescuers that her son died days after she fixed a flat tire and continued into Death Valley, relying on directions from a GPS device which failed due to overheating.”

You don’t have to be out camping & hiking to get lost, but it is more likely. Even if you don’t have a map and/or a compass, you can still find your way by using the sun, the moon, the stars, a stick or even your watch.

The most obvious form of navigation is by the sun:  it rises in the East and sets in the West – roughly speaking. When it reaches its high point at noon, its direction will be either South in the Northern Hemisphere, or North in the Southern Hemisphere. So providing you know which direction you need to be heading, it’s not too difficult (except around midday or in very overcast weather conditions.)

Another reasonably accurate direction finding method is the shadow stick. You CAN try this at home!

Pick a spot that is flat and free of vegetation. Place a stick, about 3 feet (1m) tall, in level ground and poke a small stick or place a stone at the top of the shadow. Wait at least a half an hour or more. The shadow tip will move about 4 inches (10 cm). Poke another stick or place another stone at the top of the shadow now. Draw a straight line between the two small sticks (or stones). This is the East/West line. The first mark is West, so facing the big stick, you put your left foot behind the first marker and your right foot on behind the other marker. You are now facing north! A clever little party trick to impress your friends - and it could save your life!

If you really want to find your bearings and have some family fun, you could join an orienteering or rogaining club, but if you just want to know what to do in an emergency situation using time tested wilderness survival skills there is a very useful step by step guide about direction finding and much, much more Click Here