When it comes to hiking knowing the methods that are the most effective is a huge benefit. Sometimes you’ll need to know the time of day without a watch, or know the direction that you’re heading in without the aid of a compass. Let’s take a look at a few techniques that can really make a difference to your hiking trips!

Knowing the Time of Day

The sun is a great resource when it comes to telling the time. It’s generally considered that the sun will be at its peak at 12 noon and will rise in the East and set in the West, so just check it’s location.

Finding your Directional Position

Without a compass it can be pretty hard to tell the direction that you’re facing. If you’re in a woodland area, a great strategy is to locate moss. The algae will always grow North in the Northen Hemisphere and South in the Southern Hemisphere. This means that you can find a patch of moss and whichever direction its mass is growing in will be either North or South, depending on your Hemisphere.

Trailing

It’s easy to make your own way on a hiking trip, but getting lost can be a nightmare. Either stick to ready made trails, or leave ‘breadcrumbs’ to help you to make your way back to base. Tying ribbons to trees. or leaving stone formations can be very effective.