By Alex Kendall
Published: Jun 09, 2015More by Alex
Getting lost in the hills almost has a romantic appeal of carefree wanderlust.
But that romantic appeal can wear off in no time! Wilderness Guide, Alex Kendall shares some advice for best practice for navigation out in the hills.
How NOT to get lost in the woods: Navigation 5 Top Tips
Make sure you’re in the woods in the first place
- Knowing where you are to start with is pretty important when it comes to working out how to get to where you want to be. If you are confident you know where you are, try and prove it using the features around you and compare them to the map. It’s easy to convince yourself you are where you want to be, as we don’t like to admit to being lost.
- Remember natural features are more reliable than man-made ones. Hills and rivers are a good place to start. Man-made forest plantations are cut down. I have even found entire forests that aren’t on the map. So it’s wise to use many features to pinpoint your position if possible.
- Read on – Route notes and maps for 5 of our favourite hikes in the Cairngorms.

Walking in the Cuillins, Isle of Skye