Every year, countless people find themselves lost in the great outdoors. It can be quite a daunting experience, especially if the weather has turned and darkness is creeping in. If you dedicate a fair amount of your time to outdoor adventures, chances are it may happen to you one day. Useful then to be aware of a few basic techniques that could help you find your way back to familiar ground. So here goes.

Navigating without a compass

So you didn’t bring a compass, and your phone signal is non-existent. Which way to go? This is when it’s helpful to know that the sun rises in the east, and sets in the west. If the sun is rising to your right, then straight ahead is north. From there, you should be able to work out south and west.

If you going by sunset, then you may be better off making camp for the night, as navigating in the dark is no walk in the park, even for the more experienced adventurer. Wait till morning, check out the sunrise, then plot your route.

Another tip is to stand a stick in the ground. You’ll need one about a foot tall. As long as it’s a sunny day, you’ll see a shadow. Place a small stone at the end of the shadow. Now wait around 15 minutes or so, and the shadow will have moved. Put another pebble at the end of the new shadow. Now draw a line in the dirt through the two pebbles. This is your east/west line. Take a look at which side the shadow points over that line. This is north. Draw a line through the east/west line at a 90-degree angle, and there you have all four compass points.

Feeling resourceful? Try making your own compass. Hopefully you’ll have brought a sewing kit with you. Of course you did. So take a needle, and rub it on your woollen sock, sweater or hat. Do this about 100 times and you’ll find the needle gains a magnetic charge. No wool? Carefully rub the needle on your hair. Now take a leaf and place it in a puddle or small pool of water. Place the need on top. If it’s not windy, the needle should line up with magnetic north.

You can also turn to nature to help you navigate. Moss for example tends to grow on the shady side of a tree, which will usually be the northern side. Don’t rely on this strategy though if you’re deep in a forest with a thick canopy, as it will be shady day long.

Some plants will vertically align their leaves from north to south to keep cool on a sunny day. So if you see a pattern like this across a number of trees, you’ll be able to work out your orientation. Trees can also help in a similar way. On their south side, the branches tend to grow horizontally and have more leaves. On the north side, the branches reach upwards towards the sun, and there will hardly be any leaves. Again, go deep into a forest where there is constant shade, and this theory may not be so reliable.

STOP - a very useful acronym

There is a useful acronym to use when you are lost outdoors, and that is STOP:

S – Stop. Admit you are lost, and take some time out. Panicking is not going to help, but affording yourself some thinking time is. Take a deep breath, have something to eat and drink and relax. Now you’ve cleared your head, you can start to look for clues.

T- Think. How did you get to where you are? Visualise your journey. Think about notable landmarks or terrain features and when you saw them. If you’ve been hiking with a pack, you’ll probably have covered about two miles. When did you last know where you were?

O – Observe. Have a really good look at your surroundings. Are there any landmarks in sight that could help you work out where you are? If you’ve been taking photos, have a look back through the pictures and see if you can spot the same. Now’s the time to use your makeshift compass strategy.

P – Plan. Now’s the time to make a plan. How are you feeling? Do you have the energy to carry on? How long before sunset? Consider your resources and the time of day. Would it be best to set up camp for the night and wait till morning light to restart your journey? How’s the weather looking? Are you equipped to withstand a downpour? If not, is there any natural shelter nearby? Dry fuel for a fire? Don’t move forward until you have a plan.

Off out on an adventure? Make sure you're well prepared!

If you’re off out on an adventure soon, it pays to be well prepared. Always have a backup plan, and be sure to take plenty of emergency supplies with you. And shelter and ground cover too. You never know when you may need it!