Duncolm Direct is designed for people with some outdoor or hillwalking experience who want to learn more about map and compass navigation, or refresh skills that can become rusty without regular practice.
The course focuses on three essential techniques that support confident, independent journeys:
Checking off features to confirm your location as you travel
Taking accurate compass bearings
Finding your location if you get lost
These are the core skills, but the day covers a wider range of useful navigation topics. You’ll learn in a supportive, practical setting and leave better prepared to plan and navigate your own hill days.
Come ready to practise, build confidence and develop skills for your own hill journeys.
Location: Kilpatrick Hills
Duration: Full day, aiming to finish by 5:30pm
Age: 16+ (under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
Course size: Limited to 6 participants
Pre-trip planning
Mountain weather reports
Setting the map to the ground
Anticipating ground features along your route
Compass selection and use
Six-figure grid references
Reading a map accurately
Reading and using contour lines
Taking compass bearings
Adjusting for magnetic variation
Navigation techniques in poor visibility
Survival techniques in bad weather
What to do if lost
Understanding when and how to signal for rescue*
*Based on direct feedback from helicopter search and rescue personnel.
Season-appropriate clothing, waterproofs, a spare warm layer, hiking boots, a packed lunch and snacks, a good-quality headtorch with spare batteries, and a rucksack of around 30 litres. Maps and compasses are provided for use during the course.
A full kit list is sent after booking.
Duncolm Direct is designed for people with some outdoor or hillwalking experience who want to learn more about map and compass navigation, or refresh skills that can become rusty without regular practice.
The course focuses on three essential techniques that support confident, independent journeys:
Checking off features to confirm your location as you travel
Taking accurate compass bearings
Finding your location if you get lost
These are the core skills, but the day covers a wider range of useful navigation topics. You’ll learn in a supportive, practical setting and leave better prepared to plan and navigate your own hill days.
Come ready to practise, build confidence and develop skills for your own hill journeys.
Location: Kilpatrick Hills
Duration: Full day, aiming to finish by 5:30pm
Age: 16+ (under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
Course size: Limited to 6 participants
Pre-trip planning
Mountain weather reports
Setting the map to the ground
Anticipating ground features along your route
Compass selection and use
Six-figure grid references
Reading a map accurately
Reading and using contour lines
Taking compass bearings
Adjusting for magnetic variation
Navigation techniques in poor visibility
Survival techniques in bad weather
What to do if lost
Understanding when and how to signal for rescue*
*Based on direct feedback from helicopter search and rescue personnel.
Season-appropriate clothing, waterproofs, a spare warm layer, hiking boots, a packed lunch and snacks, a good-quality headtorch with spare batteries, and a rucksack of around 30 litres. Maps and compasses are provided for use during the course.
A full kit list is sent after booking.
