8. Navigation

Telling direction

Hand pressure on grass

The prevailing wind blows grass tufts overr downwid and they'll grow in this configuration. BUT, recent wind from another direction may conceal this fro a while - not helpful if you're navigating by which way hte tips are blown. So you put your hand against teh base of the tuft and press horizontally. You ahve to press harder against teh direction of growth - ie upwind.

Note - this works fine on plains and plateaus and hilltops, but you have to be aware of the landscape altering the local prevailoing wind direction - it's not a lot of use in teh back of a canyon....... [Andy Woodward]

Trees and their branches

There are many myths about the effectiveness of this for telling direction. In truth it does work, but with some severe limitations. Prevailing winds, shadow from hills and mountains or other trees, etc will all affect the way the trees are pointing. Your only way to find out is to examine your area, and see to what extent -- and in what direction -- the trees point.

Signs to look for include:

• length of branches.
• angle of branches (are they horizontal of do they angle?).
• species of tree. Not all behave in the same way.
• the bark. Does it have a different texture, more or less moss, etc on one side or the other.

Also remember to look at more than one tree. By looking at several, you will get a much better idea of what the true direction is.