The compass — that familiar object — lets you easily identify which direction North lies. There are also other, lesser-known uses for hiking. To make sure nothing is missed, this article provides a comprehensive overview of how to use a compass.
Tool overview
When hiking and navigating, you'll find on your compass the famous red needle that tells you which direction North lies — but that's not all.
On your baseplate compass, you will find:
- A measurement scale suited to your map at 1:25,000 or 1:50,000
- A sighting arrow
- A rotating compass bezel
All of these elements will allow you to use the compass to its full potential and navigate with ease.
The different uses of the compass
The classic use: orientating your map
The most common, best-known and most straightforward use — the compass allows you to orientate your map and determine which direction to head in. As you know, all maps are oriented to the North; with your compass, you can identify where North lies and correctly orientate your map to know which direction you need to travel to reach your destination.To do this, lay your map flat, then place the compass on top and simply rotate the map until the North on the compass aligns with the North on the map.
Triangulation: locating yourself on a map
A lesser-known but highly useful technique when you are lost, the compass used alongside your map can help you locate yourself on it, using the triangulation method.
Indeed, this is one of the lesser-known uses of the compass that can be a great help in certain situations. To use it, you will need visible landmarks in the landscape that are easily identifiable on the map — for example, a summit, a village, a waterfall, a forest, and so on. For this to work, you will need at least 3 landmarks.
Once these landmarks have been identified, you will need to:- Point the sighting arrow at the landmark
- Rotate the compass bezel until the North marking on the compass aligns with the compass needle
- This allows you to read an angle on the compass bezel, which you note down in order to transfer it onto the map
- Repeat the process with the other 2 landmarks
Once the 3 angles are known, they need to be transferred onto the map. To do this:
- Rotate the compass bezel to the measured angle
- Point the sighting arrow at the landmark on the map, aligning the North on the map with the North on the compass bezel
- Draw the line from the landmark
- Repeat the process with the other landmarks
The intersection of the 3 lines is therefore my position on the map — a handy technique for getting your bearings when out hiking or if you find yourself lost.
Navigation by bearing: finding the most direct route to a given point
The last, equally little-known use of the compass is navigation by bearing which allows you to find the shortest route from point A to point B without following a set trail. This can be useful when you need to reach a given point more quickly by cutting through a forest or a field rather than taking the usual paths. With this method, you work in reverse compared to triangulation — you need to know where you are on the map and where you want to go. To use this function with your compass, you will need to:- Use the edge of the compass to trace the route you wish to take from your starting point to your destination
- Rotate the compass bezel until the North on the map background corresponds to the North on the compass bezel
- Read the angle on the compass — this angle is called the Azimuth
- Place the North needle within the North of the compass housing
- Follow the bearing while walking — it shows you the most direct route from point A to point B
