How to Orienteer With a Compass

Orienteering is an outdoor activity in which people use a map and baseplate compass to find different checkpoints on a course. Courses range from easy to extremely difficult. In competitive events, speed is essential. You must generally visit checkpoints in order and they may be far apart. Being off by even a few degrees may cause you to miss the checkpoint. The key to accurate orienteering lies in being able to locate the course on a map and determine the correct bearing using the compass and map together. You can then use the compass to follow that bearing.

Things You'll Need

  • Map
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the compass on the map and align the red end of the compass arrow with the north lines -- spaced, parallel lines that run north/south -- on the map. This may involve rotating the map until the arrow and the map line up. This orients the map correctly to north.

    • 2

      Place the compass so that the edge of the flat base lines up with the desired direction of travel, usually by putting it between the starting and finishing point. The base has red directional lines with arrows on it. Make sure the arrows are pointing in the desired direction of travel. Do not allow the map to move while doing this.

    • 3

      Rotate the compass housing -- without moving the map or the compass base -- so the orienting lines and arrows of the housing line up with the north lines on the map. The housing is the round part that displays 360 degrees and contains the needle. The housing has an "N" for north; make sure it is pointing north on the map.

    • 4

      Take the compass off the map and hold it flat in your hand with the red direction arrows on the base pointing away from you. Make sure the needle can move freely. Do not move the housing.

    • 5

      Turn your body until the red end of the needle aligns with the orienting lines inside the compass housing. The red end must be pointing to the "N" on the housing. Again, do not move the housing. You are now lined up in the desired direction of travel.

    • 6

      Walk toward your objective while keeping the needle aligned with the orienting lines. The checkpoint probably won't be visible, so pick a unique landmark on the correct bearing and walk to that. Repeat until you reach the checkpoint.