Learn the art of natural navigation

In this excerpt from Lonely Planet Magazine, natural navigation expert Tristan Gooley shows you how to ditch the compass and GPS and find your way using only the signposts that are all around us. These tips are written from a northern hemisphere perspective - many directions can be reversed for the southern hemisphere - eg, when the sun is at its highest in the southern hemisphere sky it's due north. These tips are just for interest. Sun When the sun is at its highest in the sky, it is due south – in simple terms, the sun is south at lunchtime. Rocks Even on a completely overcast day, the sun's light and heat still reach us. Puddles In nature, things get wet, then dry again, all the time. Trees Wind direction is not random: there are patterns. Satellite dishes These point to geostationary satellites which stay over the same point on the Earth's surface. Moon Further reading: If you prefer travelling with gadgets, share your expertise or post a question on the Travel Tech branch of the forum. Related: