Natural Navigation

Mark Fox from Peak District Survival school shows us how we can navigate ourselves in the wild using a few hints given to us from the oak tree and birch tree.
A film for woodlands.co.uk by Rose Dunster and Emily George

[@nigelwylie01]

Very interesting Mark. Thank you. It all makes complete sense now I know!

[@cujimmy1366]

Lol. This popped up just as Im reading Tristan Gooley Walkers guide to outdoor signs. Take care every one.

[@suecordingley538]

So interesting! Thank you 😊

[@OzgurY-it3rl]

Thank you very much♡

[@WOODLANDSTV]

You're welcome 😊

[@whatabouttheearth]

Remember where south is in the daylight....and if you get stranded at night Orions feet always point towrds the south in the northern hemisphere. Whe Orions head is rising in the east his feet (or "sword", below his belt like a T) are facing towards the south west, when orion is setting in the west, his feet (or "sword", below his belt) will be facing toward the south east. Go look at it one night, ORIONS FEET ALWAYS POINT SOUTH (if you are in the northern hemisphere).

[@monkeywildlife7607]

That's very amazing vid Mark, You know?

[@kenleach2516]

Very interesting, cheers

[@Bestbuddybob]

Thanks for the directional..... format. No honestly was very good.

[@StuartMaginnis]

So which is the front and which is the back of the tree? Ie Which side is facing which direction?

[@thecurrentmoment]

The side with most of the branches is facing the sun (I.e. South in the Northern hemisphere, North in the Southern Hemisphere)

[@StuartMaginnis]

@@thecurrentmoment great thank you!

[@whatabouttheearth]

@@thecurrentmoment That is quite usually not the case if you look at trees, it depends on the forest density, he is not in a "forest" he is in a "woodland", a "woodland" has more space and a more open canopy.

[@thecurrentmoment]

@@whatabouttheearth I think the effect is possibly more pronounced in a woodland, where there is more light around each tree so the influence of the direction of the sun would have more of an impact, but I'm pretty sure it still applies. I'll check next time I go into our dense temperate rainforest (in New Zealand). On revisiting this video and comment a year later, it occurred to me that the front of the tree still faces the sun, even if it is not facing north/south, for example on the forest edge or in a canopy gap. I suppose the front is facing the sunlight because that's how we imagine trees would orient their 'face' if they had one. I'm pretty sure woodland is a subclass of forest, and savannah is the midpoint between grassland and forest, which means woodland is open forest. Which definition of forest are you using? I'm sure woodland is not as much of a real forest as the ones you know ;)

[@tammcd]

With those who have no idea how to cope with 2 cameras, better to use 1.

[@James_Bowie]

Yep, otherwise it looks like a blooper reel.