Digital and Analogue Navigation Basics and Walk

Prior to the introduction of smartphones with GPS (location) microchips navigation in the countryside was very hit and miss without appropriate training in the use of map and compass which many struggled to grasp or understand.

These days, with some elementary training and an appropriate mapping app almost anyone can navigate successfully and find or create suitable routes to follow.

Our very successful Digital and Analog Navigation Training Days aim to provide you with those elementary skills and also enable you to compare and contrast the cost and features of popular mapping apps to help you decide which best suits your requirements.

These training days are only available FREE OF CHARGE to fully paid up members of the group and a £10 payment will be required on the day in cash for anyone who is neither an up to date subscriber nor paid up Life Member.

Those taking part will get the chance to do one or two 6 mile walks in a small group using / learning map and compass skills. If ducking out of the second walk you have a relatively easy 3 miles walk to get back to the start.

Bring a compass if you have one but don't worry if you haven't as we have some which we can loan for the day and you only really need one per group.

You need to join the event with a mapping app already loaded on your smartphone and IDEALLY the local map tiles for Matlock and Cromford areas already downloaded OR you need access to mobile data to enable you to do it on the day.

Suitable apps are OS Maps, Outdooractive, Anquet/OMN or Komoot each of which have facilities for offline use which are essential as a mobile signal cannot be guaranteed in rural areas. However offline use for these apps normally requires a subscription which you may not want to commit to at this stage. If you are not currently a subscriber to a mapping app you can get this facility most cheaply or FREE using Komoot which UNLOCKS offline use region by region and if you have never used it before gives your first region FREE. When selecting your free region make sure it is Derbyshire. If you have used Komoot before you can't claim a free region but can gain access to the Derbyshire region for just £3.99 and that's not a subscription but just a one off payment.

On arrival, we'll form those taking part into small groups of 3 or 4. A quick map and compass refresher and you'll be navigating your way around around the local area in no time. Having completed your initial navigational tasks in 30 mins or so, your team can then choose a walk complete with laminated map which you can plot on your phones and you are off into the unknown!

Reaching your destination, your group can then choose a second 6 mile walk to navigate your way back to the start or a more direct route with little navigation required.

This was a really good day out when we have tried it previously so come and learn and enjoy.