UKC

So.

Hypothetical question.

For the rest of your lifetime spent enjoying getting out walking, climbing, skiing, running etc you are only allowed a compass or a map, not both.

Which do you choose.

Tough one but map surely?

(No GPS or Altimeters allowed)

In reply to Darren09:

You only allowed one map for ever?

In reply to Darren09:
Not tough at all really...a compass is pretty useless without a map whereas you can use lots of different methods confirm what direction you're looking in.

In reply to The Lemming:

Yep, remember it hypothetical. The map will be for the area you're in.

In reply to MountainsAreBetterThanOffices:

I agree. Although there are times when you're in thick mist and need a compass, there are more times when you'd be lost without a map.

In reply to Darren09: Hmmm - I remember an interesting adventure on the Old Man of Coniston when I was 18 that involved a map, no compass and a lot of low cloud.

In reply to freerangecat:

And if I knew I wasn't allowed a compass I'd spend misty days in the pub instead of on the mountains...bonus excuse!

In reply to Darren09: Map

In reply to Darren09:

I have a fairly accurate in built compass, so definitely a map for me

In reply to EeeByGum:

I've had one of those. Involved an expensive taxi ride as well.

In reply to MountainsAreBetterThanOffices:

Hey, no cheating now. ;}

In reply to balmybaldwin:

I am the same. However, I have found that it simply doesn't work in low cloud and if you have a real compass with you, my brain explodes in a massive divide by 0 crash when my internal compass doesn't match that of my internal compass.

In reply to Darren09: Map for me. I'd probably carry a needle and a piece of silk as lucky charms too

Compass only because:

I generally know the layout of most of the places I hang about in the hills these days and could probably find my way off better with only a compass.

In reply to Darren09:


Get a job.

In reply to Darren09:

I can tell you from experience that 3 maps and 4 hip flasks are not much use for navigating in a white-out. We had a grand time though

In reply to Darren09:

If you know where you are in a thick fog a compass is far more useful than a map. If you can't see anything a map is useless.

In reply to Al Evans: Compass isn't much use if you don't know which way you are supposed to be going. I suppose you can at least head in a straight line rather than going in circles. Where to though?

I'd go for a map as it is far more interesting to look at away from the hills.

In reply to malky_c: Well I wasa supposing you had a good look at the map and map memory before the mist came down, that is when a compass is more useful than a map. You can't remember magnetic directions, you can remember terrain.

In reply to Darren09: Bad weather etc just proves both are nesseasry which is why we carry both but on a clear day it the middle of nowhere, I'll have a map. A map of the stars that is, sorted.

In reply to Darren09:


Who needs a compass?? North is always towards the top of the map page!

In reply to Talius Brute: genius!

In reply to Darren09:

Map every time,

There are aids for finding north or south given good weather. The sun and the stars. More of a problem in bad weather admittedly, but features on the ground may help you find your position.

A compass will only help you travel in a particular direction, which isn't a lot of help unless you know where you want to go. (Unless you work on the assumption that sooner or later you will reach something - the sea or a river, or better still a road or a town)