On outdoor courses one of the ways that I try to keep participant’s senses sharp is by telling them that I expect them to spot something that I have not, even if we are walking a route that I know well.
This photo from the Pathfinder course on Saturday shows a phenomenon that I am very familiar with, but an example that my trainee, Guy, spotted before me.
There are a lot of great wayfinding methods that revolve around deducing prevailing wind direction. It is always worth looking for lee build-up. It works in most parts of the world, and doesn’t matter whether we are looking for snow, sand or leaves. In this case last year’s dead and discarded corn leaves and husks lie in the lee of the westerly winds that had been dominating for the past couple of days. (Those who have been on a course will probably also have spotted the clue in the puddle and mud in the corner.)
Tags: farm track, lee, pathfinder, wayfinding methods, wind
