Natural Navigation using Snow on Trees
In winter there are lots of new clues formed by the snow, including the strips of snow we find on the windward side of trees.…
Tag: snow navigating
Ice Wall in Finland
I’ve just received another fascinating email from ‘Chris in Finland’: I took this photo a few days ago on Lake Näsijärvi, Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland. This…
Snow Signs in Finland
My thanks to Chris, who writes with some very interesting observations from the Kangasala region of Finland: “In the first picture (above), if you look…
Using Snow and Snow Shadows to Navigate
We can navigate using both snow and the absence of snow, zones known as ‘snow shadows’. There are two types of snow shadow, those caused…
Snow Tells Tales About Trails
There are many different kinds of snow, as the Inuit know only too well. You are probably familiar with how easy it is to track…
“Gorse is out of bloom, when kissing’s out of fashion”
There was heavy snow in the early hours of Sunday morning. We didn’t need any more encouragement. The Gooley family set off for an explore…
The Secret World of Weather
How to Read Signs in Every Cloud, Breeze, Hill, Street, Plant, Animal, and Dewdrop The weather changes as we walk around a tree or turn…
Avalanche Warning Signs
In some areas niche expertise is vital, literally. The signs that warn of avalanches can be life-saving. Nik Huggins spoke to Alan Halewood (pictured) for…
Nieves Penitentes – A Rare Snow Compass
Nieves penitentes are an unusual snow formation, found only in dry air at high altitudes in areas exposed to intense sunlight. In the right conditions…
How to Navigate Using Snow Strips
As is my habit at this time of year, I like to get out early after any overnight snow. The tracking opportunities are spoiling and…
Snow Clues
I took these two photographs during a walk in the woods on Friday morning. The second picture was taken facing the opposite direction to the…
Snow Wonders
One of the most rewarding things about natural navigation is that it shuns any attempt by the seasons to quieten things down. There are many…
Snow and Ice Patterns
I’m just back from some micronavigation in the Black Mountains in Wales. I should get a chance to blog in more detail in time, but…
Words by the Water Festival
I have just returned from a wonderful couple of days in the Lake District. I was at the ‘Words by the Water’ literary festival in…
The Different Life of Paths
Day in, day out, paths experience a different life to that of their verges. Very often there is undergrowth on each side of a path,…
Moon Shadows
Last night I divided my time between two very different arenas of the modern human experience. I watched dross on TV, including some Jonathan Dross…
A Lichen Compass
After the rather disgusting photograph a few days ago I thought it was time to right the balance with something more pleasing on the eye.…
The Big Thaw
The snow is melting away, but not at the same speed everywhere. The warmer wind which is blowing from the southeast today is leaving green…
Light Snow Compass
Just back from minus 15 degrees in the Scottish Highlands and the unseasonable season continues! It’ s great – even if it has cost me…
