Walking & Orienteering: How to cross hills, back country and rough terrain in safety and confidence: a professional manual for hikers, paddlers, horse trekkers and extreme cyclists

This practical handbook provides a handy reference for anyone wishing to explore the back country. Whether you are preparing for a day's walking or mountain biking, a camping weekend, a trek on horseback, a hike through the jungle, or a kayaking tour lasting several weeks, this highly illustrated guide will show you all you need to know. With the emphasis on teaching the fundamentals of hiking and travelling with transport and animals, and of orienteering your way along the route, it makes essential reading before setting off.The first section of the book deals with planning an adventure in remote territory. Budgets, insurance, medical preparations and personal and mental fitness need to be addressed, and potential hazards must be thought through in advance.The second section explains the practical skills needed to use a map and compass accurately and with confidence, and shows how to orientate yourself in the wilderness using the sun, moon and stars, as well as how to interpret weather patterns and the natural signposts in the landscape around you as further aids to navigation.The final section looks at different ways to explore the great outdoors - walking, cycling, kayaking and canoeing, and animal, vehicle and public transport and provides easy-to-follow advice on the equipment and skills needed for problem-free exploration. Packed with hundreds of helpful hints and illustrated with over 200 colour photographs, including step-by-step sequences for key techniques, such as setting a bearing using a map and compass, or simply repairing a punctured bike-tyre, this book is essential reading for anyone planning a trip in the wilderness.The essential guide to challenging and adventurous trips in all kinds of terrain for the intrepid explorer and competition walkerExplores many types of back-country travel, including walking, cycling, touring in a kayak or canoe, horseback trekking, travelling with pack animals, with vehicles and on public transportGives easy-to-follow advice on practical navigation skills: how to use a map and compass correctly; orientation using the sun, moon and stars; and understanding natural navigational signs in the landscapeExplains how to read weather patterns and interpret cloud formations to ensure your safety in remote and exposed placesIllustrated with over 200 full-colour photographs, including simple-to-grasp step-by-step instructions for key skills and techniques