Unfamiliar with navigating your map? Here's a guide.

Tips for Using a Physical Map: Frequent Checks, Pace Count Monitoring, Identification of Fixed Points, and Awareness of Limiting Features

, and Administrator

2025 September 30 . 4:01 PM

2 min read

Unfamiliar with navigating your map? Here's a guide.

Exploring the great outdoors of New Zealand can be an exhilarating experience, and having the right tools can make your journey safer and more enjoyable. One such tool is a paper map, which offers numerous benefits and can help you stay informed and connected with your group.

Using a paper map allows everyone in your group to converse about navigation, keeping everyone on the same page and ensuring everyone is aware of the route. This collaborative approach can facilitate better decision-making about the group's direction.

The Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) Map Chooser is a useful resource for finding the perfect map for your trip. You can search for a map of your choice and pick one that suits your needs. Local tramping or hunting stores also carry maps for your trip.

When using a paper map, it's important to refer to it at least once an hour and assess the terrain around you compared to the map's features. This practice helps maintain regular knowledge of your location and the route ahead, which is crucial for navigation.

Identifying fixed points on the map, such as bridges, track intersections, huts, or forks in a river or stream, can serve as references to ensure you haven't gone too far. Limiting features, like rivers or ridgelines, can also provide valuable references for navigation.

Knowing your pace count across 100m, both for flat easy ground and rougher terrain, can help keep track of distance and progress. This simple trick can make navigating through diverse terrains much easier.

Our How-to Get Outdoors Series offers videos on Using a Compass, Reading a Map, and Finding a Bearing to help you make the most of your paper map. Additionally, the Bushcraft Manual has a navigation section that you can explore for more in-depth information.

A worker named Adam, with years of experience navigating in New Zealand's great outdoors, emphasises the benefits of using a paper map. Not only does it help you understand the environment you are in, but it can also save battery time on your device. Interacting with nature and staying informed about the news is also beneficial with a paper map.

If you have tips on navigation for NZ's outdoors, you can share them by emailing Rebekah.Wilson@our website. With these helpful tips and resources, navigating New Zealand's outdoors with a paper map can be a rewarding and enriching experience.