How to take & follow it
Take a bearing from a map
- 1Put the compass on the map and align one edge from your start to your destination, direction-of-travel arrow toward the destination.
- 2Turn the compass housing until north on the dial lines up with north on the map (orienting lines parallel to the map's north–south lines).
- 3Read the bearing where it meets the index line. That's your direction to travel.
Follow it on the ground
- 1Stand and hold the compass level in front of you, direction-of-travel arrow pointing away.
- 2Rotate your whole body until the magnetic needle lines up with the "N" on the dial ("needle in the shed").
- 3Walk in the direction the travel arrow points.
- 4Stop periodically and re-check your bearing so you don't drift, allowing a little extra time for each check.
When to use it
- Point-to-point navigation off-trail — campsite to campsite, or to a feature you can't see yet.
- Orienteering courses, where fast, accurate bearings win.
- Relocating or route-finding when trails run out.
Common mistakes & safety
- Re-check often — drift is the enemy. Even a small error compounds over distance; re-taking the bearing and sighting a landmark ahead keeps you on line.
- Follow the direction-of-travel arrow, not the needle. The needle only tells you where north is; the travel arrow is your heading once the needle is boxed. Confusing them is a classic mistake.
- Keep the compass clear of metal and level — a false reading sends you confidently the wrong way.
- Account for declination where it matters. A map bearing and the magnetic bearing you actually walk can differ by several degrees — over miles that's a big miss.
- Use attack points and terrain. Navigate to an easily identified spot near your target first, and confirm with the land — don't bet everything on one long, uncorrected bearing.
- Sight a landmark on your bearing and walk to it, then re-shoot — more reliable than staring at the compass while you walk into a tree.
Going deeper
- "Needle in the shed, then go ahead." Box the red needle in the orienting arrow first, then walk the travel arrow.
- Sighting technique. Pick a distinctive object (a lone tree, a boulder) exactly on your bearing, walk to it without watching the compass, then re-shoot — it keeps you straighter and lets you cross obstacles.
- Back bearing. Add or subtract 180° to check where you came from or to relocate — a handy self-check.
Official source
How to use a map and compass — Scout Life →Taking and following a bearing appear in the Scouts BSA navigation requirements and the Orienteering merit badge.