Whether you are planning on going on a wilderness walk, or whether you are worried about your ability to survive if you were forced to spend time away from your home comforts, it can be good to develop a basic understanding of how to survive in the wild. Here are some tips to help you if you find yourself in a situation where you are a long way from civilisation.
Understanding Your Position
If you have intentionally taken yourself out into the wild, then you may feel as though this point does not apply to you, but it is still important to know and understand where you are. Understanding where you are will help you to make the logical and rational which will help you to survive in the wild. Without your bearings, you could end up just walking around in a huge circle. Try to determine the cardinal directions (North, South, East, West) by using outdoor skills. There are a lot of things that can help you out here, but the easiest way to do this is by looking at the sun. Where ever you are in the world, the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, you can normally work out North and South by looking for patterns in the foliage. Trees and plants tend to be fuller on the Southern side, whilst you will normally only find moss growing on the Northern side of trees and walls. This is because moss prefers darker, shadier conditions. Depending on where you are, you may also want to get yourself to higher ground, as this may give you a much better idea about what is around you.
