DON’T BE TOO QUICK TO BELIEVE

When dealing with a daymark in an area strange to you, it pays to resist the temptation to leap to conclusions. Sometimes its identity will be obvious beyond any reasonable doubt, but if you have even the slightest misgivings, it’s worth cross-checking. Try comparing its charted bearing from your GPS position with its actual bearing observed with your handbearing compass. If they fail to coincide, you’re backing the wrong horse! If you don’t want to switch on the GPS, you can always note its bearing when it comes into transit with some clear charted object behind it. This might be a solitary hill, a church steeple, a lone clump of trees or anything else on the that can’t be mistaken. If the bearing of the two objects lined up on the chart is the same as the compass bearing of your daymark, you’re on a winner.