Finding your way with the sun

In small towns and villages you can match the alignment of the views with your map. You can also look at the roofs, there’s often a windvane that shows the 4 cardinal points.

Outside you can also use the sun. It rises to the east and sets to the west. If you want to be more precise use a watch (with hands).

Proceed as follows:

• Put your watch on solar time (go back one hour in winter and two hours in summer).
• Direct the small hand of your watch towards the sun.
• The south (and not the north !!) is shown by the bisection (meaning the imaginary line that would go through the center) of the smallest angle between the small hand and the 12 .

To go further:

If you want to go further you can read the following article that is more specific : Finding your way with the sun and a watch