The Natural Navigator

By Tristan Gooley
Review by David Price

Let this book take you back to navigational basics with some intriguing techniques.

It is immediately apparent that the author is both well qualified in every sense to write such a book and has an unlimited and infectious enthusiasm for his subject.

The result is a fascinating tiptoe through the history of natural navigation (‘the art of finding your way using Nature’) to practical examples and methods of using Nature’s clues and our own oft-forgotten powers of observation and deduction. Theories and guidance are interspersed with interesting anecdotes, and references to both human travel experiences and how some other members of the animal world orientate themselves using the sun and stars.

The narrative is light and readable and the approach to some of the heavier topics such as the Celestial Sphere and the planets is refreshingly clear. This enjoyable book should appeal to a broad market rather than just to ‘navigators’. While it would be wrong to claim that, having read the book, readers could immediately discard compass, map and GPS, there is little doubt that they will approach their travels in a different light and who can tell where that might lead?

Hardback book
Published by Virgin Books
ISBN 9781905264940
Price: £14.99

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