Here are our tips on what to do if you become lost and how to find your way again…

Stop!

As soon as you realise you are lost – stop! Too many people make the mistake of carrying on regardless in the hope of finding a point they recognise and all too often this ends in disaster. If you don’t know where you are you can’t possibly know where you are heading so stop walking, before you end up even further off the beaten track.

Think!

Think back to where you have been and try to remember any landmarks you’ve been past in the last hour or so. If possible, pinpoint these on a map and try to work out how far off track you’ve come and how to get back there. Think about which direction you came from and how you might have ended up lost, then try to navigate your way back to these landmarks so you can pick up your trail and head back to your start point.

Listen!

The countryside isn’t as quiet as you may think and sounds can work wonders for boosting memory, so listen hard for anything that might give you a clue as to where you are. Running water, animals, traffic or farmyard machinery can all give you a good idea of the type of area you are in and help you to find where you are on a map.

Help!

If you think you are lost it is always worth signalling for help as early as possible. You might be closer to civilisation than you think. Use any electronic equipment you have to try to get a message through or use your whistle or torch to try to summon local help. Remain visible and if darkness falls, take shelter and build a fire to attract attention.

More interesting hiking guides can be found at Outdoor Look’s outdoor clothing website.