Last week I embarked on a ‘Navigation Day’ as part of a module called ‘Operating in Diverse Locations’. This involved driving into the Lake District and then walking round and round in circles on High Rigg, a fell situated three miles from the town of Keswick.

In turn, our module leader gave us a speck on the map to go and find. Despite never having done navigation before in my life, I managed to successfully find the spot he assigned to me, but after seeing everyone else’s, I’m pretty sure he gave me an easy one.

It was a beautiful day – sunny until early evening with no rain, only a fairly strong breeze up on the hills. The Lake District is one of those places that I think has some kind of magic power, to look as incredible as it does. As much as I love living in Carlisle, I often wish my course was taught at the Ambleside campus of the university; we’d be surrounded by these views a lot more frequently.

I found the walking tough, which is rather depressing considering I’m going to the gym multiple times a week. However, when we’d stopped for lunch I felt like I’d been making a fuss over nothing when we watched a cyclist tackle (very successfully) the jagged peaks of High Rigg.

This navigation practical was a great way to bond with my course mates, both Wildlife and Adventure Media. We struggled up and down hills together and had a laugh when the wind nearly blew us right over.

Having done the practical, I’m still fairly certain I need more practice using a map and compass. I’m struggling to grasp how anyone can match up hills and cairns with minuscule dots and squiggles on a piece of paper, but I’m learning all the time!