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Intermediate skills
Once you have mastered beginners' skills you will probably want to slowly learn some of the more advanced skills so you can complete courses that move away from paths and other line features. You will require knowledge of pacing, attack points, bearings, and catching features. In addition, you will need to understand more of the map symbols and features, such as contours.
- Pacing: You will need to be able to judge how for you have travelled.
For instance, if you know a control is 80
metres away from a path junction, you need to be able to determine when
you have travelled 80 metres. This skill is known as pacing, as you
generally count the number of double paces you have taken. You obviously
need to know how many double paces you take to run, say, 100 metres
and use this as a guide. As you get more experienced you will learn
to take into account the impact of the terrain and any gradients.
- Attack points are an easily found, recognisable feature (more easily
found than the control) that is close enough to the control to enable
you to "attack" the control using a compass
bearing or by following a distinctive feature, such as a stream.
It may be that you can take a compass bearing from a distinctive path
bend between 100 and 200 meters from the control.
- Bearings: From your attack point you need to know which way to go.
This direction is your bearing. You need
to use your compass to obtain the bearing
that you need. It is a good idea once you have set your bearing to look
in the direction you need to go and pick a feature, such as a distinctive
tree a reasonable distance away and move towards the feature. Do not
forget your pacing. This link explains some of the compass skills that
you will need to learn.
- Catching features let you know when you have gone too far and have missed your control. Most controls on an intermediate course will have a catching feature. Examples of catching features include paths, streams, ditches and open spaces.
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