The easy part:
The red end of the needle points to the North Pole. (This has something to do with the favourite colour of a fat guy who lives there!).
Turn your map until the North arrows at the top of the map are pointing the same way as the red end of the needle.
Ta Da . . . . . your map is now oriented!
The hard part:
Ignore the rest of your compass. No turning, twiddling, pointing etc.
The small print:
The compass will only work if it’s held flat. It might not work too well if it’s close to metal zippers, staples, watches or power lines.
Which compass?
At this basic level, any compass will do. If you wish to buy one, a Silva 7NL is a good one. They cost about $12 -15 from Mountain Equipment Co-op, Canadian Tire, Campers Village.
How to take a safety bearing with your compass.
Go to Skills & Techniques