Finding north with the sun

If your compass is lost or your phone is flat, the sun can still give you a rough direction. These methods are less precise than a compass, but good enough to stop you walking in circles.

The basic rule

The sun rises roughly in the east and sets roughly in the west, everywhere on Earth. How far north or south of east it rises changes with the seasons, so treat this as a rough guide only.

Midday sun

Around the middle of the day, the sun is at its highest point.

Northern hemisphere (away from the tropics): the sun is roughly due south at midday. Your shadow points roughly north.
Southern hemisphere (away from the tropics): the sun is roughly due north at midday. Your shadow points roughly south.

Near the equator the midday sun can be almost overhead, and may be north or south depending on the time of year. In the tropics, use the shadow stick method instead.

Note that local "solar noon" may be an hour or more away from 12:00 on the clock, especially when clocks have gone forward for summer.

The shadow stick method

This works in both hemispheres and needs only a stick and some sunshine.

Push a straight stick upright into flat, open ground.
Mark the tip of its shadow with a small stone.
Wait 15 to 20 minutes. Mark the new tip of the shadow.
Draw a straight line between the two marks. The first mark is roughly west and the second is roughly east.
Stand with the first mark on your left and the second on your right. You are now facing roughly north.

The longer you wait between marks, the more accurate the line.

The watch method

You need an analogue watch, or draw a clock face showing the correct time.

Northern hemisphere: point the hour hand at the sun. The line halfway between the hour hand and 12 o'clock points roughly south.
Southern hemisphere: point 12 o'clock at the sun. The line halfway between 12 and the hour hand points roughly north.

If clocks are on summer time, use 1 o'clock instead of 12. This method gets less reliable the closer you are to the equator, and in the middle of the day.

Using what you find

Once you know north, pick a distant landmark in the direction you want to go and walk towards it. Check again every hour or so, because the sun moves across the sky about 15 degrees each hour.

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