Getting lost can be a scary experience and potentially deadly, but fortunately if you’ve become lost in a forest then at least you’re in one of the better places to get lost. I know how it happened, you were just strolling along admiring the scenery or having a nice long chat with someone, when all of a sudden you don’t recognise anything about your surroundings.
If you have a modern cell phone then you should have the option of gps tracking or being able to call for help, but in the event that something happened to your phone or you lost it, then dont panic and follow the steps below:
Stay calm and analyse the situation
When you are scared it can cloud your judgement, leading you to perhaps start walking in the wrong direction or starting to run to try and make it out before dark, leading to an accident or you becoming even more lost.
Stay calm and collected and analyse your situation. Which direction did you come from? when was the last time you saw another person? and do you remember hearing anything at any point, such as a road or stream?, Taking a moment to assess the situation will lead to a better decision in the long run.
Keep listening
If you hear some kind of water source then try to locate it and follow it, as it will connect to something bigger and people have always been active close to water sources. Eventually it’ll lead to a settlement or house or somewhere you can get help.
In the even that no water is around, listen for anything artificial. The sound of a road in the distance or even a farmers tractor are all the sounds of rescue in the event of an emergency. The simply rule is if you hear noises made by people, head that way.
Find a view point
Sometimes this wont be an option as you may not be able to find any within the trees, but if you have the choice of finding a good view point then take it. Be careful of climbing trees to get a clear view as this may lead to you having an accident, and could turn being slightly lost into a life or death scenario.
Head downhill
If you cant work out your location from some kind of viewpoint the its time to start walking. If you’re on a slope then begin walking all the way to the bottom, as this will most likely lead to something. If you come out in a valley then head in the direction that any water is flowing.
Just keep going
If you are somewhere in the UK there aren’t really many massive forests, so no matter which way you walk in you’ll find something after a few hours. Unless you’re unlucky enough to get stuck somewhere massive like the Canadian wilderness then it shouldn’t take long until you find something. By my estimates there isn’t a single forest in Europe that has a gap of more than 20 miles between roads, so the worst case scenario is you’ll be walking for 2 days max, and that’s if you get lost right next to the starting road.
Paths
I know this one if obvious but paths will always lead somewhere, and if you follow them long enough you’ll find someone. The only thing to watch out for when following paths is to not go round in circles, as some larger forest path networks loop around. To avoid this always watch the angle of the slope your walking on, and if you’re always heading downhill you wont walk the same path twice.
Watch out for the dark
If your going to be stuck in the woods over night then its a good idea to find somewhere an hour or so before it gets dark. If you’re lost during the day there’s no way you’ll get out at night, so staying put is the only option. It also avoids the chance of passing something you’d see in the distance during the day that could lead to rescue.
If you’re near a water source then perhaps move away 50m or so as most forest animals are very active at night and may come through your camp. You should also stock up on some firewood if you have the option of lighting a fire, and making a basic shelter wouldn’t be a bad idea, as getting soaking wet wont help your situation.