Learn how to pace

Set this up inside your meeting place using the cones. The aim of this course is that one person will wear sight-restricting goggles and follow compass bearings given by their partner to help them reach and collect specific cones in order.

1. Spread the cones out around the floor randomly and decide which one everyone will start at.
2. Decide on an order people should go to the cones in.
3. From each cone on the route, find the compass bearing which points to the next one.
4. Write down the order and colour of the cones on the route on an answer sheet. Write down the bearings in order for partners to read out.
5. Make multiple copies of the route and consider creating different routes, using the same cones, as a bit of variety. However, make sure each route contains the same number of cones to pick up.
6. Make three pairs of sight-restricting goggles and leave them next to the indoor course. To do this, take some safety goggles and cover the lenses with strong black tape, making sure to leave a small hole in the middle of each eye-piece for people to look through.

1. At the indoor course, ask the pairs to decide who'll be doing the reading and who'll be doing the walking.
2. Whoever's doing the walking needs to put on a pair of sight-restricting goggles and wait at the start holding the compass.
3. Their partner should say the first bearing.
4. The walker then needs to set the bearing into the compass and follow it until they reach a cone on the floor, which they should pick up.
5. The second bearing is read out and step 4 is repeated this until all the cones have been collected. Encourage the walker to stack up the cones on top of each other in the order they pick them up, so they can check their route at the end.
6. If they want to, let the pairs swap over halfway. Make sure the person who was walking first doesn’t move from their spot until the other person joins them, so they don’t lose their place.
7. At the end, compare their cones to the order written on their answers and write their score down. Swap the courses around when each pair finishes, so that it’s not the same every time.

This should be completed outside in pairs. The aim of this course is for each pair to use directions and pacing to work their way around the course and write down the names of specific miscellaneous items at each interval.

1. Spread the items out in an open space near the meeting place such as a local park, or use your own outdoor space if you have some.
2. Decide on a starting point and work out what order the items are to be collected in.
3. Find the direction on the compass that points to the next object and work out how far away it is using pacing or a tape measure.
4. Write down this information on a piece of paper for each item in the order it’s to be taken. Pacing calculates distance in metres, rather than number of paces, so just write down the distances between items rather than the number of paces to take.
5. Write down the order of objects on the route on an answer sheet and make copies of the directions and distances sheet. Consider creating different routes for a bit of variety, but make sure they each have the same number of items to write down.

1. At the outdoor course, have each pair wait at the start point. Give them a copy of the directions and distances and a pen.
2. Allow them a couple of minutes to work out how many paces it’ll take them to cover that distance. Remind them that their paces may not be the same as each other’s, but will cover the same distance.
3. When they’re ready, start them off and remind them not to pick up the item, but to write down the name of the object they reach at each point. This course can have a few pairs completing it at the same time as no objects will be moved. If more than one pair are on the course, make sure they’re following different directions, so that they don’t follow each other around.
4. Once completed, compare their notes to the answers and make a note of their score.

• Pacing is a method of measuring distance by walking. It’s easiest to measure your paces on flat ground, as they’ll change slightly when you’re going up and down gradients. It’s usually done on 100 metre courses, so that distances paced can easily be measured. The length of the course can be used to work out how many steps you’ll need to take to get from one point to another.
• To count paces, start on the first marker and walk towards the second marker, counting every other step you take. Depending on which foot you started on, you count a pace each time the other foot touches the ground. For example, if you started walking on your left foot, count each time you step with your right foot, and vice versa. Stop counting when you reach the second marker. If the markers were 50 m apart, double the number you counted and that gives you your paces for 100 m. If the markers were 25 m apart, multiply it by four and this will give you your paces for 100 m.

Pacing beads are used to help measure distances. Their main use is to stop people counting to very high numbers and getting confused. Each bead marks 100 metres, so once you’ve counted up to your 100 m pacing number, move one bead to the other end of the paracord and start counting again from one. By doing this every time you can see how far you’ve travelled without having to count to high numbers. For example, if you’ve moved three beads, you’ve walked 300 m.

To make a set of pacing beads:

1. Take a length of paracord and five beads or cord locks. The length of the paracord is up to the person but around 20 cm is plenty.
2. Get everyone to tie a knot on one end of the paracord and on the other end thread their beads or cord locks.
3. When they’re all on, tie a knot at the other end of the paracord so they can’t drop off.

This additional activity will need to be completed over two sessions. The first part involves planning a walk and the second part completing the walk. Make sure there’s enough leader support for each group during their walk.

1. Put everyone’s new skills into practice. Split everyone into groups of between four and seven and get them to sit at a table.
2. Explain to everyone that they’ll be completing a walk as a team using their new compass skills. They’ll need to create a route that has four sections around their local area. Each group will need to fill out their route cards for each leg of their walk. If needed, have a look at the Only a mile to go activity for more information on how to fill out a route card.
3. Give everyone 15 minutes to complete their route cards. Make sure the route starts and finishes in the same place and is achievable in a single session. It doesn’t have to be long, but should instead focus on practising skills. Remind everyone that they won’t have a map with them, so their route cards need to be simple and easy to understand.
4. Once done, collect in all the route cards and as a whole group, have a discussion about equipment, safety and appropriate clothing for the walk.
5. Just before going out on the walk, give each team back their route cards and a compass, and make sure they have all the equipment they need. Make sure the leader going with them has all the emergency contacts, the equipment they need and a means of contacting someone in an emergency.
6. Have all of the groups begin their walks.
7. Once everyone’s back, have a discussion about how well they think the walk went, if there was anything they would do differently and what they found most enjoyable.