Compass

After yesterday's couch potato entry, I thought I'd balance it with evidence of more healthy pursuits. OK so it was last month when I actually climbed Ben Vorlich, but the point still stands.

The Compass has been used for thousands of years with perhaps the first evidence of it from China in the 4th Century BC, although that may have been for Feng Shui rather than navigation.

It gives us the ability to have a frame of reference on the surface of the earth, divided into the Cardinal directions or points of North, South, East & West, with further subdivisions, Nor by Norwest me hearties, arr-harr-arr etc.

It is odd to think that this all relies on a molten iron core and electic fields to create the magnetic field. Without it civilisation may well have evolved quite differently not to mention orienteering would be bu**ered.

This will be my WBC entry on the theme of 'Points'