Universal
Finding your way without instruments
By day, the simple way: the sun rises roughly in the east, sets roughly in the west, and sits in the south in the middle of the day. No calculation needed.
By day, more precisely — the shadow stick: push a stick into the ground, mark the tip of its shadow with a stone, wait 15–20 minutes, then mark the new position with a second stone. The first stone is west, the second is east. Stand between them, left foot on the first and right foot on the second, and you are facing north.
At night: without practice the stars are unreliable — it is safer to mark your spot and wait for dawn than to wander in the dark.
A river: going downstream almost always brings you out to people — if that is what you want.
A myth: "moss only grows on the north side" does not work on its own — moss likes damp and shade, and those can be on any side.