When you are navigating using a Direct Route or Track on your Garmin Handheld unit you can use the compass screen which will show a colour pointer arrow pointing in a straight line to the next via point or track point within your Route or Track.
The pointer works by looking for the closest Route via point or track point to point to, when you walk past a one of these points the compass pointer should turn to point to the next closest point.
If you do not walk close enough (Approx. 10 metres) to a Route via point or track point you will notice that the pointer will turn back to the point that you have not got close enough to rather than move you on to your next point.
Normally once you are approx. 50 metres away from the last point the pointer should then turn to points towards you next closest point.
If the pointer does not turn to the next point after approx. 50 metres you should find if you stop navigation to the Route or track and then re-start the navigation it should then move onto the next point.
A setting to also check in your unit as follows:
From your main menu goto Setup - select Routing - With Activity set as Direct Routing for navigating Routes planned as Direct Point to point make sure Route Transitions is set to Auto.
N.B. If you have drawn out a route that comes back on itself you will find the compass pointer will turnback if it sees a closer via point going back down the route rather than the one ahead, this type of route is better drawn as a separate out and in route.
Buy and learn from the experts - GPS Training