There are some quite serious flaws with this piece, but for what it’s worth I have on more than one occasion used the “point 12 on your watch at the low-in-the-sky sun, halfway between 12 and the hour hand is roughly N.
Another trick is to pay careful attention to the people around you. If when you ask, “pardon me, but where is North?” they answer something to the effect of:
“Oh, well my my. Mr. Trigger happy cowboy wants to know where he is... Why don’t you ask the homeless people crowding your streets? Your obnoxious media people? Your war-mongering government that has single-handedly caused the world’s terror and refugee problem?”
Then you know you have indeed been going north, and it’s high time to turn back.
However, if they were to reply, “ya cain’t get thar from har”, then I say you have reached your final destination.