North Up for me.
Walt,,

I personally fly North up. While I was doing my PPL both my FI and CFI both kept constantly telling me to fly Route up - because it was easier but I seemed to have great difficulty estimating headings. Try flying with both ways and go with the one you are most happy with, everyones different.

CBK

I would agree with FFF, as with a lot of things in flying there isn't always a right and wrong way, but I suppose we go with what our instructor said (because he's always right!), I tend to go with route up as I think it helps with orientation. Maybe you should try the other way as it may suit you.

Someone had to say it didn't they, Javelin? Actually it's no quite true. I'm female and I've always used north up whether I'm walking, driving or flying. I had 2 instructors + the CFI (male) try to get me to use route up but I can't. It's a personal thing. Use what works for you,T/hawk. If you can't afford to fly while you experiment do you have a friend who'd take you up, or can you sit in on another student you know well enough? Then you don't even have to worry about flying the plane at the same time.

RW05

I was very careful with the words in my post.

Having a MSc in a closely related area, I am well aware that research suggests that many men are more spatially aware than women and that many women have a better ability to balance the rational and irrational sides of the brain (in Jungian terms.)

However, as you prove, this is not definitive and therefore I still believe that it is best to try both methods and then choose the most appropriate.

BTW, in scientific research a theory is never proven; it just stays on a temporal and provisional basis until disproven!

:D :D :D :D