Comment by Luc

9 hours ago

> Magnetic North: Shortest surface line to the magnetic north pole (simply in the direction of the compass at your location).

Magnetic North is the local horizontal direction of the magnetic field. But that doesn't generally coincide with the shortest surface line (geodesic) to the magnetic north pole (however you define that - there's several).

If you followed your compass you could end up in a loop without reaching the magnetic north pole.