а стороны света с артиклем пишутся?

[Lipka]

towards north, south-west

[Dimking]

да, потому что они одни в своем роде равно как и the sun, the moon, и пр.

[grammar101]

towards the north
to the north
in a northerly direction

to the south-west
to the east, the west, the north-west

ie
the light was shining to the west
the light came from an eaterly direction

[grammar101]

простите
easterly direction