I might not be a navigation expert, but as I’m sure lots of you reading Splodz Blogz feel, the ability to read a map is one of the main skills I have that ensures my enjoyment of the outdoors.
In the spirit of National Map Reading Week, which is focused on encouraging people to make the most of the amazing mapping available here in Great Britain by getting outside safely, here is a list of ten things I love about maps and map reading…
Nine Things I Love About Maps
01 Maps on my shelf signify great outdoors memories.
More than just a tool of the trade, each map on my shelf represents an outdoors adventure I have had. Whether it be the series of maps I used to plan the West Highland Way, the road map for North Coast 500, the maps for Lyke Wake Walk, or just maps covering the area where I live, each one contains the key to memories of great days out. Like the photographs I take when I’m spending time outside, my collection of maps will be the key to recalling fun times on the days when I may not have the physical ability to do so anymore.
02 A new map means a new adventure.
The first significant step I make when planning a new adventure, after putting it in my diary, is get a map. Whether I buy a large paper map of the area, get hold of a guide book, or just print out a small section from OS Maps, having a map in my hands is the moment that an idea becomes set in my mind and turns into reality. It really doesn’t matter if I’m planning a long-distance walk or a walk with friends in the countryside, getting outside is always an adventure to me and having a map is part of the excitement and build-up.
03 A map opens up new places to explore at home and away.
Just like buying a map means there is a new adventure on the cards, having a map also opens up a whole host of unexpected possibilities. All those little dotted and dashed lines criss-crossing over the page are just waiting to be seen in person! If you don’t already own the Explorer map for your local area, the one that has your own house on it, then I urge you to go and purchase it today. Use it to find new places to explore where you live; hikes, hills, beaches, caves, and all kinds of other things. Maps are as much about finding places for one hour outside from your home or holiday cottage front door as they are about multi day hikes or other endurance challenges. Maps are for everyone, and can be a great inspiration.
04 Reading a map well keeps me safe.
This is probably the most important thing about maps. Having a map and knowing how to read it is vital to help keep you safe when heading off outside, especially if you are going somewhere remote or difficult or new. And there are so many reasons maps and safety are intrinsically linked. A map (and the ability to read it) is the thing that makes sure you know where you are going, and, possibly more importantly, means you can tell someone else where you are if you find yourself in a situation needing help.
It also enables you to make good decisions; you can very easily tell before you set off whether you have the right skills and experience to tackle a particular route, if you have enough time to get to your chosen destination, and you can get yourself back home via another route if the one you had originally planned doesn’t work out. Maps and safety is a whole topic on its own and I urge anyone wanting to go on outdoors adventures to make sure maps are at the top of their priority list.
05 Maps help keep my adventure anxieties at bay.
More than just keeping me safe when I am out and about, planning using a map helps keep my adventure anxieties under control (I wrote about some of them here – and here) by making me feel organised and ensuring I know what to expect. Anyone who worries a lot will know that an organised mind alleviates a whole host of mind monkeys and their related difficulties, and maps are vital ingredient to that when outside.
06 Food and toilets are only a symbol away.
Yes, this OS Champion worries about where she will eat and where she will pee when she’s spending a day outside! And I know I’m not the only one – I know from my One Hour Outside project that these are important things to you, too. Some people cited the lack of knowledge about facilities as a reason they do not spend time in the countryside. It’s not just toilets and pubs that are marked; where to park the car, where there is a post office, where there is a footbridge over a river, and all kinds of other things. Handy!
07 Understanding your map leads to good outfit and equipment decisions.
Planning a route using a map ahead of an adventure means you know what kind of terrain you will be experiencing and how long you’ll be. Used in conjunction with the weather forecast, having a map means you can easily decide what to wear and what to carry on your outdoors adventure. Choosing between boots and trainers, working out how many layers you need, and whether you need to be fully equipped with survival bag and emergency rations can all be determined from good map reading. Checking the map before you head out may indeed mean you simply grab your wallet and go, or it may be that you need a pack full of gear.
08 A map means I know what I’m looking at.
Unless you are or are with a local expert, it is your map that can unlock the secrets of what you are looking at when you are standing on the top of a hill surrounded by other hills, or at the edge of a lake looking at the shapes on the other side. Maps mean we can engage with our surroundings properly, learn about the views we are experiencing, which in turn help us to appreciate and remember our day out. You can do this with a paper map, of course, and being able to understand your surroundings using contour lines and symbols is one of life’s pleasures. But you may find the augmented reality feature in the OS Maps app even easier; hold it up to the scene and it labels things and tells you how far away they are.
09 Maps are beautiful.
For me, maps are art. They are beautiful and deserve a place on anyone’s wall, they deserve to be seen. I have a world map on mine and a whole load of others on the shelf. Have you been to the map room in the Vatican? If I had a mansion I’d have a corridor full of maps just like that!
If you want to know more about map reading, whether you are looking for your own first lesson or are after resources to help those in your charge get more from them, there are a whole host of resources on the Ordnance Survey website.
Why do you love maps?
I am one of Ordnance Survey’s OS Champions, and as such, am affiliated with the OS brand and OS Maps. However this is not a paid gig – I am a volunteer ambassador (most of us are), and this post is not sponsored or part of the deal. Note links to OS Maps are affiliate links.