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   Map-Reading by Rory Gear
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Map-Reading 
 

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While we have maps that tell us about every feature of the landscape in the most amazing detail, many people today say they find it hard to use or read a map. Most motorists say they can use a map to plan a journey, but once they are on their way, most motorists say they depend totally on road signs rather than the map to know exactly where they are. The truth is even more alarming when it comes to people on foot. Many hikers say they are not equipped to find their way across open ground by simply relying on a map. This partly accounts for why so many people get lost when hiking on the moors or mountains when the mist closes


in or the clouds come down. For some, getting lost in these conditions can have fatal consequences.

There are many reasons why numerous people have trouble with maps. Some schools do not teach map-reading as an important part of the school curriculum. However, many people simply struggle to translate the conceptual map symbols on the flat surface of a map with the three-dimensional reality of the landscape around them.  If you are not used to reading a map, it is best to begin by looking at a map of an area that you already know well. This will help you picture the landscape for real in your mind as you look at the signs and symbols on the map.

Firstly, notice the way the map uses different colours to signify different elements of the landscape. Many maps follow the conventions set out by Britain’s Ordnance Survey (OS) maps, which are among the oldest in the world. OS maps always show seas, lakes and rivers as blue and forests as green. OS maps show main roads as red lines across the landscape, smaller roads as yellow lines and minor roads as white lines.

But the roads that criss-cross most maps are just the very start of your map reading adventure. All over the map are marks and symbols that at first might appear strange. The good news is that all good maps have a “Key” which clearly explains what each symbol means. If you look at a map of the place where you live, you will soon see which symbols relate to the features on the landscape that you already know – lakes and rivers, towns or villages, motorways, railway lines, footpaths, bridges, airports etc. Many maps also give place names of landmarks to make it easier for locating places – large houses, forests, farms, hills and historical features. The more you study the map using the key as a reference, the more you will make sense of the map.

Reading a map at home for pleasure, however, is not the same as using a map as a “survival guide”.  For most expeditions, using a map correctly is probably one of the most important ways to ensure you come through difficulties without harm. Most expedition members study their maps long and hard before they take even a single step on the journey. Careful study of a map can show you the best route to take, with the safest places to rest. Knowing this can also help you plan for the kind of equipment and supplies you will need along the way.


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Glossary

Moors (n)
undulating country with shrubs, rocks and bogs (swamps).

 

Curriculum (n)
the subjects studied at school.

 

Convention (n)
a way of behaving that is generally accepted.

 

Landscape (n)
an area of land.

 
  Last Updated ( Monday, 16 November 2009 13:30 )