Being able to navigate has never been easier. The range of technologies available incorporating Global Positioning Sytems (GPS) has enabled us to move more comfortably and safely throughout our natural world.
However, if these technologies fail or we are in an area where reception is not available, the ability to be read a map and charts can be life saving. In any outdoor adventure, a physical map should be an essential piece of the equipment packed when planning.
The essential skills needed to read maps include:
- Orienting a map
- Understanding scale and distance
- Recognising map symbols
- Understanding contour lines
- Using a grid
Orienting a map– Being able to orientate a map the right way makes the process of reading a map much easier.
Most maps have the top of the page as north. We naturally hold the map this way to read the words. However, to make it easier to gain direction, turn the map so it represents what you can see in front of you. Choose a landmark (eg- a road, building etc) and turn the map so the landmark mirrors what you see in real life.
When you are on the move, keep turning the map so that it continues to reflect what is in front of you. This will ensure that you are heading in the right direction.
Understanding scale and distance– A scale on a map is a guide to the distance in real life. As an example, a common scale can be 1: 25000. This means that every 1cm on the map actually means 25000cm in real life. This equals 250m. So, using this scale, every 4cm on the map is actually 1km.
Larger maps can have a scale of 1: 100000. This means that 1cm on the map is 100000cm in real life, or 1km. These maps tend to have less detail.
Being able to understand this scale is extremely important when planning a trip, especially if long distances will be travelled. It allows us to think about where we could be within a particular time, how far to travel with the water we have or where we can camp.
Using a grid– Many maps have a series of lines across the map to represent smaller areas. These are used to aid in identification of features on a map or more precise locations. Each line has a number which is used to create a grid reference.
The appropriate grid is identified by the use of the vertical line to the left of the square first, followed by the horizontal line. To help remember this, the saying “along the corridor, then up the stairs” is often used. (see video below for more details)
Recognising map symbols– Each map has a key (table of symbols), representing different features of the map. These can be man made features such as roads, fences etc or parts of the natural landscape such as rivers, trees and moutains.
The map symbols can be vitally important to assist with navigation as they offer landmarks from which we can get bearings. They may also be used in planning a trip as the map symbols may indicate different types of properties and boundaries between these. This can be important if permission needs to be sought to enter private properties.
Understanding contour lines– A feature of topographic maps is that they represent the elevation of the landscape. Contour lines are lines drawn on the map indicating the areas of similar elevation. Maps normally show concentric circles of elevation with changes of 10m. The closer the lines are together, the steeper the elevation. Conversely, where maps show few lines or the lines are far apart, this indicates that the land is reasonably flat.
Understanding and interpreting contour lines on a topographic map can be important when planning a trip to give awareness to the difficulty of the walk and potentially change routes to ensure that all participants can successfully complete the walk.