Why are OS maps so big and clumsy?

[imthemaddude]

At the minute i'm planning my camping trip to northumberland in July but the map is SO big and Kielder water is on the crease - grrrrr anyone else find os maps annoyingly too big esp when walking.

 

[Sellers_Bird]

what are they?

 

[Lauradoll]

Maps??? Maps??? Bin em, you'll find the right way eventually. Plus, what do you think mobile phones were invented for? So when you get lost you can ring someone!! :wink:

 

[Nat]

they are worse when walking, they are there to test our patience and understanding(and i am daft so i dont know how to use them) :lol:

 

[lynchie]

the world is a big place... and there's a lot to fit in!

 

[sunny_jimbob]

And you wouldn't be able to read it if it was much smaller. Or if you were female. Did I really just type that?!

 

[ben.gernon]

And you wouldn't be able to read it if it was much smaller. Or if you were female. Did I really just type that?!

Yes you did just type that. Not very nice at all. :x

I think they're stupidly big and clumsy (the maps that is!)- Duke of Edinburgh expeditions have proved that! When it's chucking down with rain, you're lost, and it's getting dark......the last thing you want is a huge bulky map that's a pain in the wotsit to hold and fold!!!

But other than that-outdoor pursuits are the best thing alive!!

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

Most maps I prefer in book style (city maps, touring maps etc.). Sooo much easier to manage, and ytou don't have to worry about foling it right!!

That being siad, I have NEVEr been able to comprehend a map of the UK.....Couldn't work out the difference between a region, a state, a town etc....all I saw were words!!!

 

[six pints]

yeah, but if they werent that big, then you would need about seven maps, especially for gold d of e (tip for anyone doing d of e, when it says dismantled railway, it means that the bridges are dismantled too, so you might end up having to do serious rock climbing and its not good for your hypermobility).

cheryl- a d of e survivor, and climber of ben nevis

 

[geordiecolin]

At the minute i'm planning my camping trip to northumberland in July but the map is SO big and Kielder water is on the crease - grrrrr anyone else find os maps annoyingly too big esp when walking.

What scale map are you using?? On all of mine Kielder is fairly large and covers more than just the crease...

I think OS maps are perfect for their uses, any smaller and they wouldn't be useful (you couldn't route plan or uses bearings to find yourself when lost effectively) and any larger and they would be ridiculous. I think it is more appropiate for people to use the correct scale of map...

As for campsites in Kielder, the one at Kielder village is quite good, the Scout camp at Hawkhirst is usually cheap, but permission to camp is not guaranteed unless you're involved in scouting, but give them a ring anyway to check 01434 250217. Leaplish is OK but quite busy and rather annoying.

TAKE A TRUCKLOAD OF MILITARY STRENGTH MIDGE REPELLENT!!

 

[imthemaddude]

Oh thats great info colin, thanks. We were planning to launch our canoes from leaplish but I might go up the other end now. I'm using a 1:25000 map. grrrrr.

 

[Not_Jus_An_Object]

haha, sounds like your gonna have fun! try findin schools in whitly bay. we had to for a band thing and still never found the right entrance. had to climb through a hedge to get into the school grounds!!

 

[imthemaddude]

I bet i know the school u mean!!!!!!!! I'm just waiting to see if my first teaching practice will be in whitley bay!

 

[jameshowell]

Maybe, in the modern world we live in, you could buy yourself a handheld pc, a gps module, and not worry about thinking, just following a friendly voice telling you where to go!

 

[DublinBass]

At the minute i'm planning my camping trip to northumberland in July but the map is SO big and Kielder water is on the crease - grrrrr anyone else find os maps annoyingly too big esp when walking.

Don't you teach geography Linda?

I thought you'd have this sorted by now.

 

[mikelyons]

Maybe, in the modern world we live in, you could buy yourself a handheld pc, a gps module, and not worry about thinking, just following a friendly voice telling you where to go!

By far and away the best suggestion so far! (and it isn't really cheating. )

 

[Not_Jus_An_Object]

I bet i know the school u mean!!!!!!!! I'm just waiting to see if my first teaching practice will be in whitley bay!

haha, that would be funni!!

 

[johnmartin]

OS maps are so large so that you can press them into service as an emergency tent when you have to spend a night on a mountain due to being lost. I remember one hairy descent of Buchaille Etive Mor in a white out with freezing fog and no map because the A-hole who had it took it out of the map cover so he could read it better and it got blown away by a strong gust of wind. Ever since then I've been a supporter of the Hansel and Gretel method of leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. Oh, and a mobile phone does come in very handy Laura.

 

[ian perks]

I was no good at GEOGRAPHY at school so i would say they are to big and clumsey anyway!:-D