1. Standard OS maps Standard OS maps
By the end of this section, you will:
Know the features of a standard OS map.
Understand how relief is shown on an OS map.
Be able to use four figure and six figure grid references.

2. Ordnance survey
Ordnance Survey (OS) is Britain’s national mapping agency.
They produce most of the commonly used maps and map data for the British Isles.
What map features tell you what the land is like?
Map credit: Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO.
© Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number N
What map features would help you navigate?
1km
Scale 1:50 000

3. Ordnance survey OS maps contain: symbols and place names
contour lines and spot heights
a scale
grid references and grid lines
orientation
Map credit: Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO.
© Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number N
1km
Scale 1:50 000

4. What do OS map symbols represent?
Worksheets: The worksheet OS Symbols accompanies this slide.
Map credit: Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO.
© Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number

5. How is relief shown on a map?
Relief is shown on maps in three main ways:
contour lines
spot heights 19 32 37 31 40 30 21 46 14 20 10 12
colour shading.
10-20 m
21-30 m
31-40 m
41-50 m

6. Contours
Relief is often shown on OS maps by light brown/orange lines known as contour lines.
Contours are lines that join points of equal height.
Contour lines usually have a number attached to them. This number indicates the height of the land above sea-level.

7. Labelling landscape features
Worksheets: The worksheet Contours accompanies this slide.

8. Grid references
Areas on maps can be identified with a grid reference. For example the highlighted square has the grid reference 0231. 34
The first two digit number is the easting. This is the number at the top or bottom of a map.
The second two digit number is
the northing. This is the number at the side of a map. 33 32 31
Map credit: Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO.
© Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 30 00 01 02 03 04
A grid reference is a set of two numbers, the easting and the northing.

9. Finding a grid reference
How would you find the grid reference of square 0231? 34
Find the easting by placing your finger on the 02 line at the bottom.
Find the northing by placing a second finger on the 31 line at the side.
Draw your fingers along the lines until they meet. 33 32
Map credit: Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO.
© Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 31
The square is North-east of the point where they meet. 30 00 01 02 03 04

10. Four figure grid references
Worksheets: The worksheet Four Figure Grid References accompanies this slide.
Map credit: Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO.
© Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number

11. Six figure grid references34
Sometimes we need to be specific about the location of a place. 33
Six figure grid references help us be more exact. 32 31
is the six figure grid reference of the church in grid square
Map credit: Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO.
© Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 30 00 01 02 03 04
What do the extra numbers mean in ?

12. Finding a six figure grid reference
How would you find the grid reference ?
Use the first two digits of each three digit number to find the four figure reference,
Imagine the square, 02 31, is divided into tenths vertically and horizontally.
Use the last digit of each three digit number, to estimate lines at 4 tenths across the square and 5 tenths up the square.
is the point where the imaginary lines cross. 32 5
Map credit: Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO.
© Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 31 4 02 03

13. Finding six figure grid references
Worksheets: The worksheet Six Figure Grid References accompanies this slide.
Map credit: Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO.
© Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number

14. Features of an OS map
Map credit: Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO.
© Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number