National Map Reading Week is 3-9 June 2024 and Ordnance Survey is inviting people to grab their map (paper or digital) and get outside. National Map Reading Week aims to inspire people of all ages and interests to get outside, find adventure and make memories.
Reading a map can take you off the main paths and discover new places – we’re here to help you learn how!
How I'll Be Taking Part
I am not hugely confident with map skills. As more of a watersports adventurer I tend to study the water more than contour lines. For my Helsinki SUP adventure in July 2023, I did a Coastal Navigation and Tidal Planning course to have a better understanding of tides and the sea, as well as navigation. But this was more about detailed topographic maps than ordnance maps. This National Map Reading Week I am aiming to do some local walks with map reading. I will be looking up the free guides too and online masterclass.
How You Can Get Involved in this Week
Can you use a basic compass? Would you like to know how you can measure distance on a map? Map reading is an important skill to have, not only to keep you safe, but also to allow you to be more adventurous. But just 1 in 5 of us aren't very confident about using a map.
If you would like to get involved, there are a number of ways you can improve your skills.
Join a FREE OS Masterclass: Introduction to Cartography
Sign up for a free online masterclass, where experts from Ordnance Survey introduce you to the fundamentals of cartography and invite you to explore the specific elements of map-making. This takes place on Thursday 6 June 2024, 19:00 - 20:00. Register to sign up here.
Learn to map read for free
Navigate the outdoors safely this summer by brushing up on those vital map reading skills. Here are some free guides you can download: map reading made easy for children and map reading – beginners to advanced for adults or teenagers. You can even print or save them to your phone!
Check out these 10-part how-to video guides for everything you need to know about using OS Maps: https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/guides/os-maps-videos/
Buy a map
Ordnance Survey is excited to offer 30% off an Annual Subscription to OS Maps during National Map Reading Week, using the code: SPRINGWALK.
Get unlimited access to detailed topographic mapping for the whole of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, USA, Australia and New Zealand with OS Maps Premium. OS Maps makes it easy to discover, plan and follow and explore routes in the great outdoors.
Try the Pathfinder guide offer and get 25% off Navigation Skills for Walkers.
You might prefer a paper map. Try the most detailed maps of Great Britain. Explore our extensive range of paper maps, from localised & highly detailed, to our regional road and tour maps. With scales from 1:25k to 1:550k, they’re full of useful tourist information as well as mapping of roads, footpaths, open access areas, and more.
Ordnance Survey
Our mission is to help more people get outside more often. We promote the spirit of adventure and develop products and services that make the outdoors more enjoyable, more accessible and safer.
Our ambition is to create new ways to bring the outdoors to life for everyone so that we can all enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of being outside. We help people create lasting memories, live longer, stay younger and enjoy life more.
As the national mapping agency of Great Britain Ordnance Survey is renowned for paper maps as well as the award-winning OS Maps app, loved by walkers, runners, cyclists, horse riders, climbers and everyone that enjoys discovering the Great British outdoors and getting off of the beaten track. On top of that we have a wide range of outdoor gear, GPS devices, guide books, personalised maps, themed maps and more.