For someone who picks up a map for the first time it can be confusing to what everything means and how to use it. Understanding the map requires you to know what the symbols and colours represent and be able to match the features on the map with the features on the ground, so that it can become useful to the user. These symbols are usually listed in the legend on the map.
The other major relationship which should be highlighted is of distance & direction are the same on the map as they are in the area which the map represents as the map is only a miniature representation of the terrain. Using a variety of maps can help to develop an understanding of maps.
Map Layout
Castletroy Park Orienteering Map
Every quality orienteering map contains the majority of these components:
Title: All maps need to have a name!
Magnetic North Lines: Normally black or blue & separated by the equivalent of 500m. All orienteering maps will be orientated to have the Magnetic North at the top of the map, unlike Ordnance survey maps which are orientated to grid north (which is also different to true north!);
Credits: This lists the people who did the work to produce the map, covering fieldwork, cartography, printing as well as copyright holder, principal landowner & Ordnance Survey Ireland Permit Number;
Scale: The scale is always stated on an orienteering map and in most cases there will be a scale bar. This is a vital bit of information, as it will allow you to estimate the distance covered as you follow your chosen route. Measuring more precisely is also useful so that you can judge accurately when you want to leave a specific for another. The most common scales used for Orienteering competitions are 1:15,000 for Classic & Long distance, 1:10,000 for Middle & Relays and 1:5,000 or 1:4,000 for Sprint & Trail O.
School maps can be from 1:1,000 up to 1:4,000 which are suitable for small children.
Legend: Nearly every map will show both the natural & man-made features represented by a number of symbols and are described in the legend along the side of the map. Each country may have symbols which are unique to their conditions, but the vast majority of the symbols have been standardised by the IOF, covering the different formats – Foot, Mountain biking, Trail & Skiing – in detail. These can be downloaded from the IOF website and will be discussed later.
Also the contour interval should be stated, usually it is 5m intervals but can be as little as 1m on some school maps.
Colours, What will they depict?
Black: Its hard, either rock or man-made object;
Blue: Its wet, either very wet like lakes & rivers of a little like marshes;
Brown: Its earth related, either made of it like an earth bank or representing it like contours;
Green: Vegetation, the darker the harder it is to get through;
Yellow: Open land, fields, mountain side or anywhere its more open the forested;
White: Fast runnable forest, the only thing that will be slowing you down is you!
Grey: Easily passable objects, either over (bare rock) or under (Canopies);
Purple: Important information which has been added after the map was finished, it has been added for a reason so take an interest in it! Also the course details & control descriptions will also in purple.
Have a look at these and start to learn them, answers can be found here http://orienteering.org/resources/mapping/
Happy reading!
orienteeringed 