FIND YOUR WAY

How to read a map and follow an off-road route

How close are we to the top? Is there a pub halfway round? Is the final descent steep? plenty of us only find out the answer to facts like these when (and if) we get there, according to a poll from Ordnance Survey that showed 27% of people were never taught how to read a map. Worse still, 31% of the 2,000 people polled said they were worried about getting lost.

Well, mbr is here to help set that straight with our top tips for map reading. Before we get there though, the answer is yes. Yes, it really is still important to know this essential skill, we're 'mountain' bikers, for goodness sake! Besides, GPS units can be foiled by weather, your phone can lose reception, and all the electronic devices in the world won't save you if you run out of battery life.

MAP BASICS

Chances are, the map you're using is an OS Explorer or OS Landranger. The former is more detailed, its scale is 1 to 25,000, so every four centimetres on the map represents a kilometre on the ground. The Landranger is 1 to 50,000, so just two centimetres on the map gives you a kilometre on the trails - with less space on the paper map, it's obviously going to be less detailed.

ORIENTATE THE MAP

The top of the map points north, all you need to do is line it up with the real world. It's easy to do, set your compass on the map any way you want and turn around until the magnetic hand points north too. Now the terrain in front of you and the map will match up.

HOW TO WORK OUT GRID REFERENCES

Comprising two letters and (usually) six digits, these allow you to pinpoint any location on an OS map. The UK is divided into a 100km² national grid the two letters refer to a unique square. Then the first three numbers are the eastings (horizontal position) and the last three numbers are the northings (vertical position).