Every Ordnance Survey Symbol explained

[@JPSUS]

Amazing! Thanks for this extremely practical video. Also, as an American, I am very jealous of the level of detail and the number of specific symbols on OS maps. Here in the U.S. we are often lucky to get a simple dot for a footbridge or a trail junction and we are left to discover what the dot represents. I suppose it keeps our sense of adventure alive, but in certain circumstances it would be extremely helpful to have more information rather than less.

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@wpherigo1]

I don’t live in the UK but find all your videos very informative and the waffles are a brilliant bonus. Maybe if I ever do get to visit your beautiful country and walk in these everyday, yet historic paths, I’ll be able appreciate things all the more. Cheers.

[@nikob5899]

Wow Wayne, thank you! Very detailed. That must have taken you a while to create! I don't think there is anything like this on YT 🎉. I appreciate your time doing this for us - your fans. ❤

[@pepwaverley2185]

Great information as always, Wayne - I'm loving your content since I discovered it last month. Even though I consider myself quite navigationally competent, I like to keep up with things (as I do with the Highway Code). I couldn't not chuckle though at, "anything blue is water" and then the first example was a blue motorway!😄 - and of course there are triang pillars; lat. & long. graticules; tourism symbols; and of course the grid itself. I know, I know... (can't help myself😄). No one else has mentioned though (so I shall) the headings for your railway features (bridges/relief) are transposed. 😉👊🏻

[@stocksyere]

Very helpful, even with all the time stamps thank you:)

[@jerry2357]

7:27 Some light rail networks run on streets in some areas and on a separate, reserved formation in others. For instance, the Manchester Metrolink is a tramway in Manchester city centre, but looks just like an ordinary railway from Manchester Victoria to Bury.

[@jonm7272]

Super useful video, and loving the music at the end. Great choice!

[@davidwilliams7369]

Thanks very clear descriptions.

[@chrisgreen8916]

Very informative video Wane, thanks for taking the time to make it. Just imagine the design work and thought that the people at OS have put into creating the various symbols and line types, presumably refining them over the years. Not only that but also the placing of the symbols and text so that they do not obscure or clash with other entities in the surrounding location on the map and ensuring that they are readable.

[@jerry2357]

3:10 If you ever use older OS maps (e.g. One Inch maps or 1:25000 first series maps), for instance from a second hand bookshop, then motorways weren't really distinguished from other main roads, but were shown in red (One Inch) or brown (1:25000), the same as A roads. There was a bit of controversy when the blue colouration was adopted for motorways in the 1970s. Previously, blue was entirely reserved for water features.

[@langdalepass]

Like the blue duck swimming by 👍

[@BSJ-VT]

Map symbology is one of the things I find most fascinating about cartography! You can practically read an interesting map like a human and geologic history book. Everything drawn is there for a reason. A story told by the cartographer in an almost hyrogliphic language, few will take the time to learn.

[@roderickmarcum8945]

Thank you.

[@Cous1nJack]

16:00 church, synagogue, temple, mosque etc *other religions are available 19:00 plenty of DofE groups out there trying to find a cp boundary to walk along they look like paths

[@pablobalde1121]

Wholesome.

[@tomconway8881]

Good video as always. Thanks

[@apple7603]

Great refresher and some good info around stuff. Couple of little typos if I may - Windmill picture shows motorway text and the spelling of station otherwise 👍🏻

[@noway2831]

Just a quick tip. Switch to mono audio! I can only hear you in my left ear.

[@Cous1nJack]

So you can hear him?

[@Thom4ES]

A proper map has a key , study it first , find north orientate to north -find where you are ,generally , and mark the symbols as you cross refence them with the key- check sun wind , study some more symbols- the map has tonnes of data ...you are the variable in the maps context : if lost ,pick a direction - try to stick to it

[@brynleyjenkins4824]

Well I think you need a medal for making that and I need one for getting through it. I suppose the prize was the lovely piece of music at the end. What was it?

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

I don't know. It's from the free KZbin audio library, so there's no problem with copyright

[@martinkeen2502]

Brilliant video thanks. My problem is that I am colour blind and have to the missus is this a footpath etc. When you mention differing shades of colours then I am completely lost. I can't think of one but it would be great if the O.S. could come up with some kind of solution.

[@gordonjohnston8321]

The definition of a tram is pretty nebulous. Check out Jago Hazzard's "What is a tram actually?" for a comprehensive look into this topic.

[@Hector-vx5yc]

Hi Wayne, I must say, wow! There are a lot of symbols!! Are the legends on the maps very long? On the UK maps?

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

No they're not that long. In the video I gave a full list of all the icons, symbols, etc. Each one is not on all maps. As an example where I filmed the video (The Yorkshire Dales) that map index doesn't have any details of beaches, as there aren't any in that area, etc.

[@royireland1127]

Love the video, but hate that there is no international standard for map symbols. I suppose we should be grateful that at least we all agree that we are humans though it is with regret that we have to acknowledge that we agree on little else (an exaggeration but it often seems that way). Seems rather negative, but I often have had to use maps from different countries and have found few sources of information as clear as your videos. Thanks for the good work, and success to your company.

[@INSOLESandLACES]

Very informative many thanks. Can you clear up one thing for me? What is a pale blue cross that appears on my old 50k map but missing on the newer version? I think it has something to do with the grid but can't work out what, they appear anyway on the map both land and sea.

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

You could try searching on here - there is a lot of info here: maps.nls.uk/os/characteristic-sheets/

[@glidezilla]

That would be a Graticule Intersection, lines where latitude and longitude cross, a geographic coordinate system, it's on paper maps but not digital ones I believe, for example, the OS map reference for Scafell Pike is NY21543-07203, WGS (world geographic system) is -3.21147, 54.4542 hope that helps.

[@INSOLESandLACES]

@@glidezilla brilliant many thanks 👍

[@glidezilla]

@@INSOLESandLACES 54°27'15.1"N 3°12'41.3"W 54.454200, -3.211470

[@clivedunning4317]

. . . The symbol for "Pipelines" doesn't seem to be included ! . . .

[@mihailvormittag6211]

👍

[@ifell3]

🅿️🚙🐾 I've always wondered what the meaning of these symbols was on a map 😅

[@Cous1nJack]

Why are some A roads red and some green? I.e. there are red a-roads on 50000 sheets.

[@Hector-vx5yc]

Wayne, is there a link that you could share where I could purchase a copy of a map of the UK? I find it very fascinating!! Can you help me? From Washington State 💯❤️👍🏽🇺🇸

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

If you buy a map of the whole of the UK it wouldn't have much detail. Most people when walking in the UK tend to use a 1:25,000 OS Explorer. shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/map-ranges/os-paper-map-ranges The OS (Ordnance Survey) is the UK government mapping agency.

[@chucky2316]

They are usually seperate and coded I.e where I live dartmoor is ol29 map. I don't think OS does a complete UK as such

[@chucky2316]

​@@TheMapReadingCompanywhat he says 😂

[@apple7603]

@@TheMapReadingCompanyand a sale on as well at the moment. I saw that you can buy a package of every Landranger or every Explorer map for the Uk if you’ve got deep pockets and big shelves 😮😂

[@Cous1nJack]

I buy some on eBay which will ship internationally. Or see if you can subscribe to OS maps and thumb around to your hearts content.

[@Martycycleman]

Wayne, you titled a windmill as a motorway. Great little video😊

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

Yeah I know. Sorry about that. Only noticed once it was published.

[@nikob5899]

​@TheMapReadingCompany I guess it shows that you are human. Mistakes happen and that's okay. At least we know it's not AI generated.....😅

[@Martycycleman]

​@TheMapReadingCompany Great videos though. 😊

[@IainDavies-z2l]

That's interesting why you have to explain it when it's all explained on the map, oh of course I'm forgetting most people can't read maps.

[@maxmn5821]

I wonder, are some traffic jams permanent enough to be put on maps? („It is not a transportation system, it’s a storage system.“ Starship Titanic by Terry Jones, after Douglas Adams‘ game)

[@RobertBrown-qt8dp]

Think you could add road cones to that.

[@BuckMckawtheotherone]

Holy Molly, talk about bureaucratic congestion. In Canada, we have far less data; perhaps they figure we should explore more for ourselves without hand-holding. Hazards, and predominant features are shown, but not every stone.

[@martinausterfield8597]

Ah yes, access to high quality information is a bad thing. 😂😂😂 They definitely think you should explore for yourselves, and absolutely isn’t about the cost of it. 🙄

[@redf7209]

Yeah you don't want handholding when you can find a pothole hidden in grass all by yourself or walk across a moor to find a call box or gate by guessing where one is

[@SheriffCartman]

This is really useful thank you. I hope to join one of your courses next year, was going to last minute this year when I discovered from your video that you offer them so it’s good to mention this in each video for new people. I still have difficult understanding tracks. Where a track exists on open access land, and potentially isn’t behind a keep out/private drive/no public access sign or locked gate, is it allowed to be driven on? One example being the track to SH 72438 09243 I’ve wanted to explore this hill but no other way to it apart from a path in the far west. It’s not on the definitive map that I learned from your last track/byway episode so assuming it’s a no go to try driving there.

[@TheMapReadingCompany]

The track which runs over the south of Mynydd Rugog isn't a byway - so you can't drive along it. It "may" be a forestry track, but I don't know who owns it. It's inside an Access Area so you can walk along it. I've not been to the Cadair Idris area for years. My nearest course to that would be either The Shropshire Hills or The Mendip Hills.

[@SheriffCartman]

@ thanks for looking at that. Guess I will get a long walk in to see the is area :) yes would be looking to do the Shropshire hills as I’m 40 minutes from there. Take care.