UKC

Anyone still use these?

I've got some which I bought in the 1960s, including for the Lake District .

Obviously you have to be a bit cautious when it comes to newer features like roads, and woods and plantations aren't always where shown, but so far as the Fells go they are accurate, and easy to use, particularly as the distance from the tip of my thumb t the first joint is exactly 1"

In reply to Trangia:

Strangely, at the time you posted I was looking at the old Ben Nevis map of this scale.

In reply to Trangia:

I've got the one for the Lakes which shows the railways before they were decommissioned.

In reply to Lion Bakes:


I do that too!
I spend ages on here https://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm sometimes, with the 'Old 25K' maps on, looking at how things have changed. Don't know what year they are though.

In reply to Lusk:

The map legend often shows the date it was printed. If not look for magnetic north commentary for a date.

In reply to Trangia:

I've got a 1928 1" tourist map of the peak district with the coloured shading framed on the wall, and a well worn, much loved copy from the 70's in the glovebox of the car. The colour shading really brings out the topography of the area.

In reply to Trangia:

Will they make a complaint back post brexit?

In reply to Trangia:

I have a few - Dartmoor, Cairngorms and the Lakes. I like the hill shading - it's a nice touch.

In reply to joe.wahab:


Harvey's BMC Mountain Maps remind me of the old one inch to one mile OS Maps.

Anyone has maps from that crazy period when distances went metric but the heights were still recorded in feet?

Mike Parker's "Map Addict" is an excellent read for anyone interested in maps.

In reply to Trangia:
I have a Lake District tourist map by the O/S from the late 1920s - no sign of the A66, obviously!

I think it is on linen, very handy for my wife to follow the progress of a classic 1930s murder mystery novel set in the Keswick area

In reply to Trangia:

I miss the 1 inch 'tourist' maps for an overview, the sheets seemed just the right size to have the Cairngorms and the Lakes on one sheet. Although maybe better for hanging on the wall than using on the hill?

In reply to cragtyke:


I agree it's brilliant and enables you to take in the relative topography at a glance

In reply to Trangia


You have small thumbs! Mine are 1 mile on the 1:50k maps.

In reply to Doug:


Even at 1 inch to the mile that would be too big to fit your pocket

In reply to Trangia:

Unfortunately my inch to the mile maps of anywhere I visit regularly are totally disintegrating now, but I used to love them for planning a route because the topology of the land was so clear from them and they covered a sensible amount of area on one sheet.

In reply to graeme jackson:


typed before drinking enough coffee...

In reply to exiled_northerner:

I've got some of the 'metric/imperial' maps for the Lakes. Contour interval is 50' I think.

In reply to Trangia:

So I'm not the only one to use the rule of thumb! Mine are 1k thick on 1:50000

Googling for one inch tourist map cairngorms brings up lots of phtos of a variety of covers but very few of the map itslef, but for the younger readers wondering waht us old farts are talking about, here's an extract
http://www.irelliott.force9.co.uk/Scotland/HPic/HMap/Braeriach.htm

In reply to Lusk:

Your should check out https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/

(if you want to really zoom in, you have to pay, but still worth a look on the free service)

In reply to Doug:

Oh! Thanks for the print of the Cairngorms.

Those were the days, when British mountains were mountains with their lofty heights were 4 figures, starting with a 3 or a 4.

None of these piddling little 900s and 1000s you get today!

In reply to Trangia:

Have a 1960s Lake District map framed and mounted on the upstairs hall wall. Stare at it most mornings while cleaning my teeth either dreaming or plotting next adventure.

In reply to Trangia: I've still got several: Lakes, North York Moors, Peak District, Exmoor, Dartmoor. They don't come out very often these days. At one time I had three different Lakes ones - the earliest showed the Penrith - Keswick rail line, the next had it 'disused, and the last 'dismantled'. Also got a virtually full Lake Diistrict coverage of old edition 1:25000 square folded maps, each sheet 10k x 10k. The paths shown there are still the most reliable.

In reply to Trangia:

Can anyone remember the discovery of some highly inaccurate contour mapping somewhere in the North West Highlands. It transpired that they never got any aerial survey data for a few spots due to weather so the OS just 'used their imaginations'.

In reply to Trangia:

If you want to waste a few hours then http://maps.nls.uk is worth a look.

In reply to Lusk:

ta for the link - that's a well cool wee app thingy.

In reply to pasbury:

It was the Fisherfield Forest, although. looking at a 1958 survey, they simply stopped drawing contour lines when they ran out of information.

A'Mhaighdean: highest contour 2850 feet; current height 3172 feet
Ruadh Stac Mor: 2850; 3012
Beinn Tarsuinn: 2850; 3074
Beinn a' Chladheimh: 2800; 2999

and some others were a bit ropy as well. Not the easiest area to survey on foot.