Map symbols
What are map symbols?
• Maps give us a lot of information and there
is not much room for labels.
• So we use symbols to save space and
make the map easier to read.
• Symbols may be simple drawings, letters,
shortened words or coloured shapes or
areas.
How can we use them?
• A map will always have a key to list and explain
the meanings of the symbols used.
• It is therefore not necessary for you to learn all
the symbols as you will have a key.
• However it will make it quicker if you are familiar
with some of the more common ones.
OS map symbols
• Ordnance survey (OS) has its own set of
map symbols, often copied by others.
• These symbols can be grouped into
categories like places of interest (usually
shown in black), points of interest for
tourists (blue), etc. but every map will have
a key for reference.
Some map symbols can
tell you more than just
the location of a feature.
For example the following
symbols all indicate
churches
– but each one will tell
you a little bit about
what the church looks
like.
Click to find out what......
Some map symbols can
tell you more than just
the location of a feature.
Chapel
For example the following
symbols all indicate
churches
– but each one will tell
you a little bit about
what the church looks
like.
Church with a
tower
Church with a
steeple
• Areas of woodland too will tell you what type of
trees are to be found.
• Below is the symbol for a mixed woodland, but
the trees could be shown as either just
coniferous or just deciduous.
Coniferous
Deciduous
Map Symbols
Lets start to identify some important
symbols.
Can you guess what these symbols mean?
Map Symbols
Lets start to identify some important
symbols.
Campsite
Car Park
Try and memorise these!
Public Convenience
Coniferous wood
Secondary road
View point
Quarry
Public Footpath
Public phone
Information centre
To test yourself......
Click here
for the answers
Back to main session..
Click here
for the answers
Secondary road
Back to main session..
Click here
for the answers
Secondary road
Information centre
Back to main session..
Click here
for the answers
Secondary road
Information centre
Coniferous wood
Back to main session..
Click here
for the answers
Secondary road
View point
Information centre
Coniferous wood
Back to main session..
Click here
for the answers
Secondary road
View point
Information centre
Quarry
Coniferous wood
Back to main session..
Click here
for the answers
Secondary road
Public Convenience
View point
Information centre
Quarry
Coniferous wood
Back to main session..
Click here
for the answers
Secondary road
Public Convenience
View point
Information centre
Public phone
Quarry
Coniferous wood
Back to main session..
How well did you do?
Secondary road
Public Convenience
View point
Information centre
Public phone
Quarry
Coniferous wood
Public Footpath
Recap
• All (OS) maps use symbols to identify features. –
There is a key on all maps.
• The symbols are not to scale and are made up
of words letters or drawings.
• The symbols are broken down into different
sections.- Places of interest, Boundaries etc
• Symbols can tell you more than just the location
of a feature.
• The more map symbols you can remember the
easier you will find navigation.
Back to main session..