25 February 2004

White horses and ancient monuments brought to life in new map

Salisbury…plain? Not according to Ordnance Survey’s latest map of Wiltshire

Few areas of Britain can boast a landscape as intriguing as Wiltshire. And those planning a visit to this ancient county can now get even more out of their trip – thanks to a brand new Tour map from Ordnance Survey.

The Tour map of Wiltshire is the latest addition to the mapping agency's OS Travel Map series and is designed to help visitors and locals discover all that the county has to offer.

Showing motorways, primary routes and minor roads, the map also pinpoints scores of tourist facilities and named places of interest.

The map highlights major attractions such as the World Heritage Site of Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral – boasting Britain's highest steeple – and Longleat Safari Park, which opens its doors for the new season in March. But the Tour map also directs people to many less-well-known attractions and facilities – ranging from vineyards to specialist museums – making it the ideal travelling companion.

Anyone looking for quieter spots will find designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, historic sites, nature reserves and viewpoints are among the many other features marked. And dozens of country pubs, picnic sites and rural car parks are also highlighted.

The area immediately surrounding Wiltshire is also covered – with the map stretching from Andover (Hampshire) in the east to Radstock (Somerset) in the west; and from Stroud (Gloucestershire) in the north to Fordingbridge (Hampshire) in the south.

Colourful and detailed town map insets of Avebury, Bradford-on-Avon, Chippenham, Cricklade, Devizes, Malmesbury, Marlborough, Mere, Salisbury, Swindon, Trowbridge and Warminster make it easy to locate facilities and attractions in the more urban areas.

To help find any destination quickly, a place names index is included on the map – and roads are colour-coded, so motorists can quickly assess their importance. Key cycle routes along with canals and railways are also clearly tracked.

"Visitors to Wiltshire needn't look far for plenty to see and do – the county has a wealth of attractions to offer – Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral, to name just two," says Louisa Barnard of Ordnance Survey. "But some of the county's more unusual features – like Wiltshire's hill figures and military badges etched in the landscape – are also highlighted on this new map."

She adds: "To help people get more out of the county, we've listed our own choice of 24 places of interest on the map, along with details of market days and farmers' markets to give visitors plenty of possible excursions to think about. In fact, we've included everything we think visitors will need to have a fulfilling break, without cluttering the map with unnecessary information."

The full-colour map is printed at 1:100,000 scale – the equivalent of 1 cm to 1 km (approximately 1 inch to 1½ miles). The OS Travel Map–Tour range sells at just £4.99 per map, from high-street stockists and the Ordnance Survey online map shop at

www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/leisure

---

Chief Press Officer - Scott Sinclair

Email: scott.sinclair@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2265

Senior Press Officer - Kate Kemp

Email: kate.kemp@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2977

Press Officer - Paula Good

Email: paula.good@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2635

Press Officer - Paul Beauchamp

Email: paul.beauchamp@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2568

Press Office Co-ordinator - Pauline Hand

Email: pauline.hand@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2251

Press Office fax: (+44) 023 8030 5295