11 February 2005

Walk into the future at The Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show

Ordnance Survey is inviting activity seekers to step into the future of mapping and navigation at Britain’s biggest ever outdoor leisure showcase.

Visitors to The Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show at Birmingham NEC (18 – 20 March) can enjoy a hands-on preview of how the power of mapping could be harnessed in years to come.

Researchers from the national mapping agency have merged digital technology with map co-ordinates on the real landscape to create amazing on-screen applications for mobile phones, personal digital assistants and other hand-held devices.

Map data overlaid on views of the real world through a magic window offers a new dimension in intelligent geographic information. It could give hikers and ramblers the kind of X-ray vision to see what is over the brow of a hill or what the nearest pub looks like before they arrive.

Partnership is a further theme of Ordnance Survey’s presence at this year’s show. A special exhibition area, Ordnance Survey in Action, will include some of today’s map-related applications from partners Memory-Map, Anquet, Garmin, PocketRoutes, Walkingworld and Focus Maps.

Representatives from the Countryside Agency will be on hand to discuss the revised Countryside Code and roll-out of countryside access land. The newly designated areas are shown on the OS Explorer Map series which will be on sale along with the hundreds of other off-the-shelf Ordnance Survey leisure maps, including the latest titles.

In addition, people can place orders for OS Select maps: full-size, full-colour maps centred on anywhere in Britain. This service includes both OS Explorer and OS Landranger Maps. Visitors can also create and customise their own digital mapping, and preview a forthcoming Ordnance Survey website aimed at leisure map users.  

Expert cartographers and surveyors will be there to answer any questions that visitors have about Ordnance Survey maps and how the data is collected.

And there will be a dedicated zone highlighting how families can enjoy the outdoors together, with a chance to win computer equipment and holidays.

"We are at the heart of the outdoor leisure industry," says Ordnance Survey’s Director General and Chief Executive, Vanessa Lawrence. "Our geographic information benefits millions of people every year including walkers, cyclists, climbers and horse riders. That's why we’re thrilled to sponsor this superb show and invite people to talk to us face to face about our products and how we use technology.

"We’re also delighted that some of our business partners will be joining us to discuss the benefits of their applications based on our data."

Ordnance Survey is one of more than 500 exhibiting brands and organisations at this year’s event.

Opening hours are 10am to 6pm on Friday 18 March, and 9am to 5pm on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 March. Tickets for adults cost £11 in advance (£14 on the door); and for children, students, pensioners and the disabled £6 (£8 on the door). Family tickets are £30 (£38 on the door). Children under five go free.

For more information, including promotional offers, visit www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/leisure.  

The show comes at the end of National Outdoor Week, an initiative designed to encourage people to try out new activities, find new hobbies and learn more about the great outdoors. It includes The Big Walk – a chance to walk with a celebrity and raise cash for Red Nose Day 2005 – and organised trips to outdoor activity centres for secondary school children. For more information, visit www.nationaloutdoorweek.org.uk.

Notes for Editors

• Ordnance Survey, the OS Symbol, Landranger and OS are registered trademarks and Explorer and OS Select are trademarks of Ordnance Survey. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Corporation. PocketRoutes is a registered trademark of Colin Hay.

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Chief Press Officer - Scott Sinclair

Email: scott.sinclair@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

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