06 February 2008

Revised Scottish OS Explorer Maps hit the shelves

The final maps in a programme to revise every OS Explorer Map for Scotland have been hitting the shelves following a two and a half year revision programme by national mapping agency Ordnance Survey.

All 160 Scottish titles in the OS Explorer Map series have been updated and reissued, giving outdoor enthusiasts access to the most up‑to‑date paper mapping of Scotland available.

At a scale of 1:25,000 (4 cm on the map equals 1 km on the ground) the level of detail includes every hamlet, town, road, glen and hill contour, making the maps ideal for outdoor enthusiasts.

The revision process began in June 2005 when surveyors from Ordnance Survey began the process of mapping the changes to the Scottish landscape. This huge task, using specialist GPS equipment, took over 11,000 hours to finish.

This new mapping information was then transmitted to Ordnance Survey’s Southampton head office. It then took 33,000 hours of cartographic effort to turn this raw data, as well as detailed aerial photography, into the orange‑covered              OS Explorer Maps that people are so familiar with.

Richard Tyrrell, the OS Explorer Map Product Manager at Ordnance Survey says, "Providing mapping of all of Great Britain at a consistent level of quality and currency is a very important part of Ordnance Survey’s role as the national mapping agency.

"The revision of the OS Explorer Map series, our most detailed leisure mapping, has been a huge organisation-wide effort, from the surveyors in the field through to the cartographers and our printing services."

OS Explorer Maps are available in both traditional and weatherproof 'Active' versions. The entire range will be on display at this year’s Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show at Birmingham’s NEC on 14-16 March.

All Ordnance Survey maps are available through booksellers or via the website; www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapshop

Note to editors

For the sixth year running Ordnance Survey will be sponsoring The Outdoors Show at the NEC, Birmingham. For more information visit: www.theoutdoorsshow.co.uk

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Head of Corporate Communications - Rob Andrews

Email: rob.andrews@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2265

Senior Communications & PR Officer - Paul Beauchamp

Email: paul.beauchamp@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2568

Press Office fax: (+44) 023 8030 5295