 believe they could confidently use a paper map to help them find their way if they got lost, a study has found. A poll of 2,000 adults found that many find map-reading a baffling prospect – with 16% admitting they have got lost in an unsafe situation, due to poor map-reading skills. When faced with having to read a paper map to figure out their whereabouts, nearly a quarter (23%) would give up, and ask someone else for directions. And 8% would try to retrace their steps, while 5% would take a wild guess about which way to go – and concerningly, another 5% admit they would simply panic. As a result, three in five Brits (61%) believe map-reading should be taught from an early age, as part of the curriculum. And almost half of those polled (46%) say they would explore more of the countryside, while 41% would go on more adventurous walks – if they felt more comfortable reading a map. The research was commissioned by Ordnance Survey, ahead of National Map Reading Week, from July 31 to August 6 – and the mapping agency has also created this test, to help you discover how much you really understand maps. The OS Map Reading Challenge features questions on map symbols, scale, and how to read contours – as it emerged less than half of Brits are aware of what contours on a map actually tell you. Just 49% knew contours show the height of the land above sea level – with 5% believing it highlighted the different colours of a hill or mountain. Only 46% were aware that a triangulation pillar shows the highest point of the land on an OS map – and nearly a quarter don't understand the scale of a map tells you how much you would need to enlarge it to get the actual size. As such, 39% say they would like to brush up on their map-reading skills. Nick Giles OBE, MD of Leisure for Ordnance Survey, which commissioned the research ahead of Natio){kind=link}
Map-reading is a baffling prospect for many – take this quiz to test how well you understand map symbols, such as contours
Only half of Brits (54%) believe they could confidently use a paper map to help them find their way if they got lost, a study has found.
A poll of 2,000 adults found that many find map-reading a baffling prospect â with 16% admitting they have got lost in an unsafe situation, due to poor map-reading skills.
When faced with having to read a paper map to figure out their whereabouts, nearly a quarter (23%) would give up, and ask someone else for directions.
And 8% would try to retrace their steps, while 5% would take a wild guess about which way to go â and concerningly, another 5% admit they would simply panic.