13/06/2024
Contours are king ๐
National Map Reading Week is almost over, so here's our final lightning lesson for you... all about the wonders that are contour lines ๐๏ธ
Hills, slopes and mountains are represented on a map using contour lines. By studying the contour lines, you can learn a lot about the surrounding terrain, including gradients of hills, valleys and steepness of climbs. The steeper the slope, the closer together the contour lines will be.
A contour is a line drawn on a map that joins points of equal height above sea level. For 1:25 000 scale maps the interval between contours is usually 5 metres, although in mountainous regions it may be 10 metres. Look for the height and shape of the ground, which is shown on 1:25 000 scale maps (OS Explorer) by brown contour lines.
For more reading and learning materials, find beginner, advanced and kids' map reading guides and more here: https://ow.ly/zu6O50SbE6e
