Maps! (let's have a seperate thread, instead of using roll call)

There's been a bit of a debate in the roll call thread about maps, old
v. new, rights of way, access land, etc

Old Maps - Valuable historic documents.
BUT - Roads, forests, built-up areas, quarries, railways, danger areas
etc change over time.

Magnetic deviation not only changes over time, but the rate of change
also changes. Eg., a 30 year old map may give the deviation at the time
the map was prepared, together with a rate of change (say, deviation
decreases by 30' in 4 years). If you calculate the current deviation
using this old info you WILL GET IT WRONG. The North Magnetic Pole
wanders about at quite a variable rate, changing it's speed and
direction of motion as the mood takes it.
You cannot navigate successfully without knowing the current deviation
for the *** you are using .

National Parks - there is NO general right of access, and never has
been. You CAN use public rights of way, and you CAN use public access
land WITHIN THE TERMS of the access agreement. Some areas of access
land have restrictions on dates or types of access in order to protect
wildlife, private shooting rights etc.

Danger Areas - if you take your Scouts into an active Danger Area
because you use out of date maps, then I sincerely hope the Scout
Association hangs you out to dry. ALWAYS check on the most recent OS
***, and also RING THE MOD NUMBER for the area to check current
firing times and restrictions. The local police for the area will be
able to give you the number.

Contour Lines - surprisingly, these don't remain the same! As well as
changes to the landscape (eg due to quarrying), older OS maps had the
contours surveyed at a greater vertical interval than on more modern
sheets (ie., the older sheets are less accurate and show less detail
than modern sheets at the same scale). This can significantly change
the "shape" of a feature as mapped (there's a good example of this on
the OS website). Some trig points also get moved or abandoned over the
years.

Having said all that, there IS a place in Scouting for old maps -
finding out about changes to the landscape, your home town etc, which
can be worked into your programme and badgework.

I love maps - can sit and read a good one for hours. We're very lucky
in this country to have very high quality mapping available at quite
reasonable prices. DO use and enjoy old maps for the historical
information they contain - but for navigation, PLEASE make sure you are
using the best, most up to date information you can get.

By the way - OS gives every schoolchild in England (I think they do in
the rest of the UK too) a map of their home area in Year 7.

.