Because I was a boy scout the name "Ordnance Survey" provokes all sorts of memories. To my ultimate shame (but not without a naughty schoolboy-like snigger) the strongest OS-related memory I have is of me scrutinising a sheet inorder to work out just how our group (pack? troop? patrol? I can't remember) could short-cut the gruelling hike our glorious leader had sent us on. That's probably about as rebellious as I got as a teenager.
Yes, I was a lazy child but they told us we should expect to be back by 3pm and we knew that that didn't stack up; that the only way we'd keep to that schedule was to cheat...and we were damn right: back at three on the dot, the rest weren't back for hours. So really, I'd say we showed unprecedented initiative that displayed an admirable respect for deadlines and for the need to meet them no matter what.
Our leader didn't see it that way.
I soon left to pursue an adolescence full of long hair, Black Sabbath and Purple Parachutes.
More modern editions of OS maps (yet to be posted) seem quite sanitized when compared to older publications like this one which still has loads of charm and character. But then, of course, charm and character is no good to you when you're half way up a mountain and the cloud's coming down fast, you're out of Kendal Mint Cake and one of your party is whinging about his twisted ankle. What do you do? Carry him or leave him for the goats to pick over his remains?
Simply gorgeous. Since moving over to Ireland a decade ago I've always been disappointed with the highly clinical Irish OS maps.
btw Have you ever seen high altitude flight charts? I have a few spares lying around here if you're interested in them?
Posted by: Graham G | 24 October 2007 at 07:58 PM
Sounds very interesting Graham. I'll email you "off blog".
Posted by: Richard | 24 October 2007 at 09:23 PM
I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, but here's some info about a great NPR podcast on "Mapping" that a friend of mine commented on my blog:
last week's (19 oct 2007) installment of npr's "This American Life" radio program titled "mapping" (#110). here's the link to their website: http://www.thislife.org/
Posted by: Prêt à Voyager | 31 October 2007 at 06:12 PM