Ordnance Survey and Harvey Maps: Navigational Allies in the UK Uplands

Map and compass Navigating the UK’s dramatic and often challenging upland terrain demands reliable tools, and for generations, maps have been the cornerstone of safe and successful journeys. Two prominent map producers cater to this need: Ordnance Survey (OS) and Harvey Maps. While both serve the fundamental purpose of representing the landscape, they adopt different philosophies and offer distinct strengths, making them suitable for varying user needs and preferences in the demanding environment of the British uplands.

Ordnance Survey Maps: The Comprehensive National Standard

Ordnance Survey, as Great Britain’s national mapping agency, provides comprehensive coverage of the entire country. Their maps are available in two primary scales relevant to upland navigation:

1:50,000 Landranger Series: These maps offer a broad overview, covering a larger geographical area on a single sheet. They are ideal for general route planning, reconnaissance, and situations where a wide perspective is beneficial, such as multi-day treks or cycling tours that traverse varied landscapes. Landranger maps depict key features like roads, settlements, major paths, rivers, woodlands, and contours at 10-meter intervals, providing a good sense of the terrain’s overall shape. They also include a wealth of additional information, such as tourist information, points of interest, and administrative boundaries.
1:25,000 Explorer (and Outdoor Leisure) Series: These maps offer a much greater level of detail, showing individual field boundaries, smaller paths and tracks (including public rights of way), vegetation cover, and more frequent contour lines (typically at 5 or 10-meter intervals, depending on the area). Explorer maps are the preferred choice for detailed navigation, especially in complex terrain where precise identification of features is crucial. They are invaluable for hillwalkers, mountaineers, and anyone venturing off well-defined paths. The level of detail allows for accurate pinpointing of location and informed decision-making in poor visibility or challenging conditions.

Strengths of Ordnance Survey Maps:

Complete National Coverage: OS maps are available for every part of the UK, ensuring consistent mapping across the entire country. This is particularly important for long-distance routes that may cross different map sheet boundaries.
Familiarity and Standardization: As the national standard, OS maps are widely used and taught in navigation courses. Their symbology and conventions are well-established and understood by a vast majority of outdoor enthusiasts in the UK.
Wealth of Detail (especially Explorer): The 1:25,000 scale maps provide an unparalleled level of detail, crucial for intricate navigation and identifying subtle landscape features.
Additional Information: OS maps often include tourist information, points of interest, historical sites, and administrative boundaries, which can be useful for planning and understanding the broader context of a journey.
Digital Integration: OS offers excellent digital mapping platforms and apps, seamlessly integrating their detailed mapping with GPS technology and route planning tools. This allows for pre-trip planning and real-time navigation on digital devices.
Availability: OS maps are widely available in outdoor shops, bookstores, and online retailers.

Merits of Ordnance Survey Maps:

Comprehensive Resource: For those needing detailed information across any part of the UK, OS maps are the definitive resource.
Educational Value: The standardized symbology and detailed representation make them excellent tools for learning and teaching navigation skills.
Versatility: Suitable for a wide range of outdoor activities, from casual walking to serious mountaineering.

Harvey Maps: The Specialist Hillwalker’s Choice

Harvey Maps carved their niche by focusing specifically on the needs of hillwalkers and mountaineers, particularly in the popular upland areas of the UK. Their maps often cover entire mountain ranges or national parks on a single sheet, reducing the need to carry multiple maps. They are renowned for their clarity, uncluttered design, and durable, waterproof construction.

Harvey Maps are available in several scales, with the most relevant for upland navigation being:

1:40,000 British Mountain Maps: This scale is a hallmark of Harvey Maps for mountainous regions. It offers a good balance between detail and coverage, often encompassing a significant area popular with hillwalkers on a single, easy-to-handle sheet. The contour intervals on these maps are typically 15 meters, which can make the terrain’s overall shape very clear, especially in steep and complex areas. Harvey’s cartography often emphasizes the topography with clear shading and distinct rock features.
1:25,000 Superwalker Maps: In direct competition with the OS Explorer series, Harvey also produces 1:25,000 maps for specific popular walking areas. These aim to provide the detailed information needed for navigation but with Harvey’s characteristic clarity and focus on walker-relevant features.

Strengths of Harvey Maps:

Clarity and Readability: Harvey maps are specifically designed for ease of use in challenging conditions. They often feature bolder contour lines, less non-essential detail (like administrative boundaries), and larger, clearer text for place names and features. This reduces clutter and allows for quicker interpretation, especially in poor weather or when under pressure.
Emphasis on Topography: Harvey’s cartography often excels at depicting the three-dimensional nature of the terrain, with effective shading and clear representation of rocky areas, cliffs, and other significant landforms. This can aid in visualizing the landscape and making informed navigational decisions based on slope and aspect.
Waterproof and Durable: Most, if not all, Harvey maps are printed on waterproof and tear-resistant paper, eliminating the need for a separate map case and increasing their durability in harsh upland environments. This is a significant advantage in wet and windy conditions where traditional paper maps can quickly become unusable.
Logical Coverage: Harvey maps often cover entire mountain ranges or popular trekking routes on a single or a small number of sheets, reducing the bulk and inconvenience of carrying multiple OS maps for a single trip.
Walker-Centric Information: Harvey maps prioritize information directly relevant to walkers and mountaineers, such as clear path designations, access land information, and sometimes specific details like climbing areas or bothies.
Specific Trail Maps: Harvey produces excellent maps specifically for popular long-distance trails, often presenting the entire route on one or two strip maps, which can be very convenient for thru-hikers.

Merits of Harvey Maps:

Ease of Use in Demanding Environments: The clear cartography and waterproof construction make them a reliable tool when navigation becomes critical in challenging upland conditions.
Reduced Clutter: The focus on walker-relevant information can make them less overwhelming than the highly detailed OS Explorer maps, allowing for quicker decision-making.
Durability and Convenience: The waterproof and tear-resistant paper and logical coverage enhance their practicality for regular use in the uplands.
Expert Focus: Created by a company with a strong background in orienteering and mountain marathons, their design reflects a deep understanding of the navigational needs of serious hillgoers.

Relative Strengths and Merits: A Comparative Summary

Feature	Ordnance Survey	Harvey Maps
Coverage	Complete UK coverage	Focus on popular upland areas and long trails
Scale Options	Primarily 1:50,000 and 1:25,000	Primarily 1:40,000 (mountain) and 1:25,000 (Superwalker)
Detail	Very high (1:25k), good (1:50k)	High (1:25k), good balance (1:40k)
Contour Interval	Typically 5m or 10m (1:25k), 10m (1:50k)	Typically 15m (1:40k), 5m or 10m (1:25k)
Clarity	Can be cluttered with non-essential detail (1:25k)	Generally clearer and less cluttered
Topography	Good representation	Often excellent, with clear shading
Durability	Paper or optional laminated versions	Typically waterproof and tear-resistant
Coverage per Sheet	Smaller, requiring multiple sheets for long routes	Often larger, covering entire ranges or long trails
Additional Info	Tourist info, historical sites, admin boundaries	Primarily walker-focused information
Digital Offerings	Comprehensive and well-integrated	Growing digital presence, but generally less extensive
Familiarity	National standard, widely taught and used	Strong following among experienced hillwalkers
Best For	General use, detailed navigation across any UK area	Mountain navigation, challenging conditions, long trails in covered areas

Conclusion:

Both Ordnance Survey and Harvey Maps offer invaluable aids for navigation in the UK uplands. The “optimal” choice often boils down to individual preferences, the specific activity, and the terrain.

For comprehensive coverage across any part of the UK, detailed navigation requiring identification of even minor features, and integration with digital platforms, Ordnance Survey maps, particularly the 1:25,000 Explorer series, are an excellent choice. They are a familiar and trusted standard for a wide range of outdoor activities.
For hillwalkers and mountaineers venturing into popular upland areas, especially in challenging weather, Harvey Maps offer compelling advantages with their clarity, durable waterproof construction, logical coverage, and emphasis on terrain representation. Their 1:40,000 British Mountain Maps strike a useful balance between detail and coverage for mountainous regions, while their Superwalker series provides a less cluttered alternative to OS 1:25,000 maps in specific areas.

Ultimately, many experienced upland navigators carry and utilize both types of maps depending on the situation. Understanding the relative strengths and merits of each allows for informed decision-making and ensures the most appropriate tool is at hand for safe and enjoyable exploration of the UK’s magnificent uplands.