Using streetmap.co.uk for footpath maps

The web site streetmap.co.uk has street maps (as you'd expect) but also has Ordnance Survey maps at 1:50000 and 1:25000 scales. The footpath inspector can make good use of these maps. You don't need to register and it's completely free. This page tells you how to carry out various useful tasks:

• Find somewhere on the map
• Adjust the size, position, and scale of the map
• Print your own map
• Check a grid reference
• Create a grid reference
• Create a link to a location on the map

To find somewhere on the map

1. Go to streetmap.co.uk (link opens a new window)
2. In the white box to the left of GO, enter the name of the nearest town, village, or physical feature. Then click on GO.
3. You'll probably be shown a list of places. Often the same place appears several times on the list. Choose one and click on it.

Note: It's likely that streetmap.co.uk's maps are a snapshot of the Ordnance Survey's maps at some time in the (recent or distant) past. For the very latest maps it's probably better to go to the Ordnance Survey's Get-A-Map service, though in many respects that service is less convenient than streetmap.co.uk.

To adjust the size, position, and scale of the map

• To adjust the map size: Find the Map Size controls, and click on the small square or the large square. The small size usually fits everything on the screen at once. The large size gives you a bigger map but you have to use the scroll bars to see the controls.
• To adjust the map position: Move the mouse pointer over the map, then hold the left button down while moving your mouse in the required direction.
• To adjust the scale: Find the Zoom Control. Click on the minus and plus signs to adjust the scale in steps. Alternatively click on one of the the scale bars to go directly to a scale. 1:25000 is third from the bottom. 1:50000 is fourth.

To print the map

1. Click on the Print button, which is near the Zoom Control. This shows a preview of what will be printed: just the map, no headings, buttons, etc.
2. Click "here" for a larger map, if that's what you want.
3. Use your browser's controls to print what you see. The print-out won't be to scale — it usually ends up larger, which in some ways is a good thing because picking out fine detail is easier. However grid references are more difficult, so read on...

To check a grid reference

1. In the white box to the left of GO, enter a grid reference or paste it in from the clipboard, then click on GO. The program understands most common grid reference formats, but be careful not to include any spaces. A typical grid reference to enter would be SK12048687.
2. Check that the orange arrow in the middle of the map is pointing where you expect.

To create a grid reference

1. Adjust the map so that you can see the place you want a grid reference of.
2. Click on the Move arrow control, which is near the Zoom Control.
3. Click on your place on the map.
4. Observe the map being redrawn and the orange arrow pointing to your place.
5. Look in the white box to the left of GO and you will see the twelve-figure grid reference of your place.
6. Directly under the map you will see Click here to convert coordinates. If you click there you'll see various co-ordinates including the SK120868 style, which defines a 100-metre square.
7. To get the ten-metre reference, don't bother with Click here to convert coordinates. Use the two letters that you probably know already, together with the middle four digits of each part of the twelve-figure reference. For instance 412045,386870 becomes SK12048687. If you create a grid reference that way, it's a good idea to check it as described above.

To create a link to a location on the map

You can create a link which, when you click on it, calls up a map from streetmap.co.uk with the scale you specify and the orange arrow pointing to a specific location. This link would be embedded in an electronic document. An example would a Microsoft Word document in which you keep a record of your inspections. Another example would be an e-mail message to the Highway Authority.

Creating a link works differently according to what software you're using. Below is a Microsoft Word example. You'll have to work out for yourself how to do the similar operation with other software. Actually only the last two steps are specific to Microsoft Word

Example:

1. Type the description of the location into your document.
2. Obtain the the grid reference as described in the previous section, making sure that the map scale is set to 1:25000 or whatever you want to see when opening the link.
3. Copy the grid reference from the map screen to your document.
4. Go back to the map and look for the box labelled Link to this page, copy this address.You will find an address like this: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=412045&Y=386870&A=Y&Z=115.
5. In your document, type "[link to map]".
6. (Microsoft Word) Select the text you've just typed with mouse, right click, and select "Hyperlink...".
7. (Microsoft Word) Copy the address from the map to Word's Address box and click on OK.

In your document, you should have created something like this:

To activate the link in Microsoft Word you need to hold the Ctrl key down while clicking on it. On this page, you can just click on it.

Creating a link might seem a little long-winded but it gets a lot easier with a little bit of practice.