When is a map too old?

Q I recently realised my beloved OL17 map for Snowdonia must be older than my 30-year-old daughter! How often would you recommend replacing paper maps? Bria■ Maid●ey, A■g●esey

Pau● says Ideally, you should update your paper map every few years. We are lucky in the UK that Ordnance Survey mapping is very accurate, but if your map is years old you have to accept features may have changed. Contours never change but fences, walls and paths can, and if you come across a feature on the ground that doesn’t match your old map it can easily throw your confidence if you’re not a confident navigator.

Of course, paying up to £15 for a waterproof paper map every few years can be expensive. So, if you regularly walk in different areas of the UK it can be worth getting an online maps subscription. With OS, for example, 12 months access to online maps will cost less than the price of two waterproof maps. You can then print off maps for anywhere in the UK, even printing onto waterproof paper sheets (approximately £1 per sheet) or laminating them if you wish, which will be lighter than a full map.

If downloading maps, always check the map is saved to your device for offline use before heading out. Otherwise you might find yourself on the hill with no signal, rendering the download useless. Having a waterproof paper map as a back-up is always advisable.