Do you know, I've just come across one of my old OS 1:25 000 first seriesmaps SK 18 ( Castleton, Derbyshire), and wow! it didn't half take me back!
There was I, at the back end of the '60's catching a train into Manchesterthen another train to Hope (I thought it was so inconvenient not being ableto get a train to Castleton), with my Bukta rucksack with my pans danglingfrom the frame ( my army surplus tent which must have canvas a quarter ofinch thick, I'm sure, took most of the room up inside my rucksack) dressedin my scout shorts and wooly socks, one down at the ankle as usual and myscout badges firmly pieced into the leather shoulder straps of my rucksack.It was like the "Famous Five" only with four missing.
Anyway it was time to get the map out and find a way to Rowters Farm where Iwould be setting up camp for a night. With my map opened out and a ratherdodgy old brass compass I planned my route. The compass soon got put away,it only ever pointed north, which wasn't the way I wanted to go! Anyway,having decided on the route I needed to take I was off.
As I set off I noticed a campsite on the other side of the road that I didnot know about, and it was full of these strange tents like little houses,bungalows actually, I thought I must tell my dad what I'd seen when I gothome.
The road was starting to get boring, but I noticed a steam over the wall, Ichecked my map, yes I thought, this will take me to Castleton. After whatseemed like an age I surfaced onto a road bridge just outside of Castleton.On reaching the village I stopped for a well earned ice cream.
I can't recollect what route I took from here to Rowters Farm, except to sayI did arrive and set up my tent, although I remember not getting much sleepas it rained like I never seen or heard it before and my camp wasthoroughly soaked, Oh and I told my dad about them "funny" tents..........the family spent the next ten years on camping holidays.
The point about this posting is that map was, and still is a fabulous mapand now I compare it with the same section on the Dark Peak Explorer thetopography has completely disappeared under a sea of signs for TouristInfo, Picnic, Caravan and Camping, View Points, Car Parks, Cycle Hire,Museums, NT Boundaries, Public Houses, Fishing Spots, Walking Trails, OpenAccess Boundaries and Field Boundaries.
That stream I walked along as a lad as almost disappeared!
Do we really need a map to tell us where the Pubs are? and if so wouldn'tthe old P.H. do instead of a big blue pint pot.
On the new map the contours of Rushup Edge, Mam Tor, Hollins Cross and LoseHill have all but disappeared under field boundaries. I know wallboundaries are helpful, I've used them to take back bearings to establishmy position, in poor conditions, but printed in black they spoil the map (ooooh that last sentence is almost a poem!).
The old map was printed in four colours only, Orange, Blue, Black and Grey.The same field boundaries are still there in the old map but are printed ingrey and blend in with the orange contours, but are still visible if youcare to look. All these changes have sneaked up on us.
I'm beginning to wonder who these maps are intended for, I mean I work withseventy people at my place of work, I bet if I asked most of them if theyhad a map of the Lake District most would come back with the AA Big RoadAtlas of Great Britain (and probably the 1999 version to boot!). So itwon't be them that's buying them, so it must only be walkers who need thelevel of detail in a 1:25 000 map. I'm quite sure the ordinary man in thestreet is going to buy a map of this detail just so he can find the nearestpicnic spot.
I don't know why the OS don't go all the way and print the MRT's telephonenumber on all the hills in the area.
That old map as got a lot to answer for now, I'm quite angry!
When I was a lad that old map was like a treasure map to me I'd pour overthe detail for hours I'm sure, so full of adventure and mystery.
Well I've had my rant, what to you think?