How Water Features are shown in the Map Legend
Water Features on a map legend
How Water Features are shown in a map legend. This shows a section of a map legend with the various symbols that represent rivers,canals,lakes etc.on a map. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland
Water Features on a map legend
Water Features on a map legend
How Water Features are shown in a map legend. This shows a section of a map legend with the various symbols that represent rivers,canals,lakes etc.on a map. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland
The legend will also tell us how to spot rivers, lakes, beaches, canals and other water features on maps.
Why do you think it would be important to be able to spot the difference between a river and a canal?
Who do you think would use the information about high and low water marks ?
Rivers and Lakes
Example of River on a map, Cloghoge River, Co. Wicklow
How a River is shown on a map - this example shows the Cloghoge River in the Wicklow Mountains. Rivers are shown as winding blue threads, typically connecting hills to the sea or to other rivers. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland
Example of River on a map, Cloghoge River, Co. Wicklow
Example of River on a map, Cloghoge River, Co. Wicklow
How a River is shown on a map - this example shows the Cloghoge River in the Wicklow Mountains. Rivers are shown as winding blue threads, typically connecting hills to the sea or to other rivers. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland
Rivers appear as a thin blue line on a map and will have the name of the river written beside them e.g. The Cloghoge river in the Wicklow mountains.
Rivers always flow downhill - you can use rivers to quickly tell a valley from a ridge.
Example of a Lake on a map
Example of how a lake is shown on a map. Maps show lakes as irregular patches of blue, usually in valleys or low-lying ground. The Lake shown is Lough Gill in Sligo (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland
Example of a Lake on a map
Example of a Lake on a map
Example of how a lake is shown on a map. Maps show lakes as irregular patches of blue, usually in valleys or low-lying ground. The Lake shown is Lough Gill in Sligo (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland
Lakes are usually fed by and drained by rivers - in the picture, you can see that Lough Dan is both fed by and drained by the Cloghoge river.
We use the legend to identify lakes on maps. Lakes look like this and will have the name of the lake written on them e.g. Loch Gill in Sligo.
Where does Loch Gill meet the sea? Can you find any other lakes in this section of map?
Spot the Lakes
Spot the Lakes
How Boundaries and Forests look in the Map Legend
Boundary information on a map legend
The map legend shows you how to spot different types of boundaries on a map. This includes borders (national and county), national park boundaries, firing ranges, etc. as well as the edge of forests. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland
Boundary information on a map legend
Boundary information on a map legend
The map legend shows you how to spot different types of boundaries on a map. This includes borders (national and county), national park boundaries, firing ranges, etc. as well as the edge of forests. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland
Information about how to recognise different types of boundaries can be found in the legend at the bottom of your Ordnance Survey Discovery Series map.
Do you know how to spot the difference between a county boundary and an international boundary?
This section of the legend also shows us how to spot the difference between coniferous plantation and natural woodland forests and even mixed woodland which is a combination of natural and planted trees.
Who would find this information useful?
The image shown above included the symbol (a thick green line) for National Parks. Do you know what a National Park is? Click here to find out more about the Wicklow Mountains National Park.
For hill walkers, why do you think being able to spot National Park boundaries on a map would be important?
Draw the Province and County Boundary lines
Draw the Province and County Boundary lines