Reference
Reference
Articles about orienteering use words you rarely hear in everyday life. Here they are explained briefly, without unnecessary theory. The glossary is split into three groups: the map, the compass and satellite navigation. Come back here whenever another article uses a word you don't know.
Terms aren't for passing an exam. "Bearing" is simply shorter than "direction in degrees measured clockwise from north".
The map
- Scale
- The ratio between sizes on the map and on the ground. At 1:25,000, one centimetre on the sheet equals 250 metres; at 1:50,000, it equals 500 metres.
- Map symbols
- The signs a map uses for roads, woods, water, buildings and other features. They are usually explained in the legend.
- Contour lines
- Lines on a topographic map that join points of equal height. The closer together the lines, the steeper the slope.
- Landmark
- An obvious feature that is easy to recognise both on the ground and on the map: a bridge, a junction, a mast, the edge of a wood, a distinctive building.
The compass
- Bearing
- The direction to an object in degrees, measured clockwise from north. North is 0 degrees, east 90, south 180 and west 270.
- Magnetic north
- The direction a compass needle points to. It is not the same as the direction to the geographic North Pole.
- Magnetic declination
- The angle between magnetic north and true north. Its value for the area is often given in the map margin.
- Setting the map
- Turning the map so its edges line up with the cardinal directions and the features shown lie the same way as the real ones.
Satellite navigation
- Global navigation satellite system
- A constellation of satellites whose signals let a receiver calculate its position. They include GPS (USA), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (European Union) and BeiDou (China).
- Multi-constellation reception
- A receiver's ability to use signals from several systems at once. Phones often work this way, which helps them find satellites among buildings and trees.
- Offline map
- A map saved to a device's memory in advance. It opens without internet, and your position on it is found by satellite.
- Location
- A device's current position — a point on the map or a pair of coordinates that you can send to another person.
Where these words come in handy
- Practical
A step-by-step map-and-compass route from point to point, plus a catalogue of practical articles.
- Questions
Short answers about scale, map symbols, bearings, satellite navigation and safety.
- Collections
Reading paths: your first walk with a map, orienteering with children, a city without a sat nav.
- Topics
Four groups of topics: the map, compass and cardinal directions, phone navigation, and safety on the way.
Where to go next
What this page is based on
- Topographic maps and their symbols
- Guides to land navigation and orienteering
- EMERCOM of Russia — outdoor safety leaflets
Maps go out of date, trails get overgrown and rules for visiting natural areas change. Before you set out, check up-to-date information and follow any instructions on site. This guide covers general techniques and is no substitute for training and preparation for demanding routes.