The most common usage is the six figure grid reference, employing three digits in each coordinate to determine a 100 m square. For example, the grid reference of the 100 m square containing the summit of Ben Nevis is NN 166 712.
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What grid reference does OS use?
The most common usage is the six figure grid reference, employing three digits in each coordinate to determine a 100 m square. For example, the grid reference of the 100 m square containing the summit of Ben Nevis is NN 166 712.
What is the national grid in terms of OS maps?
National Grid references are used to accurately pinpoint your location on an Ordnance Survey map. A series of faint blue lines on every map makes up a numbered grid that is used to create the National Grid reference.
What size is the grid on an OS map?
To make it even easier, the grid lines are exactly 4cm apart, so every square is 1km by 1km. Maps are made at different scales for different purposes.
How do OS grids work?
A grid of squares helps the map-reader to locate a place. The vertical lines are called eastings. They are numbered – the numbers increase to the east. The horizontal lines are called northings as the numbers increase in an northerly direction.
How do you read a OS grid reference?
When taking a grid reference, always read left to right along the bottom or top of the map first and then bottom to top along the side of the map. This is particularly important in an emergency situation.
How do I get a national grid reference?
How to find a National Grid Reference
- When you find an object, place it in a bag and write on the location of the findspot.
- Look at a 1:25000 scale OS map.
- Locate the findspot on the map, and then read the National Grid Reference; the first part will be the prefix (2 letters).
How does OS grid work?
On OS maps, these squares are further divided into smaller squares by grid lines representing 10 kilometre spacing, each numbered from 0 to 9 from the south-west corner, in an easterly (left to right) and northerly (upwards) direction, as shown below. Using this system you can identify a 10 kilometre grid square.
What does a national grid reference look like?
Grid References are made up of: two letters, optionally followed by. an even number of digits, optionally followed by. a quadrant name: “NW”, “NE”, “SW” or “SE”, standing for North West, North East, South West and South East.
How do you read an OS map grid reference?
Can you use OS grid references on Google Maps?
To access Google Maps, click on the image below: To use Google Maps position the map and, using the zoom tool on the left-hand side of the screen, zoom in to the maximum level to find the place for which you want a Grid Reference. Then either: Click “Grid Reference Tools” and choose “Get Grid Reference from Map”.