Reading a map: compass, key and grid
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What you will learn
By the end, you can use compass points, read a map key and give a grid reference for any square on a map.
A postcard arrives from Cara: “Meet me at the treasure. Find square B3 on the park map, then walk north-east from the big oak tree.” Without a compass, a key and a grid, that is nonsense. With them, it is a set of exact directions.
Read the explanation
A map is a picture of a place seen from above, made small. Three tools unlock it. The compass rose shows direction, and north is usually at the top. The key tells you what each symbol or colour means. The grid lets you name any square: read across first, then up.
- Four main compass points, clockwise from the top: North, East, South, West. The in-between points are NE, SE, SW and NW.
- The key explains symbols: a blue line is a river, a black cross is a church, green is parkland.
- Grid reference: across first, then up. Some maps use a letter for across (B3); others use numbers for both (2, 3).