By: Blonde Two
(All map images courtesy of Ordnance Survey who are jolly nice people).
Ordnance Survey have launched a competition to design a range of new map symbols. We Blondes are obviously very excited about this, as successful designs will feature on OS maps across the UK. Can you imagine anything more thrilling than seeing your own design every time you opened a map? (Well, you probably can … but you know how much we Blondes love a bit of Ordnance Survey!) Here are some competition tips.
Our only objection to this most excellent competition is the symbols that have been requested; the Blonde problem being that most of them would not appear on the Dartmoor OL28 map. Here is Ordnance Survey’s list with reference to Dartmoor:
1) Vineyard (we can’t find one but know where the breweries are).
2) Skate Park (we keep forgetting to pack our skateboards).
3) Caves (there are some of these but they are secret).
4) Toilet (who needs a toilet when you have tussocks).
5) Art Gallery (hmm – the Visitor Centre does this sometimes).
6) Electric Car Charging Point (you can’t even get petrol).
7) Climbing Centre (okay, so this one would work).
8) Solar Farm (you would have to get through the planners first).
9) Kite Surfing (tricky but impressive down the Devonport Leat).
10) Ice Rink (plenty of these in February, often on tents).
Obviously the only answer to our Blonde problem is to pick a few choice Blonde-Symbols that we would like to see on OL28. These would be particularly helpful for girls. For example:
1) Tampon-Purchase-Place (running out is no fun at all).
2) Jelly-Baby-Fill-Up-Station (could mean success instead of failure).
3) Cheesy-Chip-Venue (should meet rigorous standards)
4) Toilet-Rock (out of eyesight and with handholds).
5) Contact-Lens-Application-Area (with mirror and out of the wind).
I am sure that you have some more ideas – do let us know and we will pass them on to Ordnance Survey. Oh, and do let us know if you take part in the competition! (Do you know what these symbols mean?)
Oooo Cheesy-Chip-Venue definitely needed!
A girl cannot live by bread alone … but cheesy chips might just do it!
I must be doing toilet rocks wrong, because I can’t imagine what the handholds are for. Please enlighten me so I can improve!
Handholds are for myself and my dodgy knees. When I crouch down with my rucksack on, the only way that I can get back up again is to get onto my knees first – not recommended in a wee puddle! Handholds are to pull back up on.
Oh, that makes sense, but I always put my rucksack well out of the way first – I’d feel very wobbly with it on.
Definitely rocks with handholds – they’re clearly there for those of us who are less well-balanced. After all, one has to get upright again.
Electric car charging point could be interesting – like a mad bull on wheels?
The less balanced indeed – I think it must be a family failing!
I want “Thufurs” marked carefully though else they could look like Dartmoor has grown boobs!
An Internet active sign showing benches and their vacancy or occupancy in real time. So often you walk and walk looking for somewhere to stop finally accepting some uncomfortable compromise only to find out after you have set off again there is an empty bench 100 yds. further on. Or, assuming you know the territory and the existence of a forthcoming bench you arrive to find it already occupied.
Sorry. forgot to fill in details again – that anonymous was me.
I can see we are missing some items. Would you care to submit your best artistic interpretation for a map symbol for ‘rock with handholds’
We will work on something for you, getting our best designers onto it now!