Reading maps and navigating - too much detail or too litte?



Silva Expedition 54 Compass

How can you read a map and compass when you're eyesight is failing?

This is a question that a customer recently asked me. He needed some way of magnifying the navigation process as his eyesight was going to deteriorate for a period of time. I'm not sure why he wasn't using glasses but there must be a reason. What would you do? Below are some of my thoughts on maps and navigation.

Some Silva Compasses, such as the Silva Expedition Type 54 and Silva Expedition Type 4 come with a small inbuilt magnifying glass for reading the fine details on a map. I've personally found this useful when out and about and I want to look at something in more detail and my eyesight isn't too bad. Perhaps maps just have too much info on them. Are Ordnance Survey maps too detailed? Do they confuse a walker or do they make navigation better and thus walking in the mountains safer?



Ordnance Survey Maps

 I like the detail that goes into an OS Map. I've also used Harvey's maps and a number of other maps around the world and they just do not give the same amount of information. I guess it depends on why you are out on the hills walking. It also depends on what you like. I'm a little bit of a nerd. I like maps. It is something I kind of like collecting. They are like books and tell you a story, especially old maps. One of my prize possessions in a Harmsworth Atlas of the World from 1904. Fascinating to look at. Of course no good for walking! Now onto the subject of a Garmin GPS... I do use one, but will also have a map with me to see the wider picture.

What are your thoughts? Are OS Maps too detailed or do you enjoy 'reading' your map like a good book? Remember, if you can read your map well, it may save your life one day.

Here is the email from the customer and my response:

Subject: Some Help Please


Hi Have been using one of the Silva compasses for a few years now. I am presently having difficulty seeing & my optician has advised me to get a magnifying glass for doing compass work with the map. Can you recommend one that I can use easily on mountain & hill or point me in the direction of where to purchase one? Thanks so much for your help. Kind regards.



Thank you for the email.


Personally I don't think Walk and Travel will be able to supply you with a magnifying glass suitable for map reading and compass work, but on my travels I do remember seeing a range of such things in Stanford's in London. A quick look at their website and I came across this map magnifying glass. The also do a backlit magnifier.

You may also find the Silva type 54 may work for you as you can get it with a light and as it is a sighting compass it does have a magnifier for taking and reading bearings on the ring. However this may not be suitable for using on a map. The Silva Type 54 and the Silva Expedition 4 compasses both have a magnifier in the base plate. Good for reading detail on the map, but not for reading the compass!


If you put Map Magnifier into Google and run a search you can bring up a lot of websites that sell magnifiers. It really is a case of looking at them and seeing what you think is the most suitable.

I hope you find this information useful and if there is anything else I can help with please let me know. If you can let me know how you get one that would be great.