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Height on maps

Maps show height in a number of different ways:

Spot heights and triangulation pillars

This map extract shows exact heights by a black dot with a number next to it. The number is the height above sea level in metres. The blue triangle represents a triangulation pillar; the networks of concrete pillars found in the UK that were used to make maps.

Contours

These are lines drawn on maps that join places of the same height. They are usually an orange or brown colour. Some contour lines have their height above or below sea level written on them. It is possible to use them to see the shape of the land - if contour lines are close together the slope is steep, if they are far apart the slope is gentle. Contour lines are usually drawn at 10 metre intervals on a 1:50,000 scale map and at 5 metre intervals on a 1:25,000 scale map.