Ordnance Survey Leisure Maps Summary Lists  

1:25 000 Scale Maps

[Introductory paragraphs]

PLEASE NOTE I have the occasional enquiry through these pages about whether I buy and sell maps. I'm not a map dealer but here to compile and revise lists of Ordnance Survey small scale maps. If you are looking for a trader, I recommend you start with the Charles Close Society list of map dealers here.

First Series

(1945-1986)

[Introductory text] "1:25 000 mapping had been used by the military since the First World War, and one of the recommendations of the Davidson Committee was that a national series of 1:25 000 maps should be published in a civilian edition, mainly to fill a gap in the market between 1-inch to the mile (1:63 360) and 6-inches to the mile (1:10 560) mapping." Ed Fielden. A detail study of this series was published by Roger Hellyer, A guide to the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 First Series, Charles Close Society, 2003.

Second (Pathfinder) Series

(1965-1997)

[Introductory text] A copy of Richard Oliver's 1:25 000 Second Series list, was published in Sheetlines 48, 1-33, and may be found at the Charles Close Society website.

Outdoor Leisure Map

(1972-2001)

[Introductory text] "It can be said that Ordnance Survey's lasting solution for the poor public reaction to the 1:25 000 First Series was two-fold: Firstly by creating - in 1965 - the 1:25 000 Second Series for national coverage, and secondly - seven years later - by creating a series of selective-coverage 1:25 000 sheets, based on popular tourist areas. Given the scale and larger coverage area, the maps were ideally suited to countryside leisure activities - walking, cycling etc. - hence the 'Outdoor Leisure' moniker. Another benefit of the new series was that it appeased those sections of the public who demanded larger 1:25 000 sheets." Ed Fielden.

Explorer Map

(1994-)

Sheet titles are from Leisure map catalogue v1.8 and later. Compilation dates have been derived from the maps themselves. Other dates are: where given in round brackets, in the style '(2/76)', the month and year of publication, as noted in the official publication reports; where given in square brackets, e.g. '[2/80]', the month and year of printing, as deduced from other fairly certain information. The '$' symbol denotes a facsimile reprint following sheet renumbering or other format change. Open Access editions are marked by a '§' symbol.   Water resistant Active maps began publication in March 2006, sheets numbers 1-446 being produced. The remaining sheets were released the following November. [Note]