Guest blog by Lisa Keys at Minerva Heritage

Archaeology and heritage professionals use maps in all sorts of ways. We might plot surveys, excavation sites and finds to build up a picture of the past, or we might examine old maps to research sites and buildings as part of the planning application process.

At Minerva Heritage Ltd, one of our specialities is the interpretation of archaeology and heritage for the public. Recently, we have been using OS getamap to help us plan routes for heritage trails. First we undertake research to see what archaeology and heritage sites we have to work with in a particular area. Using OS getamap we are now able to accurately plot our known sites, and then we can identify roads, tracks and footpaths to help us identify and assess possible routes for the heritage trails. Once we have done the preliminary plotting, then we are able to go out to the area to test out our trail route.

What makes OS getamap really great is that it provides a simple facility for us to see the gradient of the route, the suggested length of time it would take to walk the route, and it provides the level of detail we need to investigate all rights of way. While there is no substitute for getting out and seeing the route for ourselves, OS getamap gives us an idea of what we are letting ourselves in for!