maps – Page 2 – Stanfords Blog

Happy Trig Week/ Our bestselling OS Explorer Maps

On 18 April 1936 a group of surveyors gathered around a white concrete pillar in a field in Ashby and began the retriangulation of Great Britain.

That trig pillar is still standing 88 years on, along with thousands more around the country. Still much loved by walkers today, Trig Bagging is a growing hobby. Just search for the red triangles on your Ordnance Survey maps.

If you fancy going Trig Bagging, here are our bestselling Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps of 2024 (so far):

120th Anniversary of the Stanford’s Map of the Siberian Railway

One of the most popular maps in our cartographic archive, The Stanford’s Map of the Siberian Railway was first published by Edward Stanford, Long Acre on the 1st February 1904 making this year its 120th anniversary.

“Not only is this a geographical map, it’s a historical one. A moment in time as well as space.” –Colin Thubron.

Depicting the great land route to China and Korea, this vital rail route was also known as the Moscow Highway or the Tea Route because of the large quantities of tea exported from China. It connected European Russia to Siberia and China.

Map of the Month: Gran Canaria Tour & Trail Super-Durable Map

Our February Map of the Month is the Gran Canaria Tour and Trail Super-Durable Map.

One of the most popular destinations with our customers during the end of winter is the Spanish island of Gran Canaria. It is the third-largest and second-most-populous island of the Canary Islands, an archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa. This island is called a “miniature continent” due to the different climates and variety of landscapes found. It has so much to offer with long beaches and dunes of white sand, contrasting with green ravines and picturesque villages.

Map of the Month: The Great Indian Railway Atlas

Our Map of the Month for January 2024 is the brand new edition of The Great Indian Railway Atlas with design and cartography by Samit Roychoudhury, published by Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society.

As more and more travellers are reverting back to rail travel in an attempt to leave less of a carbon footprint, this form of transport is becoming a favoured form. Add to that the fact that India’s railway network is very impressive and there is something so romantic about travelling across a country by train, and it’s no surprise that train traveller numbers are booming.

Stanfords Travel Trivia:

Map of the Month: Scottish Whisky Distilleries Map

Calling all whisky enthusiasts. Plan a distillery tour around Scotland.

Our Map of the Month for January is the Scottish Whisky Distilleries Map by Nicholson Digital.

Many distilleries now offer world class visitor experiences and have been able to bring much needed jobs around Scotland. Over 11,000 people are directly employed in the Scotch whisky industry in Scotland and over 60% of these jobs are in rural communities across the Highlands and Islands.

Map of the Month: Great Britain Slow Ways Journey Planners

Our Map of the Month for October 2022 is the Slow Ways Journey Planners by Urban Good. These maps are based on the grassroots initiative to create walking routes across Great Britain.

The printed maps are big, bold, beautiful and designed to inspire and support people imagine, plan and share journeys.

Slow Ways is an initiative to create a network of walking routes that connect all of Great Britain’s towns and cities as well as thousands of villages and every national park. People can use the routes to walk between neighbouring places or combine routes to travel over longer distances.

European Cycling Maps

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.” -Ernest Hemingway.

If you are feeling inspired to plan a cycling adventure, here are some of our favourite cycling maps to take you around Europe.

Book of the Month: Small Island: A History of Britain in 12 Maps

Our Book of the Month for August is Small Island: A History of Britain in 12 Maps by Philip Parker.

A fascinating analysis of a dozen maps from critical points in British history over the last 2,000 years, from the Celtic period when ‘Britain’ was just a patchwork of tribal kingdoms, to a century ago when the whole of Ireland, India, Australia, much of Africa, Asia and the Americas were also marked as British.

Map of the Month: Wheelie great BRAND NEW cycling maps

Our Map of the Month for August is not just one map, we are excited to introduce the first five maps in a brand new series that will soon cover the whole of the UK.

Cycle Maps UK are produced at a scale of 1:100 000 showing important features including the National cycle Network. Sections on road, off road and traffic free are all shown in differing colours along with their route number. Other roads and their classification are shown enabling you to link rides or explore sections and discover new routes at home or further afield.

When is a Map Political? by Adam Dant

Adam Dant’s Political Maps is an all-new collection of intricate, absorbing and beautiful maps, focused on the world of politics. Informed by his experiences as the official artist of the UK general election in 2015, these glorious works of art are amusing and subversive, hugely imaginative and packed with eye-catching detail.

Here, the artist and cartographer Adam Dant tells us what makes a map political: