New Walking Maps From The AA

Two new series, 30 sheets in each, with OS mapping at 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 scales respectively.

The Automobile Association might not be the first name you'd associate with detailed walking maps, but the motoring organisation has just launched two new Walking Map series using Ordnance Survey mapping and with one or two advantages over the originals, they say.

The AA Walkers Map series uses OS 1:25,000 scale mapping and comprises 30 sheets which cover the most popular walking areas in Britain, so there's coverage of the Central Lake District, Peak District, the Ben Nevis area and so on.

One plus, says the AA, is that some area coverage has been rationalised, so while certain routes in the central Lake District could conceivably require you to carry no fewer than four OS 1:25,000 sheets for a single worst case walk, the double-sided AA Central Lake District map would mean you could get away with just a single sheet for the same area, which is not only more practical but saves money as well.

In addition, there's a 1:50,000 scale AA Leisure Maps series, which uses the smaller scale, again with OS mapping, and again covers 30 sheets with the most popular walking areas again covered. The Leisure series includes a single Hadrian's Wall sheet, which could come in very handy if you're walking that particular LDP.

On the down side, the maps appear to be printed on standard paper rather than any sort of weatherproof medium, so you'll be needing dry weather or a handy map case.

The maps are priced at £7.99 each and available from theaa.com/shop. We've asked for a closer look and we'll let you know what we think.