Using different colours to show height

Use of Shading to show height on a map

This example shows how different colours of shading are used to show higher and lower ground on a map. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland

Use of Shading to show height on a map

Use of Shading to show height on a map

This example shows how different colours of shading are used to show higher and lower ground on a map. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland

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As well as contour lines, the Discovery Series of maps also use colour and shading to tell us how high the ground is above sea level.

The higher the ground rises, the darker the colour gets.

The green colour is very low ground, next is pale yellow, then there are roughly three shades of brown. The darker the brown, the higher the elevation of the ground above sea level .