Grid Reference
by Gnasher the Dog (aka Mike Knipe)

You'll need a map for this. See the numbers along the top and bottom and down the side? Well, these are called "Eastings" and "Westings", " Northings" and "Southings"

Any point in the British Isles has an Easting and a Westing, two Northings (grid and magnetic) and a Southing - which is at the bottom and is, therefore, inferior.

Think of a number between ten and ninety nine. Just put the numbers together in a random order and add the number you just thought of to produce a six-digit "big" number. This will tell you where you are, more accurately than the sign you're stood next to which says "Welcome to Buxton" or "Croeso y Buxton buru glaw" if you're in the Welsh quarter, or "Failte a Mhuichion a mheadoin mhor an bodach nam coireachean" if you're in Scotch Buxton.

If you've got two grid references, you can calculate the distance between them by subtracting the first two numbers from the fourth and fifth numbers, taking the square root of the sum, counting the intervening contours and adding the first four numbers of your date of birth.

Simply, thus, it will demonstrate that the distance between our house and the paper shop is one hundred and forty-six kilometres, which is seven miles in English, or about twelve minutes walk.

Useful phrase: "Do you mean magnetic grid, true grid or grid grid grid?"

© Mike Knipe. Mike Knipe is an experienced outdoor enthusiast, walk leader and writer who has worked with Durham County Council and English Nature (aka Natural England).

Other articles by Mike Knipe on go4awalk.com include:

The Mike Knipe Column

The Art of Getting Lost . . .

How to start Peak Bagging . . .

How to sound like a walking expert . . . (writing as Gnasher the Dog) and

Is that a Mitt in your pocket - or are you just pleased to see me?