Welcome to Compass Points and Direction!
Have you ever tried to describe where something is, or followed a treasure map to find a hidden prize? In geography, knowing how to describe direction is one of the most useful skills you will ever learn! Whether you are exploring an Ordnance Survey (OS) map, planning a walk, or finding out where different places are in the United Kingdom and across the globe, compass directions help us explain exactly where things are without getting lost.
Don't worry if this seems tricky at first. We will take it step-by-step, starting with the directions you might already know and adding new ones until you are an expert navigator!
Part 1: The Four Cardinal Points (A Quick Reminder)
Before we look at the full eight-point compass, let's recap the four main directions. These are called the cardinal points:
• North (N): Points straight towards the top of a standard map (\(0^\circ\) or \(360^\circ\)).
• East (E): Points to the right (\(90^\circ\)).
• South (S): Points straight down towards the bottom (\(180^\circ\)).
• West (W): Points to the left (\(270^\circ\)).
Top Tip: How to Remember the Order
If you turn in a circle going clockwise (the same direction the hands on a clock move), the directions always follow the order: North \(\rightarrow\) East \(\rightarrow\) South \(\rightarrow\) West.
You can remember this order with handy rhymes:
• "Never Eat Shredded Wheat"
• "Naughty Elephants Squirt Water"
Key Takeaway: The four main directions are North, East, South, and West. Moving clockwise, they start at North and go around to the right.
Part 2: The Four Intercardinal Points
What happens if a place isn't directly North, and it isn't directly East, but somewhere right in the middle? That is why we use an 8-point compass!
The four extra directions are called intercardinal points (sometimes called ordinal points). They sit halfway between each of the cardinal points:
• North-East (NE): Midway between North and East (\(45^\circ\)).
• South-East (SE): Midway between South and East (\(135^\circ\)).
• South-West (SW): Midway between South and West (\(225^\circ\)).
• North-West (NW): Midway between North and West (\(315^\circ\)).
The Golden Naming Rule
Have you noticed how these names are built? There is a very important rule to follow:
North and South always come first!
• We say North-East (never East-North).
• We say South-East (never East-South).
• We say South-West (never West-South).
• We say North-West (never West-North).
Think of North and South as the leaders of the compass team — they always line up at the front of the word!
Key Takeaway: The four intercardinal points are North-East (NE), South-East (SE), South-West (SW), and North-West (NW). Always write North or South first.
Part 3: The Compass Rose and Angles
On maps, directions are shown using a symbol called a compass rose. A standard 8-point compass rose is arranged in a circle, spaced evenly at increments of \(45^\circ\) clockwise:
• North (N) = \(0^\circ\) / \(360^\circ\)
• North-East (NE) = \(45^\circ\)
• East (E) = \(90^\circ\)
• South-East (SE) = \(135^\circ\)
• South-South (S) = \(180^\circ\)
• South-West (SW) = \(225^\circ\)
• West (W) = \(270^\circ\)
• North-West (NW) = \(315^\circ\)
Moving from one compass point to the very next point clockwise adds exactly \(45^\circ\):
\(0^\circ \rightarrow 45^\circ \rightarrow 90^\circ \rightarrow 135^\circ \rightarrow 180^\circ \rightarrow 225^\circ \rightarrow 270^\circ \rightarrow 315^\circ\)
Key Takeaway: A full turn is \(360^\circ\). Each step on an 8-point compass is an angle of \(45^\circ\).
Part 4: Using Compass Points on Maps
When you open an Ordnance Survey (OS) map or a map of the United Kingdom, standard map convention places grid North pointing towards the top of the sheet.
We use compass points to describe where places and features are compared to one another:
• Scotland is north of England.
• Wales is west of England.
• The North Sea lies east of Great Britain.
Step-by-Step: Finding Direction Between Two Places
When answering questions about direction on a map, follow these simple steps:
1. Find your starting point: Look carefully at the wording of the question. Are you looking from London, or from Birmingham?
2. Place an imaginary compass rose on the starting place: Imagine the centre of your compass rose sitting right on top of that starting point.
3. Look towards the destination: Draw an imaginary line from the centre to your destination and see which of the 8 compass points it matches.
Key Takeaway: Standard maps have North at the top. Always place your compass centre on the place you are measuring from.
Part 5: Common Traps and Mistakes to Avoid
Here are a few common mistakes that students make, and how you can easily avoid them:
• Trap 1: Confusing "Up and Down" with "North and South"
Remember: North is not "up in the sky", and South is not "down in the ground". Compass directions describe movements across the flat surface of the Earth. North simply points towards the top of the map sheet.
• Trap 2: Swapping East and West
Remember: On a compass, West is on the left and East is on the right. Check with your mnemonic: Never (N) Eat (E) Shredded (S) Wheat (W).
• Trap 3: Reversing the Name Order
Remember: Never write "East-North" or "West-South". North and South must always be written first (NE, NW, SE, SW).
• Trap 4: Mixing up the Starting Point
Example: "What direction is Birmingham from London?" means you are standing in London looking towards Birmingham (the answer is North-West). But if you are travelling from Birmingham to London, you travel in the opposite direction (South-East).
Quick Review: The 8-Point Checklist
Test yourself to see if you have mastered the chapter:
• Can you name the 4 cardinal points in clockwise order? (N, E, S, W)
• Can you name the 4 intercardinal points? (NE, SE, SW, NW)
• Which direction comes first when naming an intercardinal point? (North or South)
• What direction is at the top of an Ordnance Survey map? (North)