[OSM-talk] Naming natural features

Steve Chilton S.L.Chilton at mdx.ac.uk
Sun May 6 20:21:05 BST 2007


Whilst server/API have been down I have been doing some preliminary mapping in the Lake District, using the NPE>GPXweb route to produce GPS logs for some of the open water features that are not currently in the OSM database (the small lakes and tarns mostly). When things are back in place I will upload GPS files and produce the appropriate ways to map these features.
 
Two questions:
What is the situation with naming naturally occuring features? If I was there I couldn't take a picture of the sign saying what they are called as they are not usually actually labelled! I "know" that the tarn just east of Grasmere is Alcock Tarn (as I have skinny-dipped in it, happy days!), but I don't actually know the name of the small one near Holehird Gardens, Troutbeck Bridge. The NPE map will confirm the former but not give me the latter. Obviously published sources will tell me (eg Nutalls's Tarns of The Lake District books), but is that valid sourcing of names, or do I have to leave it unnamed? Mind you I could look it up and memorise it and then I would "know" it too. 
 
Similarly, I might want to map the 124 Wainwright tops in the Lakes - with locations taken from the same NPE source. I know many of the names but not all. Again almost all will be named on the NPE maps, but what about some of the low-lying ones on the urban fringe - it is not always clear from the NPE map what labels are attached to what features. For example, from local knowledge I could identify and name Orrest Head (Wainwright's locational muse), but might not be able to apply that logic in areas I don't know so well. And what about heights of summits? If it is shown on the NPE map I can use the value. Presumably for Orrest Head I can't record a height value as it is not specifically shown on the NPE map, even though others sources could tell me (my copies of Wainwrights Guides are from the 70s so not out of copyright AFAIK).
 
Cheers
STEVE




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