Although I simply have the worst sense of direction, I do love maps and atlases. Atlases are exciting to look at for the sense of adventure they bring, whilst the contours on a local walking map give a good indication of what the landscape will be like. Deciphering all the little icons on any map or atlas can provide endless hours of pleasure.
Up until a few days ago I thought it was universally acknowledged that British Ordnance Survey maps are the best in the world. I believed that because of their accuracy, their attention to detail and long tradition of map making, they came out top in the field of cartography. But then I got chatting to a Swiss colleague who said that when it came to maps, it's the Swiss who are best at producing them. So he pointed me in the direction of "swiss topo.ch", the Swiss...