The county shelf

All readings

Browse explorations of county landscapes, settlements, local names, maps and the night skies above them.

How to Read a County River Valley on a Map

Learn how to read a county river valley on a map by tracing its slopes, tributaries, crossings and settlements, and…

Nov 4, 20266 min read

Compare clustered villages and scattered farmsteads on a county map, then use a local map to judge which homes connect…

Oct 29, 20265 min read

A county place name can hint at landscape and language. Learn how to examine its spelling, setting and records without…

Oct 25, 20265 min read

Dark-sky visibility across a county varies with terrain, lighting and weather. Learn how to describe one night view…

Oct 23, 20264 min read

Use a county map to trace how landscape, settlement and local history shape place names, with a worked example for…

Oct 21, 20265 min read