Like the title says, for those who head off for the weekend or longer what maps do you use - an OS map, something specialist? Directions written on a napkin? Tossing a coin at every junction?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help
Best maps for cycle touring in UK?
(18 posts)- Started 9 years ago by dougal
- Latest reply from rbrtwtmn
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Posted 9 years ago #
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Assuming of course that GPS/phone is great but can go wrong.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I found a 1:500,000 OS "Travel Tour" series of Scotland was more than acceptable for navigating around Scotland. With the fine detail left to local signs and the imagination.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Map 12: Scotland. Well, that certainly cuts down on the worries about accidentally going off the edge of the map!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Dougal can probably guess my answer. I tend to use OpenStreetMap, I have the whole of the UK loaded onto my garmin and I have CycleStreets with the offline maps and maps.me (again with offline maps) on my phone.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I've used the old faithful 1:50,000 (OS Landranger), however they're a bit too small scale, resulting in cycling off the edge of the map quite quickly, or having to carry many (relatively heavy) maps for a trip.
The Sustrans cycle route "strip maps" (1:100,000 or so) are better in terms of daily range, but only show a limited amount of information off the primary route.
I'd find 1:500,000 frustrating for "what's that over there" type discussions, as are the strip maps, but 1:100,000 seems a sweet spot, as we used them in Denmark (as sheets rather than route strips) and found them ideal.
Now, if only the OS would publish 1:100,000 scaled versions of the Landranger!
Robert
Posted 9 years ago # -
@chris Do you have juice packs/chargers/dynamoes/etc to ensure you don't get caught short? That being said I have no idea how efficient Garmin devices are.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I've always toured with Landranger maps, but then, I've never toured all that far.
Mind you the Outer Hebrides required something like six maps and they were borrowed-from-the-library weatherproof cover ones too, so they were pretty bulky. But it was all good bed time reading.
These days I have north Britian at 1:50000 scale on my phone, plus OSM of course.
Latest tour was in Germany/Switzerland when I was happy enough to use OSMAnd with downloaded maps. Only trouble is having to zoom in quite far sometimes before the cycle infrastructure pops into view.
"Now, if only the OS would publish 1:100,000 scaled versions of the Landranger!"
I've often thought something like that would be a good idea. I suppose you could try and source some old 1" to the mile maps to try and get a bit more coverage!
Posted 9 years ago # -
A few years out-of-date spiral-bound road map for cars. Then you just rip out the pages you need for the trip. The B-roads & country-lanes don't change much anyway.
Scale is usually not too bad for general purpose navigating.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I do a lot of touring of the UK.
I use the sustrans 1:100,000 maps of specific routes and think they're excellent. As Roilbeard says, the 1:100,000 is the right scale for cycling. A lot of routes are well sign-posted as well. I remember being guided very efficiently to the centre of Ipwwich.
I also use the Philip's 2010 Road Atlas (spiral bound). I photocopy the relevant pages.
I find that if you ask people for directions to the nearest cycle path most haven't got a clue.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I tend to use OS Landranger maps for touring, when I might do 300 miles. Four or five Landrangers is acceptable bulk for me. If I'm staying in an area, exploring detail and generally returning to base each day, I prefer an Explorer 1:25000 map, though usually not the laminated ones because they're really quite bulky. Consequently my Explorer maps tend to be much more dog-eared!
My map of New York state is 1:150000 and has just enough city detail to enable navigation to specific places.
I like the fact that paper maps don't require batteries (except at night).
Posted 9 years ago # -
are the dog's whatsits, but they don't sell them any more.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I use Landrangers, but am another person wishing they were twice the scale.
I hate the lime green colour of my main cycling top, but its middle pocket swallows an OS map or two so easily that I'me loathe to ditch it.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"A few years out-of-date spiral-bound road map for cars. Then you just rip out the pages you need for the trip. The B-roads & country-lanes don't change much anyway.
Scale is usually not too bad for general purpose navigating."
Absolutely. Last year's edition can often be had in excellent nick from FleaBay for a pittance.
I use these for Audax riding. Pop the torn out pages in a waterproof ziplock bag and you are laughing.
I used to use OS Landranger, which are still great for a lower distance bimble with family or friends, as the detail is terrific. Not very convenient for longer distances however, as others have said.
If you want to use Sustrans NCN routes, they have produced pretty good maps covering all their main routes in Scotland. On waterproof paper too. Combine these with road atlas pages and you are fine.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Thanks folks, all good info.
I have my destination in mind (Knockengorroch festival) but haven't decided my start point. I may take a train for a good chunk then arrive reasonably fresh or take on a larger chunk of the distance under my own steam.
Much newness!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Nicolsons now make the OS 1:250000 scale maps for Scotland (Road 1, 2 and 3)
http://www.nicolsonmaps.com/acatalog/nicolson-tourist-mapping.html
Out of stock at the moment, alas for they are indeed the dogs whatsits.
-D
Posted 9 years ago # -
@dougal - long delay in reply, the Garmin takes AA batteries, and a fresh pair tends to last for a full day. So that works for me.
I have also used cycle.travel for planning and it produces some nice print outs.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I don't tend to do more than a day at a time... but have come to rely on Openstreetmap data downloaded onto both my phone and my Garmin Etrex gps. The Garmin will keep going for ages on one set of charged re-chargable batteries (certainly more than a day... ). And it's waterproof. The phone is better for checking details (better/bigger screen) but the battery isn't so good and it sits in a plastic bag in poor weather. It usually also has the the actual GPS off - I use it like a conventional map.
The Garmin has three Openstreetmap map versions on it showing different styles which are each useful for a different purpose.
The phone has Oruxmaps plus Openandromaps on it - with multiple styles available (about 10 or so).
Paper maps are only now a backup for me - but that might be because I've been able to plan each day on a PC first - it's been many years since a multi day tour.
Posted 9 years ago #
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