Info Some useful apps/websites for getting into the great outdoors

[lindsay]

I thought I'd share some info about apps that can offer walking routes, track them and help you avoid getting lost out in the countryside and hills. some will already be familiar, others may not. I think they are all useful and I have actively used all of them to find the ones that are most useful to me. After rediscovering hillwalking as a pastime after a 45 year gap, the idea of apps to make sure I am going where I should be is a real confidence booster as my map and compass ability is decidedly rusty.

OS Maps: OS online or download the OS Maps app on the phone: subscription required for full functionality but you can research routes online without a subscription. The app is dynamic so can record your route and locate you if unsure. Subscription discount is available if you subscribe to Country Walking or Trail magazines.

Hiiker: Hiiker app and website This has a lot of free functionality, more if you pay an annual subscription, provides lots of guidance for marked trails especially long distance ones

Ramblers: go to the Ramblers website or in the Ramblers app, you will find details of organised walks if you're into that; of particular note is that with the £36 annual membership you get a 15% discount at Cotswold Outdoors for any camping, walking clothing and kit. I've used this a lot!

Komoot: Another good app and website that gives details of routes, with the app updating dynamically with the phone gps to track your position and keep you on the track. Modestly priced subscription; more focused on cycling but also covers walking routes

Alltrails: Similar to komoot but focused on walking and provides suggestions based on your location. Interestingly also offers suggestions for dog-friendly routes.

 

[Christoph]

Thanks Lindsay, lots of very useful information there.

 

[ancient_mariner]

Thanks Lindsay.

General warning. We use the paid OS app quite a bit, but it's a real PITA. Frequently it updates when in use, even locking us out, requiring password and user ID to re-open mid walk. The maps are out of date by a few years and some of the routes apparently entered by users are physically impossible to complete due to obstructions. If you leave the app live then it rips through battery life, and if closed and reopened it will show location incorrectly, taking much longer to find the right location than other mapping applications.

Some of the issues can be dealt with by planning ahead, but it's a poor design.

I may well look into some of the others, but can't recommend that app.

 

[lindsay]

That's good to know Toni. I have only used the web application for router planning ideas, never used the app in anger.

 

[ancient_mariner]

That's good to know Toni. I have only used the web application for router planning ideas, never used the app in anger.

We use OS maps a lot for finding local walks, moving to the app a few years ago when we realised all our maps were 20+ years old and many footpaths had been moved. Also some footpaths round here aren't 'obvious' in that there's sometimes no path to follow and the exit from the field etc can't be seen from the entrypoint to the enclosed land. We bought the app in early 2020 and have used it pretty much weekly. While it IS useful, we were a bit shocked to be locked out when it live updated during a walk, especially as the app had been used for half an hour or so on a high-speed wifi connection when planning the route beforehand. Not a problem in the home counties, but potentially very serious if it happend in a wilderness with darkness falling.

 

[morfis]

General warning. We use the paid OS app quite a bit, but it's a real PITA. Frequently it updates when in use, even locking us out, requiring password and user ID to re-open mid walk. The maps are out of date by a few years and some of the routes apparently entered by users are physically impossible to complete due to obstructions. If you leave the app live then it rips through battery life, and if closed and reopened it will show location incorrectly, taking much longer to find the right location than other mapping applications.

Some of the issues can be dealt with by planning ahead, but it's a poor design.

I may well look into some of the others, but can't recommend that app.

Battery life when using the OS app is more to do with keeping the GPS active and the same is true for ALL other apps using the GPS - it is not an app design fault.

I have been using the OS app since it was in beta and have never had a problem with it 'locking me out' or 'frequent updates when in use'.Nor have I noticed it ever taking longer to get a lock than any other apps.
Pretty much any source of OS Maps at 1K50 and 1K25 will be somewhat out of date (and paper ones far more so). How much will vary but no-one else will be supplying OS data at those scales that is any more up to date (if you really need bleeding edge up to date then you could enquire about a Mastermap subscription ...but you won't be keen on the pricing!)
If you purchase OS paper maps they have a digital download included in the price. This allows you to download the complete map for use in the OS app. Useful for backup if you rely on the instantaneous download for display but suuddenly find yourself with no cellphone data connection.

As for user submitted routes ...well, the quality will depend on the person who created them and like a car MOT Test certificate only really valid at the time done.

Other apps which can be used include:
Memory Map (https://memory-map.com) Good for many European countries, and North America not just the UK. Also for private pilots and mariners
Outdoor Map Navigator (https://www.anquet.com/)
Viewranger (https://www.viewranger.com/) OSGB recommend this (or did, not looked recently) if you want to use their maps with android wear OS

Functionality of the above is very similar and there are several 'subscription' options with the cheapest being pretty much the same as the OS one. Whilst I have used both Memory Map and Anquet for years it is Memory Map that is the standard digital mapping platform I use with current and old maps when mobile

There are many other apps. Alltrails and Mapout are a couple I've heard mentioned but I've not looked at either.

Some of the OSGB mapping (based on VectorMap) is made available as opensource but whislt being detailed and useful for many purposes it doesn't contain the definitive Right of Way data included in the Explorer and Landrange series. It is possible to overlay footpath data from Openstreetmap and this gives a high quality terrain map with footpaths....IIRC greenfruit use this method in one of their apps

There is of course Openstreetmap (https://www.openstreetmap.org) itself and all the apps that use it's data too.

What is particularly important is that you should never rely solely on your cellphone for mapping/GPS. Paper maps, a compass and the ability to use them both will get you out of pickles caused by dead batteries, lack of cell coverage, treecover hindering GPS lock....and in my case use underground where there is no GPS or cell phone availability!

 

[ancient_mariner]

Battery life when using the OS app is more to do with keeping the GPS active and the same is true for ALL other apps using the GPS - it is not an app design fault.

I don't want to derail Lindsay's thread so my last reply on this. Compared with google maps and Endomondo it is much slower to locate, often showing the wrong location initially before finding the true position, and does consume battery much more quickly. It's probably the only sensible source of maps with the footpath level detail that we need and so we'll continue to use it, but it's not without issues.

 

[Tringa]

OS Locate ( https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/apps/other-apps/os-locate/ ) is also very useful.

It does not show you a map but uses GPS data to give you your six figure grid reference. This(which is free) in combination with an OS map is a good use of old and new technology; and I'd always recommend becoming familiar with map use.

Bing Maps is also good. One of the options shows OS maps and you can print off any section you need.

On slightly different angle, if you are in Scotland then the Walks section on the WalkHighlands site is excellent for walks of all grades just about anywhere in Scotland.

Dave