Sat Nav for green laneing
Discussion
Have been reading some advice on green laneing which advises having a sat nav as part of your kit.
I have a TomTom which of course just says ‘Where the F do you think you’re going’ and offers no further help apart from being able to find your current lat & long.
What type should I be looking for and what will it display?
Thanks
Steve
I have a TomTom which of course just says ‘Where the F do you think you’re going’ and offers no further help apart from being able to find your current lat & long.
What type should I be looking for and what will it display?
Thanks
Steve
I saw a Navman (iirc) in Halfords - annoyingly a week after I'd bought a Tomtom XL for the Shogun - that included full OS mapping on it.
To be honest though, unless you know of somewhere I don't that has many miles of lanes, it's really rather OTT for this country. Sure, if you're walking or mountain biking in Snowdonia or the Highlands, it could make all the difference, but so long as you're halfway competent with an OS map, I can't really see that you'd ever need a satnav for green laning in this country.
To be honest though, unless you know of somewhere I don't that has many miles of lanes, it's really rather OTT for this country. Sure, if you're walking or mountain biking in Snowdonia or the Highlands, it could make all the difference, but so long as you're halfway competent with an OS map, I can't really see that you'd ever need a satnav for green laning in this country.
ive got a el-cheapo garmin (cheapest in the shop). it doesnt do maps but it does mean that places like sailsbury plain where the tracks on the map dont match the tracks on the ground ive got a decent chance of not being where i shouldnt.
oh & setting the junction of the track/road is a great help if your looking for a lane off a busy road.
oh & setting the junction of the track/road is a great help if your looking for a lane off a busy road.
I got memory map, which is pretty good for finding potential lanes. 1:50k is about 150 quid for the whole of the UK. 1:25k is expensive.
I've only had one problem with it, and that was one lane I got to, was shown as a byway on the software, but on the 1:25k explorer map, it was a restricted byway, so you need to be careful.
Like someone said - lane status is really only valid at the council, but even they don't know sometimes as the definitive map isn't even always kept up to date. So there's no difference relying on software than there is relying on a normal map.
If a lane's status has been changed, it *should* be evident on the signpost if the local council keep up to date. If the lane is closed, it *should* have a notice on it. At the end of the day, most people won't check with the council (I'm fortunate the local one is on the web - but like I said, legally that could be out of date too). Make sure you know the signing terminology for the county you are in, and obey all signs.
If you're unlucky enough to wander down a lane which was closed or had its status changed and there was no reason to think either of those things, then you might have a case. If someone stops you, don't automatically think you're in the wrong, but leave the lane and check with the council later.
The problem with the country is that signage is different in each county, they all have different methods to change lane classifications, some maintain - others don't, some keep the definitive map up to date and online - others don't. It's a bit of a joke really considering we're talking about the highway network. I mean, you wouldn't have the M4 being closed because it went from Berks to Wilts would you?
By the way - I just got a Road Angel 7000 which runs memory-map software, which will beat taking the laptop out in the car. It's very useful on Salisbury Plain.
I've only had one problem with it, and that was one lane I got to, was shown as a byway on the software, but on the 1:25k explorer map, it was a restricted byway, so you need to be careful.
Like someone said - lane status is really only valid at the council, but even they don't know sometimes as the definitive map isn't even always kept up to date. So there's no difference relying on software than there is relying on a normal map.
If a lane's status has been changed, it *should* be evident on the signpost if the local council keep up to date. If the lane is closed, it *should* have a notice on it. At the end of the day, most people won't check with the council (I'm fortunate the local one is on the web - but like I said, legally that could be out of date too). Make sure you know the signing terminology for the county you are in, and obey all signs.
If you're unlucky enough to wander down a lane which was closed or had its status changed and there was no reason to think either of those things, then you might have a case. If someone stops you, don't automatically think you're in the wrong, but leave the lane and check with the council later.
The problem with the country is that signage is different in each county, they all have different methods to change lane classifications, some maintain - others don't, some keep the definitive map up to date and online - others don't. It's a bit of a joke really considering we're talking about the highway network. I mean, you wouldn't have the M4 being closed because it went from Berks to Wilts would you?
By the way - I just got a Road Angel 7000 which runs memory-map software, which will beat taking the laptop out in the car. It's very useful on Salisbury Plain.
I doubt you'd need 1:25k for laning.Thats more aimed at walkers/cyclists.But if it works for you that's your answer.
I use Memory Map on a pen tablet.You always know where you are.It also has aerial photos for the whole section you have bought.
One other advantage is that it is designed to work alongside a PDA as well.I have a Medion GPS PDA that I download chunks of maps onto,and this will run a reduced version of Memory Map.
You can download the program for free from their site,which has sample maps on,so you can have a play, press buttons and see if it's for you or not.
It's all we ever use on Salisbury.I'm also local to you Steve, if you want to have a play on the full version let me know.We met at Wickham,I was the guy with the Orange cossie turbo Caterham.
I use Memory Map on a pen tablet.You always know where you are.It also has aerial photos for the whole section you have bought.
One other advantage is that it is designed to work alongside a PDA as well.I have a Medion GPS PDA that I download chunks of maps onto,and this will run a reduced version of Memory Map.
You can download the program for free from their site,which has sample maps on,so you can have a play, press buttons and see if it's for you or not.
It's all we ever use on Salisbury.I'm also local to you Steve, if you want to have a play on the full version let me know.We met at Wickham,I was the guy with the Orange cossie turbo Caterham.
as others have said i used memory map- i find the 1:25k maps useful for competition where it's usueful to know exactly where you are. 1:50k is fine otherwise for greenlaning.
Also use ozzie explorer for europe explorations- Portugal, Spain and france are all availabe based on military maps!
Also use ozzie explorer for europe explorations- Portugal, Spain and france are all availabe based on military maps!
Hi all,
I agree that most of the time 1:50k OS maps are adequate - all my paper ones are to that scale except for the Forest of Dean and Salisbury Plain area. In many cases 1:50k doesn't have anywhere near the detail for the Forest of Dean area and the extra detail such as boundaries etc. is useful on the plain.
I use memory map to plan a route which I then download to a Garmin Etrex, once out laning the GPS is the guide and paper map my detail reference. I always carry a compass too - the GPS often loses signal in tree cover and a bearing is useful if there are diverging RoW from a start point - such as a footpath in one direction, farm tracks on roughly the same heading and a vehicular RoW somewhere between the two.
100SRV
I agree that most of the time 1:50k OS maps are adequate - all my paper ones are to that scale except for the Forest of Dean and Salisbury Plain area. In many cases 1:50k doesn't have anywhere near the detail for the Forest of Dean area and the extra detail such as boundaries etc. is useful on the plain.
I use memory map to plan a route which I then download to a Garmin Etrex, once out laning the GPS is the guide and paper map my detail reference. I always carry a compass too - the GPS often loses signal in tree cover and a bearing is useful if there are diverging RoW from a start point - such as a footpath in one direction, farm tracks on roughly the same heading and a vehicular RoW somewhere between the two.
100SRV
Garmin 60CSx
Old man bought one of these which I've pillaged from him now he doesn't use it.
Used it quite a lot when hitting the dunes in the middle east, and the other weekend for an hours greenlaning to try it out over here). Also used it for snowboarding.
Really is an awesome piece of kit, possibly a little overkill but that's no bad thing as far as I'm concerned. It's not as great on the road as your average sat nav handheld (like the garmin nuvi's etc) but still very useable.
Old man bought one of these which I've pillaged from him now he doesn't use it.
Used it quite a lot when hitting the dunes in the middle east, and the other weekend for an hours greenlaning to try it out over here). Also used it for snowboarding.
Really is an awesome piece of kit, possibly a little overkill but that's no bad thing as far as I'm concerned. It's not as great on the road as your average sat nav handheld (like the garmin nuvi's etc) but still very useable.
Edited by Stu R on Thursday 21st February 15:22
Stu R said:
Garmin 60CSx
Old man bought one of these which I've pillaged from him now he doesn't use it.
Used it quite a lot when hitting the dunes in the middle east, and the other weekend for an hours greenlaning to try it out over here). Also used it for snowboarding.
Really is an awesome piece of kit, possibly a little overkill but that's no bad thing as far as I'm concerned. It's not as great on the road as your average sat nav handheld (like the garmin nuvi's etc) but still very useable.
,Old man bought one of these which I've pillaged from him now he doesn't use it.
Used it quite a lot when hitting the dunes in the middle east, and the other weekend for an hours greenlaning to try it out over here). Also used it for snowboarding.
Really is an awesome piece of kit, possibly a little overkill but that's no bad thing as far as I'm concerned. It's not as great on the road as your average sat nav handheld (like the garmin nuvi's etc) but still very useable.
Edited by Stu R on Thursday 21st February 15:22
,
,
Yup,
For the cost, these are unbeatable.
You should check out a Satmap.
This is a new product that combines a GPS with an electronic OS map in 1:50 or 1:25k scales. Massively more useful than old GPS in finding the precise route when laning and you precise location when in a forest or the like.
Their website is www.satmap.com
This is a new product that combines a GPS with an electronic OS map in 1:50 or 1:25k scales. Massively more useful than old GPS in finding the precise route when laning and you precise location when in a forest or the like.
Their website is www.satmap.com
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