Walking directions

Russinating

Russinating

Russinating

Soldato
Joined
27 Dec 2005
Posts
17,317
Location
Bristol
I'm planning on walking 13 miles somewhere today and having looked on Google Maps the walking directions are quite poor. They basically take the same route as a car and there's parts that I know would be particularly dangerous (roads with sharp bends and no footpaths etc).

Perhaps this particular destination just doesn't have any good walking routes, but does anyone use any other sources for walking directions so I can double check?
 
If I'm walking somewhere, I just find out the approximate direction and head off. I never get lost, just sometimes take unexpected diversions ;)
 
"walking 13 miles somewhere" is pretty vague. Do you have defined start and finish points?
If you just want for some reason to cover 13 miles, then a book of walks would probably be a good source of directions.
Whatever, starting to think about it earlier rather than as you walk out of the front door would make sense - next time ;)
 
I use maps.me app on my phone , i think it has path finding but I never use it, it has downloadable detailed sections with many off the beaten track paths shown and can usually get a fix on your position wherever you are with the gps , I’ve found it great for walking in new places in the lakes fells if I get a bit lost
 
You could use the route maker on Strava as that would give you a route that runners would more often take.
 
Spook187 said:
Another Russinating thread how do you do things in real life. Just get out and walk, stop over thinking simple tasks.
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Excuse me?

Just finished the walk, used Google Maps but with 4 manual waypoints in between the start and finish but only because I knew the area/route. Without them it had me going down an A road that doesn't have a footpath and a really dangerous hill that I wouldn't even cycle because it's got blind corners and no verge.

I still passed loads of signposted public footpaths and bridleways that went off the roads but no idea if they'd have got me to the same place.

I'll look at the OS app, thanks.
 
openstreetmap.org is pretty good for rights of way, alleyways and footpaths. They are displayed as dotted blue or red lines.

You're not going to find the reliable routing information you're after. You'll have to plan the routes manually comparing maps that include footpaths with satellite imagery/streetview to try and determine if the paths look decent or are likely to be a muddy mess.

If you're just walking through town pick non main roads in the general direction you want to go and take in any parks on your route.
 
Burnsy2023 said:
OS Maps. It's £20 a year for both PC and the App: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/
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It's very good but I found viewranger almost the same but for free. Sometimes paths are shown on OS Maps that aren't on viewranger and sometimes the other way round. I am signed up for both but will just be keeping viewranger when my OS subscription ends.

I also love the weekly email from viewranger with 10 walks in my area. Discovered a lot of great places because of it.
 
Russinating said:
I'm planning on walking 13 miles somewhere today and having looked on Google Maps the walking directions are quite poor. They basically take the same route as a car and there's parts that I know would be particularly dangerous (roads with sharp bends and no footpaths etc).

Perhaps this particular destination just doesn't have any good walking routes, but does anyone use any other sources for walking directions so I can double check?
Click to expand...
I think google maps tries to get you to your destination in the most efficient way, not the way which has "good walking routes". I mean, how would it solve for the complexities of that?
 
Any recommended sites to find nice local countryside walks?

Found loads of people just uploading their walk around town and others where it just dumps the data on google maps which pins it to the nearest road rather than the actual route. Going off wandering is fine when you have the time but for a short afternoon walk its nice not to end up on fenced off / overgrown paths and going back on yourself.
 
I might give that OS maps thing a try too, I enjoy a nice stroll with the Mrs but its becoming increasingly difficult to come up with ideas!
 
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