Trail books?

canada16

Hey

Does anyone make trail books that show all available trails through hills and mountains?

Or is it a case of looking at ordinance maps or something like that.

Thanks

Stephen-Hawking

It's not cheap but I use the maps from these guys:

http://www.anquet.co.uk/

The software is excellent for plotting routes and having a look at the overall terain. I've tried memory map and another who's name escapes me, but I prefer these.

canada16

Wow that is expensive, half of GB is like 500.00

Looks cool though.

Northwind

http://www.bike-fax.com/

I've got their guide book for my local area, it's well put together and has loads of info, right down to "Watch out, dog walkers". They seem to be pretty much collections of local knowledge, which is exactly what you want. I found a nice addition to my own local loop the other day that tbh I might never have found without the maps in here.

Obviously local knowledge is the best though- that, and exploring yourself. Google maps is handy, I use www.bikehike.co.uk as a route planner, it's brilliant... Wee bit clunky, but it combines google maps and the ordnance survey maps, and also has a planner including elevation changes. Just brilliant, really.

craker

what Mr Hawking said, but paper maps also work well and they're £6 or so each if you just want to see where bridleways and the like are.

As suggested, local knowledge is best so just go up there and see what's rideable, unless you're wanting to do a particular tour/ route?

canada16

Some of the ideas look good, including that bikehike thing.

I was just wondering, , say if i rode to a mountain or hill, would it have a trail there?

But like you say, just hop on the bike and have a look.

Thanks again guys

JT_MTB

you might be better off using online sources as trails change. I thought I saw some books on this site http://www.bikeservant.com

.blitz

canada16 wrote:

I was just wondering, , say if i rode to a mountain or hill, would it have a trail there?

More than likely, but the chances of being able to legally ride it (in England and Wales) are minimal.

Having said that I've been riding in an area of mid-Wales since err...1998 and in all that time I've only once had a head-to-head with a landowner out on the hill who pointedly asked me if 'I knew where I was going'. Some places even in our congested little country are so deserted that there's virtually no chance of seeing anybody, esp when the weather's up to its usual tricks.