google earth
welshkev
Posts: 9,690
this has probably been discussed before but here goes, does anyone else use google earth to try and find new trails? i went out for an amazing ride yesterday after i spotted a fork going off a trail i already ride on google earth. it adds about 5 miles to the route of singletrack and open moorland, i had a blast. going to see if i can find anymore 
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it sometimes works, can be unreliable thoughI like bikes and stuff0
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joshtp/mbukman wrote:it sometimes works, can be unreliable though
yeah, perhaps i got lucky with the first one, i'm still gonna explore some more though 0 -
I do use it, but it's worth remembering that some of the pictures are years out of date now. Bikehike is pretty good you can cross reference the GE pics with OS mapping. You can also get elevation and gradient stats too.0
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cheers cat i'll check out that bike hike thing 0
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Did the google earth thing last year, it was over old stomping ground (17yrs ago). WE looked hard and long before heading out and the "new" bit we found was amazing, all we needed to do was get the ropes out and lower ourselves down and wait for a helicopter to pick us up at the bottom. that didnt actually happen but by god it was a fun slide down and a twat of a hike back up but it was the only way cross.
I have checked out all over my usual areas and have been able to confirm if its going to be ok so yeah i would point others in this way and use it on away days.fly like a mouse, run like a cushion be the small bookcase!0 -
The problem with using Google Earth alone is that it does not clarify whether a path is a footpath, bridalway, access land etc. I know alot of people on here don't give a damn about obeying rules or rights of way but if you do (like me!) then you need to use bikehike.com to be (more) sure.0
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whats the law on stream beds/water run offs and sheep trails? i have taken photos of 4x4s on bridleways and reported them. your in the middle of a proper open moor and the trail forks into 3 then again into 2 giving you 6 options of similar direction cycling what do you do?fly like a mouse, run like a cushion be the small bookcase!0
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fletch8928 wrote:whats the law on stream beds/water run offs and sheep trails? i have taken photos of 4x4s on bridleways and reported them. your in the middle of a proper open moor and the trail forks into 3 then again into 2 giving you 6 options of similar direction cycling what do you do?
Open moorland in England tends to be access land which you are free to walk on any of it, no cycles allowed.
Get yourself an OS map of the area and have a look on there, access land is clearly marked and so are bridalways, footpaths etc.
Enjoy.0 -
I sometimes use google earth just looking about my local area, more often than not ill get the route completely wrong and get abit lost. I have found some good routes with it though.0
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I'll check Google Earth, or rather the satellite view on Google Maps just to see if there's anything obvious, though mostly you'll just see wide bridleways, fire roads etc.
I track my routes with Nokia Sports Tracker (best mobile app, ever!) however and that overlays on Google Maps on their web site. Can be exported to Google Earth and many other things too. Sometimes I can see the trail then on the satellite view, and might spot something extra nearby.
As said though the photos are years out of date usually. Also I find one grid may be a newer set of photos than another next to it.
Anyone tried www.opencyclemap.org though? It's an extension of OpenStreetMap, with cycle paths. I have noticed as well as known cycle routes, there are some singletrack and the like marked. It's up to volunteers to add them though I think.
Have been trying to get my Nokia tracks overlayed on it to see if the tracks I'm doing are the ones on the map. Can't quite work out how though. I can upload my tracks, but from there I'm not sure.0 -
Ive found quite a few hidden trails lately using a combination of google earth, OS explore and bike hike. What i tend to do is if i notice what looks to be a new trail when i'm out riding i check it out later on the puter, Then next time i'm out i'll ride it and see how it is and try to piece together a nice loop.My Rides......91 GT Talera SingleSpeed, 97 Klein pulse race, 2010 Boardman HT Pro0
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O/S maps and a combination of web pages tend to work for plotting new trails and looking up something you have spotted. what i was talking about was following a bridleway and it suddenly splits, its not obvious which one to take by looking on the map as it isnt a definate crossroad. I have to say that we came out at the spot we were heading for but we may or may not have ventured off the permitted route. i never knowingly ride on a footpath or the wrong way up a 1 way street.
Going to have a peek at opencyclemaps, sounds like i may look at a new nokia too. cool bits of info therefly like a mouse, run like a cushion be the small bookcase!0 -
Openstreetmap is far superior to Google Maps. Being updated by volunteers, OSM is much more detailed than Google maps in my opinion. Been comparing same area in Google and OSSMand honestly, openstreetmap was a dozen of steps forward. The other day i had to find a place in a near by town and google ended up being highly inaccurate. When comparing the map i got from GM with the real thing, it actually looked like google drew non existent streets...Giant Yukon FX30
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just checked openstreetmap, doesn't even have my street on it, nevermind the bridleways around me, both of which googlemaps have!!0
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A lot depends on where you want to ride. You can see the singletrack in places on the Chase Follow The Dog but most of mid-Wales is just 'green'.welshkev wrote:does anyone else use google earth to try and find new trails?0
