Real life maps

The Chingford Skinhead
edited September 2010 in Commuting general
I've tried plotting a bike route that I know part of on Google Maps and on Bikely. Both have that nice feature where you put in a location, click further on in your route and it auto-completes the route for you. Except of course that they don't. Neither seem to recognise non-roads - ie dirt tracks, tow paths or pedestrian/cycle paths that are off roads or even roads that are permeable for cyclists but not motor traffic.

Now, I can find such things on Street map or multimap but then they don't have the option to plot a route and save it.

Any suggestions for an online mapping provider that recognises non-roads?

Ta
Pain is only weakness leaving the body

Comments

  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,713
    On Bikely, untick the 'Auto-follow the road' box, then zoom in and use the satellite image to plot your path manually.
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    similar on mapmyride - you can plot point to point manually if you turn off "auto routing".
  • sam_m
    sam_m Posts: 61
    www.cyclestreets.net

    This seems to include footpaths etc. and you can choose fastest/quietest routes, or a mix of both. You can also save the map and open it in GoogleEarth if you want a more detailed view.
  • Thanks. I'll give the cyclestreets map a go.

    The problem with both Google and Bikey is that unless you actually know the area, then you won't know the short cuts, permeable streets and dedicated cycle paths to look out for using satelite. Which makes map plotting for yourself pointless as you don't need to plot for areas that you know :lol:

    I had hoped that bikely being bike specific would have included the footpath detail available on multi-map and streetmap.

    Cheers for the replies.
    Pain is only weakness leaving the body
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Bikehike.

    Shows a google map and an OS map side by side.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • risi
    risi Posts: 231
    bails87 wrote:
    Bikehike.

    Shows a google map and an OS map side by side.

    Or an OSMcycle map & OS map side by side. OSMcycle can be incomplete (there are sometimes minor roads missing completely) but the cycle paths & NCN routes are nicely highlighted.
    Specialized Allez
    Trek 6500
  • Open Street Map is beginning to collect bike related data, and no doubt they would like you to submit more. However, as yet there isn't much, and you need to go to paper maps.

    For example, if, being the Chingford Skinhead, you live in Chingford, there's the free London Cycle Guide, map 4. Epping Forest has it's own bike map, I think, and Essex has mapped a few routes.

    If you are looking for back alley short cuts, you need something like an A-Z.

    The O-S map is always good to have - my local library lends out, at no cost, maps of anywhere in Britain. Those mark off road bridle paths, on which cycling is legal. Quality varies on those, and might vary with time on the same path. OS maps also show major Sustrans off-road links, but tend not to show in-town networks like those in, for example Stevenage and Milton Keynes.

    You can also print out about an A4 size piece of map from, I think, the OS web site, and probably other places

    Most towns hve some kind of bike map, and most counties, or whatever, have some kind of leaflet about cycling there

    In the end, you just have to explore

    Jeremy Parker
  • Been playing with cyclestreets today but will also try the others too. Very helpful thanks.

    JP - yes I'm in Chingford* and make use of the free TfL/LCC maps quite a bit. I wanted to plot a route on line to share with a cycling group.


    *My user name was based on being near Chingford, my lack of hair and the inaccurate "get on your bike" quote (wrongly) attributed to Norman Tebbit - AKA The Chingford Skinhead. Ironically, politically Norman and I are at very different places :lol:
    Pain is only weakness leaving the body
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    I had hoped that bikely being bike specific would have included the footpath detail available on multi-map and streetmap.

    Not really that bike specific - Bikely will happily send you down the M1 :lol:
    Faster than a tent.......