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Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: Ronin83 on 15:09:50, 04/09/19

Title: OS subscription alternatives(View ranger)
Post by: Ronin83 on 15:09:50, 04/09/19
I currently use View ranger with an OS subscription. Renewal for OS maps is coming up at £25 a year.
Before I renew, just wondering if there's anything cheaper and better overall.
When I go to Spain I'm resorting back a basic landscape as obviously OS is just GB.
I know about wikiloc, but not sure how the maps work on there.
Title: Re: OS subscription alternatives(View ranger)
Post by: Patrick1 on 15:37:14, 04/09/19
OSMAnd is a good front end for Open Streetmap mapping on Android devices, which, with a small fee for contours, I find quite useful as an alternative to the Ordnance Survey. There are paths on Open Streetmap which don't appear on the OS, and vice versa, so worth cross checking.


And I've mentioned Maverick, my favourite app for accessing offline OS mapping for free, on several threads recently - here, for example (http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=38843.msg554597#msg554597), if you're interested.
Title: Re: OS subscription alternatives(View ranger)
Post by: jimredd on 16:25:02, 04/09/19
OSMAnd is a good front end for Open Streetmap mapping on Android devices, which, with a small fee for contours, I find quite useful as an alternative to the Ordnance Survey. There are paths on Open Streetmap which don't appear on the OS, and vice versa, so worth cross checking.


And I've mentioned Maverick, my favourite app for accessing offline OS mapping for free, on several threads recently - here, for example (http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=38843.msg554597#msg554597), if you're interested.


Agreed, Open Streetmap is pretty cool. I used the software to track my ski across Greenland last year as Garmin use it as the basis for the tracking function which is great if you use devices like the InReach to map your routes.
Title: Re: OS subscription alternatives(View ranger)
Post by: ninthace on 16:42:23, 04/09/19
ViewRanger supports the Spain IGN mapping but you have to buy it for the app.  Not sure how good it is as I have never knowingly used it.  Last time I hiked there, many moons ago, we had paper maps.  They were a cross between a map and an artist's impression.  They got the main landscape right but were sometimes a bit sketchy on detail - not so much what was there, more what they hoped was there.
Title: Re: OS subscription alternatives(View ranger)
Post by: jimbob on 17:18:31, 04/09/19
ViewRanger supports the  IGN mapping but you have to buy it for the app.  Not sure how good it is as I have never knowingly used it.  Last time I hiked there, many moons ago, we had paper maps.  They were a cross between a map and an artist's impression.  They got the main landscape right but were sometimes a bit sketchy on detail - not so much what was there, more what they hoped was there.
I bought the IGN tiles for Northern Spain and the Pyrenees region of France., from VR. They are OK but not a patch on OS standard. I ended up using a mix of IGN and satellite maps which you can also download via VR.

Don't know of any OS subscription services currently cheaper than your quote but there are often discounts to be had, both from VR and OS for their app. when they run their regular "last chance to buy" sales.

Title: Re: OS subscription alternatives(View ranger)
Post by: ninthace on 17:41:29, 04/09/19
I have IGN paper maps of the Pyrenees that cross the border between France and Spain.  You can see the join.  French IGN are on a par with OS maps for walking.  The Spanish maps are OK, just not quite as good.
(https://i.postimg.cc/SRWr96Bn/20190904-173837-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Wq1gLkbV)
Title: Re: OS subscription alternatives(View ranger)
Post by: Slowcoach on 18:26:10, 04/09/19
I used OSM mapping in Spain on my Garmin GPS in the Picos and in France along the Pyrenees. There are a number of sites which have options for whole countries or regions within a country.