I have a vague memory of someone suggesting an online map (Google maps style) that showed bridleways for route planning, but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was and the search function is less than useful. Any ideas?

https://www.bridlewaymap.com

However – it’s terrible, lots, lots and even more lots of incorrect routes (open source data without quality control = garbage in, garbage out)

Either use google earth, and download the augmented KML of your local area from Rowmaps.com

…or use an OS map (frankly, this is the best answer all round, OS already offer us the best mapping in the world, with all the rights of way on them, they really are better tha; anything else)

I remember something about that, a sort of gazette of bridleways. At the time it wasn’t very good – missing sections of BW and stuff that wasn’t a BW. There’s a BW running past our house – half of it wasn’t shown on the map, just a segment in the middle of nowhere!

I use bikehike. It has OS and Google maps so the best of both worlds as it were.

The ideal would be a map with the various categories of ROW on different layers and where you could zoom out for a high level overview

Bikehike would be the best that i know of for the job as you can cross reference against the OS map pane

I recommend Viewranger app. You have to pay to download OS maps but once they’re on your phone or tab you don’t need internet to view them. Download a new area in 1:50 or 1:25 when you go there and slowly build up an excellent collection.

^ +1
Never go anywhere without..its excellent.

I use a Satmap with OS maps on SD cards. Tis good and doesn’t rely on mobile signal/run down phone etc.

Not cheap, not perfect but is so good to have a map tell you where you are on it & easily show where the next bridleway is.

How about this ?

Even if accurate, you can’t rely alone on a marked bridleway being in any way rideable. They’re our legal right of way (if not marked otherwise), but so many are impossible to ride, especially where horses are involved.

I’ve taken to cheeky footpaths nearby at times and way better with solid surface and far less damage by riding it. Even had cheery hello from walkers and they sometimes step aside despite me waiting for them to pass instead. Rarely a grumpy “not allowed to ride here” (I mainly get the grumpy bunch on tow paths, even shared access ones).

Plus a number of bridleways I know just end and go nowhere or the next part is a footpath, and I know some that are clearly being discouraged from use by the land owner.

I think most county councils have a rights of way map on their website.
For example, this is the one for Wiltshire, and you can select the layers on it to show just Bridleways. However, they vary in quality, functionality and speed.

Try bing maps with the os overlay?

Get the os maps app and pay £20 a yr for full access to 1:25k maps of the whole country and you can store your area offline if you’re going somewhere with no signal.

Works well for me but as someone said above, no guarantee of rideability of track. You need a bit of local knowledge for that I guess.

Excellent, thanks all! Plenty of material to have a gander at. It’s true that you can’t really beat an OS map though.

I still like the National Library of Scotland.

http://maps.nls.uk/view/74466948

It’s found me some cracking old paths (1890s) which I have cleared and are now being well used by locals MTB’rs

My personal preference is magic maps (http://www.magic.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx), you cant plot points on it but it gives complete OS mapping in colour down to 1:25,000 level.
Hope that helps!

I think most county councils have a rights of way map on their website.
For example, this is the one for Wiltshire, and you can select the layers on it to show just Bridleways. However, they vary in quality, functionality and speed.

There is a site here with links to definitive rights of way maps published by local councils.