Planning a fortnight in Dumfries & Galloway and have two questions:

1. Normally I’d buy 1:25k Explorers as I find it a lot easier to distinguish footpaths and bridleways on them but as that’s a moot point north of the border (hooray!) I’m tempted to save a few bob and just go for the 1:50k. Will I be missing out on loads of detail that’s not on the Landrangers?

2. Where’s cheap for OS maps these days? Last time I needed a job lot Dash4It.co.uk were cheapest – anyone else that I should be aware of?

I’ve been using 1:50k almost exclusively for the last 40 years…..

And having invested in Anquet, it’s far cheaper to print off whatever I need.

1:50000 works for me in Scotland, particularly in the Highlands. Just remember it when you’re route planning.

!:50 thousand here as well. No need for more

1:50000 for just about all bike stuff.

Occasional glance at 1:25000 online to pick out extra detail when planning routes but there can be too much detail for everyday use – can’t see the wood for the trees, kind of thing.

1:25000 is good for my local area – lets me see exactly what’s there so will explore them gradually over time.

For routes away 1:50000 usually shows everything. Not only that, but they’re one-sided, smaller and easier to read on the trail!

25k is useful if, like me, you like ‘exploring’ dotted lines and seeing where they lead – otherwise 50k for more established MTB routes.

I live north of the border, the 1:25,000 are much more worthwhile if you aren’t local and you are looking for paths etc. 1:50k don’t have the smaller (and more interesting) paths on them.

Agree with Stuart – sometimes the 1:25k just have too much detail in mountain regions. Also you need a lot of them. Even on (walking) mountain leader courses they only use 1:50K as a rule