after recommendations for a reasonable GPS with 1:50000 UK mapping, 3d compass, good battery life

for long distance rides in unfamiliar areas and stuff like the WRT etc

usable screen size etc

not too expensive either

Dakota 20 works for me. Has all those features and uses AA batteries so it’s simple to keep it charged However, I’m not sure how much longer it will be for sale.

poss looking at the Etrex 30, but screen is small for the mapping

Oregon 600 another option but has features I don’t need and variable reports about the touch screen and battery life

I just use my phone. Battery life is OK if I turn other stuff off and it’s very easy to upload/download routes. If battery life is a big issue then just use a USB power pack.

I rather have something that’s designed for the job that uses standard batteries

I find the touch screen to be ok. Certainly a much better interface than the “button” Garmins. A good set of NIMH cells will last 11-13 hours with the power save options enabled.

I’d say the Oregon 600 is better than earlier versions, the user interface is a little less user hostile than before, though still a bit of a jumble, and the touchscreen works with gloves as well. My experience with battery life is that if you use power saving and don’t go mega-bright on the screen it’s okay for a day in the hills though it depends on how much you use it.

I’ve always liked the way the Satmap Active 10 works. It’s more intuitive than anything else out there ime, bar possibly ViewRanger on a smartphone, and has a bigger screen than anything else, but it is quite bulky.

If you’ve got a smartphone, don’t write off ViewRanger maybe with a battery power back-up. Its power handling is much better than it used to be I think.

Another happy Dakota 20 user here, buy a version without maps and get the maps cheap here: http://www.ioffer.com/i/garmin-gb-discoverer-1-50k-full-coverage-127349741

Satmap is excellent although expensive. Maps on cards include Spain and lots of Europe. Custom maps are good for UK use. Battery life is good for day use – 15 hours+. I carry a spare battery as back up.