how utterly spoilt we are by OS in the uk
I was wondering this recently. Is the UK, or at least Britain, the best mapped country? You can just buy a 1:25,000 map of the entire place (IOM and NI excluded for some reason, although they do the 1:50,000 for IOM) Where else could you do this?
A street plan of Vatican city doesn't count.
Most European countries have an OS equivalent. IGN in France BKG in Germany for example. I particularly like the way that IGN colours their maps, especially in places like the Alps, the contours are immediately obvious in a way that OS lack.
Very much depends where I'm going and what I'm planning to do TBH.
If I'm headed somewhere unfamiliar I'll try to have a pre-planned route loaded up in the GPS, and take a paper printed map as a backup. If the route isn't totally planned and/or its a much longer route I'd at least have some key waypoints on the GPS and correspondingly marked on a paper map, I'd also maybe leave a copy of the marked map with the missus (who would not have a scooby what she was looking at TBH, but could hand it to someone competent if I go missing).
If I'm in a more familiar area where I know local features, I'd be much happier to rely on the GPS and my own sense of direction, and will probably leave the paper map at home these days, the 'tech' is improving both in reliability and accuracy (obviously leccy is the ever present limiting factor).
So Maps aren't really the primary Nav' tool for me anymore, but they are a reliable backup that you can trust.
Let’s be frank and honest, the real reason Colin, Matt, myself and others carry paper maps is that we’re scared shitless of having to be rescued for some reason and then having MRT rip the piss out of us for not having a proper paper map.
Soooo true.
The local team have a few pals on - I would never live it down.
And the next local team have my old landlord as boss, and old colleagues on the team.
Gotta think of my reputation!
how utterly spoilt we are by OS in the uk
Maybe once upon a time, but not now.
Locally OS maps are way out of date while Open Street Map has a lot more useful detail.
Harveys maps are excellent but have limited coverage.
Coming back to the Touch Hills, relying on the OS map would get you into serious difficulty: what are shown as tracks are waist-deep bogs. How they've ended up on the map is anyone's guess - and they've been like that for 20 years or more.
Let’s be frank and honest, the real reason Colin, Matt, myself and others carry paper maps is that we’re scared shitless of having to be rescued for some reason and then having MRT rip the piss out of us for not having a proper paper map.
Surely that only applies to "I got lost please come help me" callouts.
If you slipped and broke your ankle and phoned them with your exact coordinates and sat in your bivvy/shelter brewing an artizanl jet boiled coffee in a nice titanium mug while you waited, would they still object to your lack of historic navigation equipment?
If you slipped and broke your ankle and phoned them with your exact coordinates and sat in your bivvy/shelter brewing an artizanl jet boiled coffee in a nice titanium mug while you waited, would they still object to your lack of historic navigation equipment?
They would probably ask for a brew, take the mickey of my artisinal coffee while also asking for a brew, and then lug me off the hill in an efficient and professional manner.
But reserve the right to take the rip at any undefined point in the future. 😉
Paper map and compass for me. Usually carry OS 1:25000 and Harvey 1:40000 ...I really am that cool!
I'm more of a bearings and pacing type, but can visualise landscapes too.
I've got an app on my phone and also the ability on my Garmin watch to get an instant grid ref should I get confused. I used to be pretty good with nav, but not getting out much at present unfortunately.