Downloaded a GPX file of a route I want to cycle from walkhighlands. Import it into Garmin Basecamp/and tried straight into GPX folder on GPS itself. I can’t see the route on track manager in the GPS, but I can see it on the internal storage of be the GPS in Basecamp?

Using ‘tracks’ of other routes the GPS can see them with no n issues.

How do I convert the route to a track so the Garmin will follow, or should I be doing something different?

eTrex touch is the GPS.

You can use Basecamp to convert it from a route to a track.

I’ve been playing around on Basecamp for that option. I can’t work out how. Any pointers?

Not sure if the etrex works like the edge – but I always find gpx files don’t work especially straight to the device – try downloading as a tcx.

I’ve managed to successfully convert. Will doing this have any bearing on how the GPS will navigate the route? Why is the GPS unable to see the download in route format?

Search for “Garmin routes vs tracks”, should tell you what you need to know. Basically a route is a series of waypoints but you don’t care how you get between them. A track is something you’d use where the precise line you follow is what’s important. (It’s really hard not to use the word “route” when trying to describe this!)

The biggest issue with Routes is that the routing is dependent on the mapping and can vary widly between the mapping used for Route creation and the mapping on your Garmin (or other GPS device). A Track will always be consistent.

I’d prefer it if the GPS followed a route as opposed to a track, but it just won’t show a route even though it has it on it’s internal storage. I’ll try and seen if saving the down loaded route as a TCX file allows the GPS to see a route.

If it’s a route, it won’t be listed in the track manager. Try looking on the routes menu instead.

I don’t appear to have a routes menu on the GPS. I’ve looked everywhere for the transferred route. It will only see tracks.

The GPS can’t follow a route as that isn’t what “routes” are for. Do as per my previous post, oh sod it, since you can’t be bothered, here’s Garmin’s take on it: https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=v0rJAHy2hq3prHjRlxdRw5

I’ve not used the Etrex Touch, but all of the other Etrex models let you follow a route. Try the ‘Where to?’ menu (search icon 🔍). That should have an option for routes.

Gotta love Garmin. When it comes to creating a genuinely user-hostile interface they are in a class of their own.

I now understand the difference between a route and track to GPS. Can then only a route made on the GPS be viewed on the GPS, and a route made on a PC can only be viewed on the PC? Meaning essentially a route on a PC is a preamble to the creation of a track?
I guess I’m now asking can a PC generated route be transferred to a GPS unit for the sake of say, cycling to points of interest that you have highlighted and then decide off the cuff that you want to visit them from your current location?

Consider a Route as a number of Waypoints with the actual path/track/road you ride being determined by the path/track/roads drawn on your map (it’s more complicated than this but it’ll do for now). If there is a path/track/road between your two Waypoints then the Route will follow that path/track/road. If you use a different map, that shows no path/track/road between those two points, it’ll try to find another way round that includes a path/track/road, or show your way to be directly between them using whatever Routing algorithms your GPS includes.*

With a Track, it doesn’t matter if your map show a path/track/road or not. It’s as if someone has already ridden or walked it and there are a larger number of interim “Trackpoints” showing the track almost exactly. Your GPS won’t try to find a way of routing, it just does Trackpoint to Trackpoint. (The thing you record as you ride or walk is also a Track. In fact, most GPS devices let you reverse it so you can find your way back to the start).

You can create Routes on GPS devices and on PCs and websites. You can create Tracks on PCs and websites but the large number of interim points required to follow a windy path makes it difficult to do on a GPS device.

* If the PC application or website you use to create the Route uses a different map, with different lines to your GPS device then the latter might not use the same Route between the Waypoints as the PC application/website.

( I could really creating a pictorial/longer explanation of this as it comes up often)

I guess I’m now asking can a PC generated route be transferred to a GPS unit

Yes absolutely. That’s exactly what I do with my (older) Garmin eTrex (Viast Hcx?).
You get a linked set of waypoints (strictly speaking routepoints), and bearing or pointer and distance to the next in the list.

Don’t confuse a GPX Route with GPS routing. The former is nothing more than a linked list of points (typically up to 100 points maximum, but depends on the model of the GPS device). The latter is a feature of the mapping in the device (if any).

Several websites actually create a Track when you create a route, most likely because they use auto routing to paths/roads, so have 1000’s of points, which will exceed the limits of a Route in a Garmin etc.

cycling to points of interest that you have highlighted and then decide off the cuff that you want to visit them from your current location?

you can create individual waypoints and just navigate to them, or you can have a route (ie a linked list of waypoints). if you’re near that route, and choose to navigate it, it’ll ask if you want to do the route forwards or in reverse, and automatically pick the next closest point on that route to navigate to. If you just fancy going to somewhere random, then waypoints may be more applicable.

Oh and the GPX file can actually contain all 3… waypoints, routes and tracks 🙂 but most online services will only let you do one type. I have several route files that contain both routes and useful waypoints (eg pub, carpark, water point or whatever).

the exact method of getting them on to the Garmin (or whatever) will vary a bit. Mine you have to transfer them via USB and a tool. Others you drop them in to a specific folder on the SD card, and the GPS device will import them when you start it up. I use GPSbabel (but it’s quite a bit of effort), but I’d wager that half the sites that let you convert files probably use that in the background. GPSVisualiser, etc.

So what real world application would having a PC generated route loaded onto the GPS unit provide? The only instance I can think of is you join together points of interest nearby a route you perhaps might cycle. If at some point you choose to visit, you select the desired destination and the GPS unit provides a route there?
Is this the intended purpose and what others are there?

I just find it easier to create a Route on a PC/website as the interface is simpler and the screen larger. As long as the mapping is the same (or close enough) then the Route will not change when loaded on the GPS.

You can also configure a Route to create Alerts as you approach each Waypoint or junction and if your GPS is configured for Automatic or Prompted rerouting then it’ll handle any intentional or unintentional diversions.

I find Routes to be of more use on roads, Tracks off-road. This is mostly due to off-road tracks and paths not being mapped so well.

Can the GPS be utilised to aid map and compass during walks with respect to giving estimated time to a certain location?
If for example I’m on a summit and descendig to a saddle and I want to count steps for distance and work out time to the location can the GPS give a figure that I could reference for interest?
If you are following a third party Track and the saddle is not your next point, how do you pinpoint this location for information?

The only instance I can think of is you join together points of interest nearby a route you perhaps might cycle. If at some point you choose to visit, you select the desired destination and the GPS unit provides a route there?

No that would just be a set of waypoints (roughly equal to points of interest).
A route would be a linked list of all the junctions or similar in order. You tell it to follow the route, and it’ll point you to the next one, maybe give you an alert as you approach a route point.

Some prefer following tracks and making sure your new recorded track doesn’t deviate from one someone else recorded (or a site fabricated). Others prefer directions to the next point on the route. I do both, but tend to prefer routes, both on and off road (just need to place the points where it’s obvious where to go if you come to say an intersection with numerous forks in the path).

The main waypoint I’ll have is where I parked the car.

Not sure about the etrex but on the Oregon if you scroll the map you change modes and when you tap the screen it adds a waypoint marker with bearing and distance so maybe try that. Obviously it can’t tell you how many steps so you need to apply some knowledge about the ground and your stride length etc. to come up with a duration.

Can the GPS be utilised to aid map and compass during walks with respect to giving estimated time to a certain location?
If for example I’m on a summit and descendig to a saddle and I want to count steps for distance and work out time to the location can the GPS give a figure that I could reference for interest?

I’m not sure I understand the question but if you have a GPS with mapping then why would you need a paper map and compass? 😁

If you create a Waypoint by touching the screen in the appropriate point, and choose that as a destination then the GPS will give you a Time to Destination figure based upon the Routing/mapping and your speed of travel – i.e. you need to be moving and it’ll update dynamically. Or just get Distance to Destination and apply your own algorithm based on pace and terrain.

I would like to use the GPS to assist me in getting better with map and compass, a bit like having an answer sheet to questions you have just answered I enjoy the hill craft. To be honest I thought learning to maximise the use of a GPS would of have been relatively straight forward and intuitive. Seems not, a skill in its own right. There would appear to be boundless applications for them, just need to find out what suits my requirements the best.

It’s the flexibility of them that causes the learning curve. Compare it to a car Satnav and how limited they are.