GPS/GPX Files Hiking App?

Thargor

Hi, what apps do people use for their GPX files? Think I asked this before but cant find it now.

Im looking for something that displays the GPX on Google maps in as much detail as possible. A library of GPX walks already onboard would be a plus for famous ones like the Wicklow Way and the Carantouhill horseshoe route.

Thanks.

duckysauce

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=63974049


have a garmin so don't use an app, Viewranger is meant to be good

Thargor

What am I looking for in that link?

ThisRegard

ViewRanger is well worth checking out.

duckysauce

Thargor wrote: »

What am I looking for in that link?

if you are looking for gpx files ----Yes

Thargor

Does anyone has an answer for this? Surely most people who come into this board have a way of viewing GPX files overlayed on a Google Map? I tried Viewranger, its utterly useless, slow with weird maps that look like they were made in the 1950s to hang on a classroom wall, not paying €20 for their freemium crap, all I need is a Google Maps overlay.

GPX viewer on the Play store nearly does what I wanted in Google Maps except as per a lot of the recent reviews its not doing what it should anymore and is reading any GPX file no matter how many waypoints as just a strat and end with a straight line in between...

Micilin Muc

You do know that ViewRanger has Google Maps as a baselayer, along with the extra detail found in Open Cycle Map, Open Street Map, Bing Road, MapQuest, as well as Ordnance Survey and East-West Mapping as premium offerings?

What more detail do you want?

Thargor

I cant find Google Maps anywhere in it, and saving an Openstreetview Map only saves the basic main roads/towns overlay, no detail.

Alun

Thargor wrote: »

I cant find Google Maps anywhere in it, and saving an Openstreetview Map only saves the basic main roads/towns overlay, no detail.

Just scroll down in the list of maps ...

burly

duckysauce wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=63974049


have a garmin so don't use an app, Viewranger is meant to be good

Similar to duckysauce, I have a Garmin (eTrex Vista) which i use along with everytrail for sharing gpx tracks and viewing them online over a google map.

Here is a link to the Galtee Challenge if anyone is feeling energetic!
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1559678

Thargor

Alun wrote: »

Just scroll down in the list of maps ...

I see 6 maps, 3 OpenStreetmaps variations, Bing Aerial Imagery, something called "Ski Map" and something called "Transport Map", did you download a map pack at some stage or something?

ThisRegard

Open Cycle map is the best for what you want anyway, has better details for tracks and trails than google maps. ViewRanger is far far from useless.

Alun

Thargor wrote: »

I see 6 maps, 3 OpenStreetmaps variations, Bing Aerial Imagery, something called "Ski Map" and something called "Transport Map", did you download a map pack at some stage or something?

Ah, I see, you're using the app, and that doesn't have access to the same maps as the online version for some reason, probably to do with (copy)rights.

Go to my.viewranger.com in a browser and you'll see all the maps shown in my screenshot.

Carawaystick

Thargor wrote: »

Im looking for something that displays the GPX on Google maps in as much detail as possible. A library of GPX walks already onboard would be a plus for famous ones like the Wicklow Way and the Carantouhill horseshoe route.

Thanks.

If you need a gps to do these, while on the route, you're doing it wrong.

Thargor

That was an example of 2 trails and the first 2 to pop into my head, I was hoping for a library of them as I said in the post.

BarryD

Thargor wrote: »

I cant find Google Maps anywhere in it, and saving an Openstreetview Map only saves the basic main roads/towns overlay, no detail.

Well maps like OpenStreet etc. are free - they are compiled by members of the public who record data and put it up online. You get an enthusiast living in a particular district, they fill in that area to a certain level. But there's no-one in the neighbouring area to do same etc. So it's patchy.

But it's free - so you have to limit your expectations!! If you want someone like me to spend months/ years carefully compiling data in a more organised way, then I need to be able to get a small return on it, so I can pay my bills, put food on the table and fuel in the car!!

You can buy EastWest Mapping maps for ViewRanger and you can get full OSI 1:50,000 coverage at a modest enough cost too. Costs are higher than I'd like but by the time the government hoovers up VAT (highest rate for digital products), Apple or Google then take a slice for having it on their platforms, then ViewRanger need a fee and finally some return comes to the cartographer...

BriangC

there is a library of GPx file for Ireland on http://www.activeme.ie and you can download them for free. when needed I use them with a Garmin GPSmap C60 or else the activeme app but the GPS is a big drain on phone battery

BarryD

As I've observed before, be cautious as to the source of any GPX file. If it has been recorded by someone actually walking a route, recording the data and then uploading it, well and good. However, a GPX file can be generated just by sitting in the 'armchair' at home and tracing off a route on some mapping or route planning application. In this latter case, you've no idea at all if the route defined by the GPX data is actually possible on the ground............................ take heed!!

Alun

To be honest, even then I'd be very wary. I do download both planned routes and recorded tracks from time to time, if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar, but only use them as a guideline by reading them into a desktop mapping application and carefully examining, analysing and usually modifying them before use. Simply plugging them into a GPS or phone app and blindly following them is a recipe for disaster.