Following unfamiliar routes solo?

DeepBlue · 03-07-2022 1:33pm #1

If you're in an area that's new to you and just have your phone and watch to work with how do you go about following a suggested route?

For example in strava (at least in the subscriber version) it can suggest a route if you plug in what distance you want to do but it doesn't offer any help with navigating that route. The ideal scenario would be some kind of app where you could easily plug in a route and it will give audio instructions like a satnav such as "turn left in 20 metres" or something to the same effect.

Unknownability · 03-07-2022 2:34pm

I think Garmins do have turn by turn direction.

https://youtu.be/vQNwmqmCBaU

I'm away this weekend and had that exact situation. I just looked at the strava heat map and found a route that way.

Unthought Known · 03-07-2022 10:06pm

Garmin has turn by turn, at least on the newer watches. In Garmin Connect app you can create a course, either manually or by setting your distance and allowing Garmin to create it (Training/Courses/Create a course).

Failing that try https://www.rungoapp.com/ . You can create a route and get turn by turn navigation on your phone.

Or try https://www.komoot.com/

Jakey Rolling · 03-07-2022 11:01pm

Although I generally plan my routes out with OSI/East West Maps I've found Strava to be useful to sense check while en-route.

Turn on Heat maps on the Strava app.

At a junction you can check it to see what routes have been followed by others, what might be a dead-end and what path allows you to loop back.

Sandwell · 04-07-2022 6:19am

Check out Komoot. I generally just use it to orient myself if I'm unsure of a turn etc but it offers full route planning and audio turn-by-turn navigation. It will also sync with Garmins etc.

darrenheaphy · 04-07-2022 12:56pm

Strava's route creator is pretty good though I really like Komoot too, in fact I'd tend to use that for more complex routes. I specifically bought the Fenix 7 for its longer battery life and integrated maps, it's really handy when running a totally new route (trails, roads or mountains) and be able to see the route on the watch app. Prior to that the only other option was bringing the phone and referencing that (Komoot can store the route offline, which is really handy). Whenever I was up the mountains though it would be very unreliable to try that, especially in bad weather!

68 lost souls · 04-07-2022 3:31pm

I have been using the Strava or Garmin route creator and while my watch doenst do turn by turn or maps in general I added an app through Connect IQ to get something wokring and used this https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/2750f280-82f4-4f21-a32c-57acc7ce4870

Its a bit cluncky but it works

Murph_D · 06-07-2022 8:59am

Getting lost is all part of the fun for me. Although I'd usually have a phone on me somewhere so I can revert to Google Maps to get home. I use a Garmin 325 so no turn by turn although there is a Return to Start feature which can get you home too by pointing you in the general direction.

MisterJinx · 06-07-2022 12:55pm

I've a Garmin 945, about 3 years old. It has maps integrated on it. What I do is plan the route via strava and save that route. When the watch sync next it will pick up that strava route and then in the activity you select courses and you can find the route there and you have an activity screen with the map. It keeps you on course but I have the audio prompts turned off.

DeepBlue · 06-07-2022 10:48pm

I have the Garmin 645 myself and, prompted by suggestions on this thread, I've been experimenting with it on known routes.

I can create a route on my phone using Garmin Connect (Training->Courses->Create Course->Running->Custom)

Once the course is created and saved I then have to select the course and click the 3 button menu to select Send to Device. After sending it to my watch I then have to sync the watch. To use Select Run and then long press on the Up button to bring up the menu and scroll down to Navigation->Courses and select the course and then "Do Course" which brings up a breadcrumb map of the course. Then it's still necessary to press the start button to start the run.

There is no base map showing features just the green course on a grey background. It's just an outline of the course showing where you are on it and the distance to the next turn and the direction to take at the next turn e.g. 0.5mi (with a right turn symbol). About 20m before a turn I get a beep and a notification of the upcoming turn and the direction to take. At about the apex of the turn I get the direction symbol again to confirm which way to go. Directions so far seem to show north, north east, east, south east, south, south west, west, northwest. The arrow which accompany the direction change can be sharply angled if the turn is the same or more gently curved if that matches the route.

If I go off route the watch gives and alert and displays distance to the course which increases as you move away from the course and decreases as you move towards the course.

I've also created a route using ridewithgps. To transfer the route to the watch I connected the watch to the PC and downloaded the .fit file from ridewithgps and dropped it into the NewFiles folder on the Garmin. When I go to courses as detailed above the course is available and works the same as the Garmin course.

I must add some photos to explain the above better but it seems more than adequate so far. The proper test will be on unknown routes however but so far it seems very promising.

One other thing, I can use other screens and a red pointer arrow still shows the direction I should be heading in (with the exception of the heart rate screen) and the alerts will still pop up on other screens (including the heart rate screen).

Following unfamiliar routes solo?

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