please empty your brain below
Personally, I'm a big fan of Bing Maps because of the ability to switch to OS maps at 1:25,000. The following link will take you to Bing Maps in OS mode: https://www.bing.com/maps?sty=s (you may have to zoom in to start seeing OS maps).

In addition, an API is available which can be used to create your own tailored maps using a bit of Javascript.

Regards

zin92 | 06.02.19 - 7:12 a.m. | #

Although I'm happy with the old school maps, the things about Google I like are the satellite images, streetview - very handy as you can physically see what an area you don't know looks like at street level before you arrive, plus I've got used to the measuring tool.

Still Anon | 06.02.19 - 7:32 a.m. | #

I like a print-out when I walk around rather than peering at a phone, and since the last revamp I find it's just about impossible to see the streets on Google (they are a very faint grey). OSM is vastly better for that. Web searches show that lots of other people have told Google that they feel the same and Google has responded the way it usually does to their complaints (with silence).

For website use I've just migrated from Google to our own hosted OSM-based maps, since their new charging structure is devastatingly expensive for small amateur sites that get any volume of traffic (despite their reassurances to the contrary).

Nick Atty | Homepage | 06.02.19 - 7:40 a.m. | #

I hate that Google Maps turns dark at what it considers night time making it very difficult to use when navigating. Haven't found a way to disable this "useful" feature.

MKIan | 06.02.19 - 7:43 a.m. | #

On Android download and install F-Droid (an excellent non-Google app store which only includes vetted open source software) then, from it, Maps, whose icon is as blunt as its name (black M on white background).

That gives you the OpenStreetMaps maps offline in the maps.me interface without extraneous rubbish.

The other great thing about OSM is that, if the map is wrong or out of date, you can fix it yourself. This is actually surprisingly easy to do.

Alastair Scott | 06.02.19 - 8:03 a.m. | #

If you're interested in older maps, SABRE Maps https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/maps/ have a large selection of old maps available online, thanks to members and the NLS.

They have all been scanned and corrected so they are geographically accurate. One can create overlay with the modern OSM to see how features have changed.

Rob | Homepage | 06.02.19 - 8:14 a.m. | #

Very interesting stuff.

Probably been seen by many already but this is a good read - justinobeirne.com/what-happened-to-google-maps
All his articles are well worth checking out if anyone's interested in the evolution of online cartography.

Also, as I'm here, I'm as suspicious of Google as anyone else but walking (and cycling) is catered for at least when I use their maps e.g. https://goo.gl/maps/dop8x9G8cyQ2

Kevin | 06.02.19 - 8:27 a.m. | #

Alistair

Thanks for the fdroid maps suggestion. I have been looking for a decent OSM mobile client for similar reasons to DG and maps.me and guru don't fit the bill for me. Have been using komoot which is excellent for hiking and long walks but not quite a day to day mapping app.

In terms of OS maps the newer paper maps come with a free download code which adds the map to your phone. I don't rely on just one map and for me Google is really only useful for driving or for street view. Even then it's not great (speed camera warnings, speed limits etc are missing)

E | 06.02.19 - 8:29 a.m. | #

The think that bugs me about Google maps is that people think it's accurate. It most definitely is not accurate. Then, when you get people who refuse to believe road signs because Google Maps tells them otherwise...

Jon Jones | 06.02.19 - 8:49 a.m. | #

People misunderstand Google maps. They think it's a carefully hand draw affair. It's not. It's a map computationally generated from Google's vast information database. As such, weird annomilys will always exist.

That's why other online maps are way better: Humans are involved.

Anon | 06.02.19 - 8:54 a.m. | #

Open Street Map has another benefit in the ability to add areas of the world that are currently unmapped to support with treatment for disease outbreaks or natural disasters.

You can do this from home via https://www.missingmaps.org/

Tom | 06.02.19 - 9:06 a.m. | #

Reading this immediately reminded me of one of your posts about walking the North Downs Way, namely your entry for 12 May 2017. This was my comment for that day:-

"it seems there are becoming less and less places that Google can't get to! It didn't just show me the road I was looking for (Totford Lane)... it's actually had someone with a camera actually take the NDW track and follow its winding course all the way along to Lascombe! It's not the only non-road bit they've covered, either: their guy with a head-mounted camera has also done some of the footpath grade sections, too."

(I have no idea if this 'facility' has been used anywhere else)

RogerW | 06.02.19 - 9:20 a.m. | #

Google Maps did at least use to have the Map Maker scheme, where users could sign up to draw various features on the map that didn't already exist i.e. footpaths. Unfortunately they discontinued it a couple of years ago and at present it is impossible to add or correct roads and paths. Very frustrating, and one of the reasons I find myself more and more using OpenStreetMaps.

Stuart | 06.02.19 - 9:23 a.m. | #

My OpenStreetMap client of choice is OsmAnd. There's a good unrestricted free version available from F-Droid, or there's a paid version and a free version which has restrictions on the number of map downloads or something from the Google Play Store.

I tend to use Google Maps for satellite view, street view, and for searching for more obscure businesses that might not have been entered on OSM (or I just can't find them because of the lower quality search), and OsmAnd for everything else.

Muzer | 06.02.19 - 9:41 a.m. | #

Oh, and a little pedantic notice - OSM is not free from copyright, but it's licensed under a very permissive copyright licence, specifically the Open Data Commons Open Database License. See https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright . It basically ensures anyone who modifies and then distributes the map must release their modifications under the same licence, as well as attributing OpenStreetMap.

Muzer | 06.02.19 - 9:48 a.m. | #

Yes, I am not sure why the contrast in Google maps is so poor - it makes them very difficult to use unless you switch to satelite view.

Adrian | 06.02.19 - 9:52 a.m. | #

You didn't mention Georeferenced maps, which you linked to for the Surrey Canal. It gives a wide range of historical maps covering England, Scotland & Wales, despite being provided by the National Library of Scotland.

Northern Ireland is ignored by Georeferenced and does not get proper OS maps on Streetmap, which are excellent for the rest of the UK.

Google maps have terrible contrast which is unreadable on some monitors, and are not particularly accurate. They do however cover most of the world and have satellite and street view (but not where I am).

kev | 06.02.19 - 10:03 a.m. | #

An I missing something?
I can't find streetmap on the Play Store...

dg writes: Streetmap is a quaint, old-fashioned 'website'.

Joho | 06.02.19 - 10:42 a.m. | #

Previously having been a fan of good old A-Zs or the Nicholson Greater London Street Atlas (which I used to spend many a wasted hour just poring over) I am now converted to the online versions. Like others I like the Streetview and satellite facility of Google Maps, so I can be more prepared if going to an unknown area and can visualise it beforehand.

I also think Google is more up to date; the road I live in was blocked off at one end nearly two years ago and this change was reflected in Google quite quickly. However others not so; indeed Streetmap still does not show it. We still get vehicles having to turn round or delivery vehicles saying they can't get in to the road, so satnavs aren't always updated either (although that may often be due to the user not updating themselves).

I'm not necessarily a great fan of Google and all their methods but sometimes you have to swallow your pride!

Tim | 06.02.19 - 11:05 a.m. | #

Following your suggestion I have used OpenStreetMap for the first time. Now I see why you located Saxby Gardens in Streatham Hill a couple of weeks ago. The centre of Streatham Hill has been placed on the junction of the A23 and A205, rather than half way down the thoroughfare of that name.

Any more examples of misplaced localities?

Ian Paton | 06.02.19 - 11:09 a.m. | #

Interesting, why is your zoom level 13 map so bare ?

When I point Google Maps at Stratford to zoom level 13 there is much more detail

Andy Norman | 06.02.19 - 11:13 a.m. | #

If you go here you can find very detailed street plans of the whole of London from both 1947 and 1893. Really excellent. https://maps.nls.uk/towns/#london

Not quite sure why they are in the Scottish Map Library but I'm very glad they are

Johnny Topaz | 06.02.19 - 11:17 a.m. | #

Another vote for OSM. They seem to be the most up to date too, showing new streets and roads before they appear on other maps.

For OS maps I cannot recommend highly enough the Backcountry navigator app. It allows you to view both 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 OS maps in full screen. It is also possible to download huge sections for offline use, particularly handy in areas of patchy data coverage.

Lorenzo | 06.02.19 - 11:22 a.m. | #

I mainly use maps on a PC.
OSM is my map of choice, using it about 90% of the time if I want a modern map (NLS for historical maps). Google maps if I want to check for traffic conditions, or perhaps compare with OSM, but my main use of Google is Google Earth (+ StreetView) which I use frequently.

I don’t get on with Streetmap (It may be just me!). I find it difficult to navigate, zooming is restricted to a few preset levels and only about half the screen is available for the map, the rest being mostly taken up with adverts, unlike OSMs almost full screen coverage.

If I need accurate detail for a specific area, I may use Streetmap or similar that uses the OS maps, but often the OS maps are not up-to-date or, don’t show all paths etc.

If I use maps on a phone (which isn’t often and is normally when tracking), then I will usually use Google.

I looked at Guru Maps, but as the permission wants access to contacts, then I didn’t bother to install it (any app that wants access to Contacts with no specific purpose never gets installed!)

Following Alastair Scott’s comments, I’ve installed F-Droid and OSM on my tablet and will check it out.

Rogmi | 06.02.19 - 11:48 a.m. | #

Rogmi, I don't know why Guru wants Contacts but a blanket refusal to install it is silly, just don't allow it that permission.

I also use OSM and OpenBusMap (via Guru) and as pure maps they are much better than google, but google is still useful in some cases for public transport timetable info (though OSM is the way to go for the actual location of bus stops etc.) Sometimes you do want to know about the shops and businesses, which OSM doesn't always know about.

John | 06.02.19 - 12:13 p.m. | #

Following Ian's comment, I have moved Streatham Hill down a bit to the approx centre of the ward boundary. OSM takes a few hours to update so this change may not be immediately visible.
Of course being open, someone else could decide they prefer it in a different spot!

Fred | 06.02.19 - 12:18 p.m. | #

I have an extensive bookmark library of maps, as they each have their strong and weak points, and it's often good to cross refer.

Not so far mentioned is Michelin https://www.viamichelin.co.uk - which has an unusual selling point of displaying house numbers along the streets.

OS has its own online mapping - not as good as how the 1:25k's are displayed on Bing, but still useful for a good sense of plot boundaries etc.

NickW | Homepage | 06.02.19 - 2:22 p.m. | #

I pay a modest subscription for Ordnance Survey's maps. For £19.99 a year you get access to the entire country including 1:50k and 1:25k maps. You can print them out at home which is obviously pretty useful for walks/days out.

There's also a half-decent accompanying app that lets you download maps for offline access.

My favourite map was one that was on my sister's shower curtain when I visited her apartment in New York some years ago. I assume it was either the shower curtain that came with the apartment, or she'd just bought a cheap one locally. Anyway, I was examining the map as I showered and noticed that the UK only had two placenames marked: London, and... Sunderland! Everyone's second city, I'm sure you'll agree.

Adam Bowie | Homepage | 06.02.19 - 4:27 p.m. | #

I would imagine that somewhere at Google HQ or 'some other institution' there is a screen populated with dots or actual owner facepics of all the mobile phones in the world showing their position in real time. Clicking on one brings up a database entry of information about that person and their network of contacts. Clicking on another button opens a live audio and video monitoring channel to the phone....

drD | 06.02.19 - 4:45 p.m. | #

Horses for courses (sorry, route planning pun not intentional!) here. Google is great for embedding maps on my website, but for actually figuring out if there really is a passable public right of way which isn’t blocked by a pesky gate, OSM is hard to beat.

Mike Newman | Homepage | 06.02.19 - 5:04 p.m. | #

Interestingly, no mention of Apple Maps yet - I like it for the transit layer and the seemless transition to 3D aerial view mode that can be rotated more convenientely (and from any direction, including tilt & pan) than Google.

I am also annoyed at how Google's aerial view now tips into Streetview if you zoom in one click too far.

NickW | Homepage | 06.02.19 - 6:48 p.m. | #

I agree with you about Streetmap, very useful. Google Maps is good in towns, but it's utterly hopeless in the countryside where everything is just solid green (woodland) or solid beige (anything else).

The Ordnance Survey Maps are still in my view the best resource to navigate in the countryside. Streetmap has both the 1:25000 and 1:50000. Bing's maps also does however the maps are crooked (why???) which I find quite irritating. By which I mean find the horizontal line of a grid square and you'll see that on Bing maps it slopes to the right. Why they are unable to display the maps straight I don't know.

The Ordnance Survey website is also good, but unfortunately needs a subscription. Open Street Map is improving all the time, but it's still not as good as the OS maps, in my view.

Google Maps seems to have started charging to embed maps. So many websites now have "For Development Use Only" stamped over the maps. I also agree with the other comments that the contrast on there maps are very poor. The satellite view is great, however.

Jon Combe | 06.02.19 - 9:22 p.m. | #

Another benefit of maps.me over Google Maps is that in offline mode (i.e. when you've downloaded the maps), Maps.me is much better at route planning and search, whereas even when downloaded google maps seems unable to find many things in offline mode.

OSM and its clients is also much better in areas where google presumable has fewer user - in more remote bits of Thailand & Central America recently OSM was significantly more useful than Google.

& finally - has anyone else noticed that Google Maps is much more cluttered than itb used to be? It seems to highlight way more businesses than it used to.

lockedintheattic | 06.02.19 - 9:53 p.m. | #

Not convinced by Guru Maps I'm afraid. Just checked my corner of Uxbridge. There's a public footpath missing and some private tracks behind a locked gate that look identical to a footpath on the map. A pity; it looks good in theory.

Andrew S | 06.02.19 - 10:14 p.m. | #

Some further and higher education colleges subscribe to Digimap. This is a gives web access to current and historic OS maps, including OS Mastermap small scale maps. Its good, but only available to students of subscribing colleges.

Layers of London https://www.layersoflondon.org/
is a new service which provides web browser access to maps, and allows users to add brief summaries of history to locations.

Boneyboy | 06.02.19 - 11:05 p.m. | #

With Google Maps, you can at least right-click to “Report a data problem”; or click the menu bar on the left and scroll down to the bottom of the settings to choose “Add a missing place”; or click on “Send feedback” at the bottom right of the webpage – assuming you are signed in to Google. They sometimes update within minutes.

One freely accessible website is brilliant for letting you zoom in to see individual house numbers anywhere in Great Britain https://www.bce2018.org.uk/node/6485. You can jump to any postcode in England by putting it in the URL https://www.bce2018.org.uk/node/6485?postcode=SW1A2AA (no space) then click + to zoom right in. (For a faster display, click on the “Boundaries” setting and untick everything to avoid displaying the Boundary Commission’s Sisyphean proposals each time you move the map)

Rich G | Homepage | 06.02.19 - 11:40 p.m. | #

There is no “official” smartphone version of OpenStreetMap. While maps come from OSM (like all equivalent OSM smartphone apps), what the app maker does with your location history is something of a black box. As they are all small operators any damage to their reputation from any bad behaviour will have little effect. Care about your location history? Use a reputable well known provider to delete it.

| 08.02.19 - 2:02 a.m. | #

An excellent extension for Firefox was a small one called Streetmap which allowed you to highlight an address and then gave the option of viewing it on Streetmap, Bing or Google by a chap called Dave Nolan. Sadly as the version numbers of Firefox increased it got left behind... now if anyone here is clever enough to update it..?

chris | 08.02.19 - 4:24 p.m. | #











TridentScan v2.10.0 | Privacy Policy