Advice for complete novice to route planning

[BryterLayter]

Once the weather improves I intend to go out on some weekend trips on the bike with panniers tent etc and hopefully cycle from Birmingham down to friends in Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale around June taking two or three days, finding some camp sites on the way.

Unfortunately I never paid much attention to ordanance map reading when i was young I can read a road atlas but how does one find the quieter safer roads to travel on.

I feel a bit daft asking, like I should know what to do, but I have to start somewhere. I dont mind forking out on a GPS but then what is the right one.

Anyhow any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Doa]

http://www.sportdistancecalculator.com/#map

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/map?searchKe ... earch=Find

Try using them two websites, the second one has the national bike routes on it which comes in handy. Just write down the directions on a peice of a paper and you should be ok. It should also let you know how far you have travelled, how much you have ascended etc.

Hope it helps.

[snibgo]

Map-reading is a great skill to have, and very worthwhile. Paper Ordnance Survey maps include a key to the symbols and colour codes. OS maps are also works of beauty. I also like the Philips Navigator 1:100,000 atlas, which used to cost about £15 for the whole of Great Briitain, but it doesn't show (cycle) paths. Loads of mapping systems are available online.

For learning about maps, there's nothing to beat getting a map of an area you know well (probably around your own home), and figuring out what on the map corresponds to what on the ground.

When you know what sort of roads you like (or don't like) to cycle on, and how they are shown on the map, you can use a map or atlas to figure out routes from A to B.

Of course, computers can do that for you. Just like they can correct spilling and grimmer. There are loads of threads here about GPS and the wonderful things they can do.

[iandriver]

I'd start by planning some shorter day ride first, just choose the minor roads. If you don't wan't to spend a fortune on OS maps yet, I use a Philips Landranger (recommended by CTC) map and tear out the pages I need. Personally I think confidence with a map is important before moving onto GPS.

Websites like http://www.bikehike.co.uk can be used and can show gradients etc..

Sustrans will show you the national cycle routes:
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/

CTC info leaflets on touring here:
http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3377

Lastly, relax and come back and ask lots of questions, we're a friendly bunch(well most of us )

[meic]

You can also get the cycle network on the bikehike site.

Click on OSM on the top right of the main Google screen and you get mapping of the cycle routes, which is done by volunteers so it tends to be more recent but sporadic.

[simonhill]

I usually borrow my OS Maps from the local library.

To 'read' a map, just get one for your local area and lay it on the floor. You will be able to identify roads and places that you are familiar with. It is easy to work out which are main roads by colour and number and whether they are in the country or town/built up area. It ain't rocket science, its just like a pretty picture. Planning a route just means working out which roads to follow. You can look at the legend (key) to see what the different symbols mean, but you don't really need these for navigating. Following contours may be a bit harder to work out, but there are usually spot heights on the map showing the top and bottom of most hills so you can see if the road is going up or down.

If doing a longish trip then maybe the normal OS maps will be too detailed. You can often plan a decent ride using the road atlas that you say you can read.

[Vorpal]

Map-reading is a great skill to have, and very worthwhile...
For learning about maps, there's nothing to beat getting a map of an area you know well (probably around your own home), and figuring out what on the map corresponds to what on the ground.

+1

Try some short rides that go to places you don't know, as well. And get a compass. You can't read a map, if you don't know which way to point it

[Robert]

It's definitely worth shelling out for an OS map of your local area, but for planning a longer trip Google maps work quite well as they combine the overall view when you zoom out with increasing levels of detail the further you zoom in. . You can use "get directions" in Google to get a rough idea of the distance involved. If it's set to walking, you'll still find it takes you down major roads, but you can drag the route away from the major roads onto the more minor ones. The trick is seeing a coherent route from place to place that joins up the lanes.
If you're planning a two or three day trip, you could start with a completely open mind or have ideas about places you want to go through or avoid, and that's probably the first thing to think about.

[alpine-girl]

If you are thinking of getting an OS map for your area check the local one first to see where your house is located. If you're near a border (or corner) of the map it might be worth ordering the personalised map from the website http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osselect for which you can choose the central location (i.e. your house).

As everyone else has said, just get used to reading the map for your area and figure out which roads are the ones you want. They are very clearly colour coded so you should be able to get the hang of it easily. If you are unsure about navigation a bike computer can help you a bit as you can see how far you've travelled along the road to work out which junction you are at if it's unclear. The UK really has some of the best mapping in the world so that will make it easier!

[BryterLayter]

Thank you very much to everyone for your helpful advice. I think I will start with a local OS map of my area as advised and try out a few local trips, maybe circular routes for a few hours.

I am located just north of central Birmingham which means it takes a while before you hit what I would call quiet b roads. What I have discovered is the CTC North Birmingham club who do 20 or 30+ mile rides. I had a chat with the secretary on the phone and he sounded really friendly and encouraging. They start their rides from Sutton Coldfield area so its about a 25 minute bike ride to get there. What I thought was I could start going on the rides and then have a go on my own following the route with an OS map just to build up confidence.

I will check out the links posted and let you know how I get on

[eileithyia]

personally i would say if you can follow a road atlas for long distance road planning you can read any map. the only difference finding different types of road.
With an OS map always remember; Red Main road = busy
Brown, B road = less busy but not necessarily so.
Yellow, minor road/country lanes = usually fairly quiet (but not always) but these are the roads to search out.

Decide where you are aiming for
weigh up a line between start point and end point
See what roads are running parallel to this route and pick the minor over the B and A roads. Approaching towns is less easy as often you have to go on to the more main roads for the last bit in to the the town.

Good advice to go out with a local group as they often know little routes and back roads that might not immediately be obvious on a map.
Remember modern OS Landrangers have various reccomended cycle routes marked inc sustrans routes.

Oh and keep of fthe blue bits as you might either get wet or find yourself staring down the juggernauts
Have fun I love map reading my way around the coutry and seeing the features on the map unfold in the landscape.

[rollinbone]

As far as GPS is concerned I can recommend the 'SatMap'
http://www.satmap.co.uk/

Weather and shockproof but a little expensive, what with the maps and all (you'll probably need the cycling bracket and back)
They are OS though and you can plan routes on them, so you just follow a pre-planned yellow line during the ride
So you don't have to stop and get out paper maps etc.
Many routes can be saved on the devise as well as POI (points of interest) - these can be also saved to your PC or a blank SD card
You can buy all the UK's OS maps on 2 SD cards. (I've got the 50:1 maps that are detailed enough for cycling)

As for planning in the UK - I always try to avoid Green or Red coloured roads when possible
These are trunk roads (full of lorries) or A roads (full of all sorts) - race tracks basically

B roads (yellow and orange) however tend to be more hilly but are more relaxing and scenic
other roads that are not coloured tend to be a ok sometimes but can be unsurfaced

[Barrenfluffit]

My starting point tents to be the walking directions on google maps. Its not ideal but for longer trips it maintains the direction even when your down in the detail, dragging the route to avoid major roads.

With A roads generally the more fewer digits they have the busier they are.