Google maps (walking option)

[Domestique]

Is using the walking option on google maps a good method for cycle route planning?
Seems to give good routes on local roads I know around here.

 

[NickC]

It works for me, at least when I'm first planning a ride, when it gives me at least a rough idea of route and distances. But not if you're looking to the east of Europe; it doesn't work for Hungary and points south and east of there, for example.

 

[Auntie Helen]

I use it and it seems to generally pick fairly useful routes. I find it almost impossible to print out the route in such a way that I can actually follow it, however, so I tend to use the Google Map to initially plan the route and then scan my OS Map, marking the route on that, which helps a lot. The Google Map road names often seem a bit different to the actual place that you find yourself!

 

[summerdays]

I've never tried that option before... testing it out on Bristol I would say that it completely ignores all those good short cuts/ cycle paths (Bristol to Bath cycle path isn't on it). It also doesn't seem to take into account hills (which I have been known to alter my route to go up ones that I prefer ).

However I think as a route finding tool it would be a good starting point, and you can easily adjust the route and see what difference it makes to the length of the route.

 

[vernon]

Is using the walking option on google maps a good method for cycle route planning?
Seems to give good routes on local roads I know around here.

I use www.viamichelin.com to plot my cycle routes using the bike option on the route planner. It seems to do a decent job.

 

[aqaleigh]

I agree with auntie helen

use it to plot a rough route but don't be afraid to deviate otherwise you will probably end up missing the best views and paths or roads available to you

it also adds that extra bit of adventure if you end up somewhere you've never heard of

 

[MacB]

yep, I too used it as a starting point and then scouted the route a bit and changed it to take out a main road I really didn't want. Did cause me to get lost near the office as it names 3 roads the same, in reality they are all named differently, but wasn't that hard to sort.

 

[stewie griffin]

Worth mentioning for those who might not know, when you have a route with Google maps you can alter it simply by clicking & dragging it to where you want it to go, very useful.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I use it and it seems to generally pick fairly useful routes. I find it almost impossible to print out the route in such a way that I can actually follow it, however, so I tend to use the Google Map to initially plan the route and then scan my OS Map, marking the route on that, which helps a lot. The Google Map road names often seem a bit different to the actual place that you find yourself!

I zoom in a bit on Google maps, then copy it into Word (Alt Print Screen then Ctrl V), then edit the picture to remove the edges, then copy the next stage, and so on. If I print it in colour, double sided, I've then got 6 or 8 maps on 1 sheet of A4 covering quite a distance.