Google Maps

[CraigLyon]

Hi all

Firstly, Happy New Year!

Secondly (and the main point), how accurate is Google maps? The reason being is that I am trying to locate a route from my current location (Wigan) to Gravesend (Kent). Using Google maps, if I select the walking option, it claims it is just over 200 miles. It does sound pretty accurate although before I start to investigate further I thought I would ask whether anyone can recommend any other websites to plan a route.

For info. I will be travelling on a road bike and any canal paths etc. will be completely out of bounds.

TIA

Craig

 

[Terry Kay]

I usually use multimaps which is now on www.bing.com/maps though not used for walking..

 

[coffeejo]

I use a combination of bikehike.co.uk (especially the OS map), Google Maps Streetview and a paper OS map.

 

[mcr]

It's proved pretty accurate in my experience, though there's been the odd occasion where I've tried to drag the route to a road I want to use and it won't accept that it's linked to another road (presumably an error in the vector connections). For UK routing I'd still use it in conjunction with the OS mapping (Google won't find usable bridleways or handy cut-throughs, for instance, though you can check them out on the satellite map for surface etc - there are some suitable for road bikes in my experience), but once you've set up a route it's fun to use the new facility with the Google Earth add-on and 'fly' over the terrain.

 

[lpretro1]

Bikehike site is dead at the mo and has been for some time

 

[coffeejo]

Nah, it's back online, has been for several days. I was using it five minutes ago!

 

[ianrauk]

Yep, Bike Hike working for me also.

 

[lpretro1]

You are right guys - I just hadn't cleared the cache on my pc - can see it now - sorry to Op for that!

 

[vernon]

www.viamichelin.co.uk

Does a decent job with the bike option.