GPS or Maps?? Urgent help!!

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EmilyCC87

Regular
Hi All,

I need some urgent advice- In less then two weeks me and 5 friends are cycling 300 miles to Belgium.
For reasons I cannot begin to explain (:cry:) it looks like we may not have the Garmin 800 in time for the ride- We were relying on this to do the hard work for us.....

So....do we:
A) Buy one between us and sell it on afterwards, as time is running out
B) Hire a garmin 500- I've found one avalable for £20 a week + cost of downloading EU maps
C) Use a cheaper GPS and just buy it
D) Use maps/mapped routes on the basis that we know the UK day 1 route and therefore only have 2 days of navigating to do.

Advice would be appreciated!

Thank you,

Em
 

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
D) I have French 1:200 Michelin map book out of which I have just ripped the western half, so probably have the ones you want to go to Belgium. I need to check how much of Belgium is in there. Also depends where in Belgium. I can post to you before Friday (then off to Spain for 5 weeks).

PM me.......
 

lpretro1

Guest
My 800 is brilliant and straightforward to use - taking it to Spain in a couple fo weeks but it has never let me down in the UK.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
Pull yourselves together there!
Captain Cook sailed to Australia and back without a Garmin and you're only going to Belgium.:biggrin:

Even if the Garmin had arrived in time it would still be prudent to take maps, so just use the maps and you will manage perfectly well.
You can always ask along the way if you are in any doubts as to your route. Local people usually enjoy helping lost foreigners and some interaction with the natives will almost certainly add to the pleasurable memories of your tour.:smile:
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
What Snorri said. Belgium's a place where it makes sense to ride on cycle paths - and GPS systems don't really help you there.

When you get to your first Belgian town (probably De Panne if you're coming from Calais) pop into the tourist information and buy the fietsroutcarte (my Flemish spelling might be a bit off). Cycle routes in Flanders at least (and I think other parts of Belgium) are signposted using numbers at junctions, and those specific maps ("bike route maps") make sense of the network.
 
Look at the open Street Maps and in particular the Cycle versions. They are not perfect, but show and can route most cycle routes

.. and are free!

The other point to make is that GPS has a limited battery life and can easily fail towards the end of a long day, so should not be totaly relied upon, always take maps with you as well
 
Pull yourselves together there!
Captain Cook sailed to Australia and back without a Garmin and you're only going to Belgium.:biggrin:
:smile:

May I point out that Cook had a boat!

Even if the GPS route says otherwise - you will need to follow this example and use a boat to get from the UK to Belgium
 

avalon

Guru
Location
Australia
The advantage of a map is that you can open it up and look at the whole route, enabling you to see the landscape you will be travelling through. That way you can pick quieter roads, see where the hills are, and pick out places of interest.
 
OP
OP
E

EmilyCC87

Regular
D) I have French 1:200 Michelin map book out of which I have just ripped the western half, so probably have the ones you want to go to Belgium. I need to check how much of Belgium is in there. Also depends where in Belgium. I can post to you before Friday (then off to Spain for 5 weeks).

PM me.......

That is very kind of you Jay- I will PM you. thanks.
 
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