What Maps Do You Like (and what scale is best for old eyes)?

[artnbarb]

I know I can probably buy better maps once I'm there, but I really need a decent map of Southern England - covering the counties of Dorset, Somerset Wiltshire, Hampshire, Surrey, East/West Sussex and Kent. If possible I'd rather just buy good maps now to use once I'm there. I think the British version of AAA puts one out, and Michelin, but I have no idea is one company is better than another.

Regional maps would be ideal since they would include more detail, which brings me to the second part of my question: what scale should I look for?

 

[joe]

The scale you need is always a compromise between the amount of detail you'd like, and the convenience of using the map. The "smaller" the scale, the more detail (1:200,000 will give you more detail than 1:400,000), but the less area covered for the same size of paper.
Generally, a 1:200,000 scale for regional road maps is best. Anything "bigger" means less detail - small roads or villages might not appear. A 1:200,000 regional road map will give you more detail, but also means that you might have to have a map for each region - which is not a bad thing at all, but not convenient for some. Sorry I can't help with maps of England.
If you're talking about hiking/walking, then 1:50,000 - 1:25,000 is the usual standard.
I use paper maps, but don't forget that today many prefer to use Google Maps for navigation - the ability to zoom in and out on the screen gives you different scales at the touch of your fingers.

 

[Ian Sutton]

Not much to choose between them, so the decision can be around detail such as the binding or page size. If using it a lot, having one that feels 'just right' makes sense. Of course there is sat nav and we have the one in the car, plus our old handheld that still gets use when we go to Italy. However in the UK we still have a roadmap, in case there is a problem with the satnav, or to view the route, or when seeking ideas of places to stop.

IIRC the companies who make them include the AA, Collins, and I think RAC also did one. We've not bought one for a few years.

If you want to save a few pounds, there are often prior editions sold off cheap, and whilst roads do change, it'd still pretty rare compared to the ones that have remained the same for decades.

 

[artnbarb]

Yes, finding that 'sweet spot' is always tricky, but your information is helpful when searching for maps online. I'll make sure to look for the 1:200,000 scale because altho we'll have GPS and Google maps on our smartphone I like having a paper map to get the 'big picture' and see where things/places are in relation to other things/places!

 

[joe]

...I like having a paper map to get the 'big picture' and see where things/places are in relation to other things/places!

I do too. A great souvenir of a tour, too.
A good publisher will also mark scenic roads on their maps - usually a green line on or beside the road - which can be a useful addition when touring slowly in a new region.
The main advantage today of services like Google maps, is the large amount of information that can be stored on them as opposed to paper maps. I was surprised to see, in our last trip to Italy, how many businesses of all sorts appear when you zoom in enough. Businesses are starting to see the benefits of this type of exposure, and it is certainly a blessing for travelers.

 

[Eleanor]

You used to be able to get half inch to a mile maps of southern England, but I think they have been superseded by the road atlases. These are either 3 or 4” to a mile and are fine for general sight seeing. They are readily available once you get here, or you can but off Amazon. I prefer the AA road atlas. Have a look here.
https://www.amazon.com/Road-Atlas-B...d=1489619361&sr=8-1&keywords=AA+uk+road+atlas

The pages are a reasonable size and easy to use when in the car. I often find a map is a bit too big.

If you are wanting a more detailed map of an area, then the Ordnance survey Landranger maps are the best. At a scale of 1:50000 (2cm to 1km) they have lots of detail, showing where churches are in the settlements and also mark footpaths. You can use them for walking, but if you are intending to do any serious walking, it is better to buy the Explorer maps at 1:250000 (4cm to 1km) maps as these also include field boundaries and you can clearly see where the footpath goes. The downside is that the maps don’t cover such a big area and you do need a lot of them! You can buy these when you arrive as local maps are readily available. Alternately they can be bought from Ordnance Survey.
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop/maps.html


For route planning, I prefer AA route planner to google.
http://www.theaa.com/route-planner/index.jsp
Remember these are minimum times and you do need to allow extra time for stops and to just admire the scenery.

 

[joe]

You can use them for walking, but if you are intending to do any serious walking, it is better to buy the Explorer maps at 1:250000 (4cm to 1km) .

Hi Eleanor - I believe you added one too many zeroes there, should be 1:25,000. But you were understood.

 

[Eleanor]

Yes, you are right Joe. I always did have problems with all those zeros!

 

[joe]

BTW, to all you map-lovers out there - I recommend Ken Jenning's book "Maphead". I read it after an ST member recommended it, and thoroughly enjoyed it.