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Hi

I am brand new to this awesome site - had no idea such things were possible ie i'm obviously not very tech savvy, and just spent the best part of a day getting my head around creating a route and downloading it via my PC onto my android phone (got there in the end - phew!). Anyway, i did search the forum for answers to my question, and there were some posts, but not sure if i fully understand. I'm planning a long distance hike (500 miles or so), and would like to be able to use the route i have plotted when there is no mobile signal. Is it possible to use a saved route in this way ie simply use it as a map with the route plotted on it? This would be useful not just where no signal is available (very likely in the areas i am trekking), but to avoid gobbling up lots of data. The only idea i have to work around this at present is to view the map on my PC and take photos from my phone of the screen - but for a 500 mile trek this is going to take rather a lot of time.

any ideas / suggestions please?

many thanks

jason

Hi Jason - glad you like the site.  We don't have an offline maps app of our own but there are a number of GPS apps in the app stores with offline maps features. I believe ViewRanger is one example.

Anyone else have any specific recommendations for GPS walking apps?

John 

ok, many thanks for getting back to me

jason

OSMAND+ app is a very handy tool, installing off-line maps from any country in the world, GPS supported and routable.

I second the OSMand app. A very usefull app with lots of features including following a gpx route.

An alternative option - without offline maps - is to use Track Navigator.  It will follow the GPX you plotted and give voice directions.  Turn off the screen to save the battery.  It will read the directions created by Plotaroute, but you can amend them, add to them, clarify them as you like in Plotaroute before downloadding outo your phone.

It doesn't need a map ... it just follows the GPX.  If you miss a turn, it simply says "off track".  If the mistake isn't obvious, you can looks at the track on your phone so you know where you are supposed to be ... and it shows where you actually are.  Very simple.

It's true that Osmand will also follow a GPX, but it doesn't read the Plotaroute instructions.  It can see the map and will tell you all about the bends coming up etc.  For me, it talks too much !  However, if you are somewhere - lost - and want to get home, Osmand is a proper GPS system and if you tell it you are on a bike then it will take you on a suitable route.  From that point of view it's very good.