Web maps
Contents: Web maps
OS maps (UK)
JohnThornMap of Britain
Thunderforest OSM maps (World)
OpenTopoMap (World)
OS maps
You can freely view OS maps online and plot routes on them to use with your favourite device.
Nakarte.me (No registration necessary and it offers a suite of good GPX tools)
WalkLakes.co.uk (Register for free to access the OS maps and GPX route plotting too)
Bing Maps (viewing only)
Nakarte and WalkLakes both offer simple manual route plotting and will export GPX files to use in GPS devices. You can also import a route into both and check it on OS mapping.
JohnThornMap of Britain
This map is a combination of Ordnance Survey OpenData and OpenStreetMap data. It’s described here and the map used at the Walk Highlands website
Thunderforest OSM maps (World)
It’s not unusual to come across Thunderforest maps as they appear in many apps and web tools. They are OSM-based and to quote the website… “Thunderforest is a global provider of thoughtfully-created activity maps.” The most useful ones can all be viewed at www.opencyclemap.org. Use the layers icon to select the options.
Thunderforest OpenCycleMap: This highlights all kinds of cycle routes on a topo map including the prepared routes at biking centres like Whinlatter in the Lake District.
Thunderforest Landscape: The best of the Thunderforest maps for topo detail as it shows scree slopes and crag lines etc. This was the OSM map called ‘Viewranger Landscape’ in the popular Viewranger navigation app (now replaced by Outdooractive).
Thunderforest Outdoors: This highlights hiking routes, ski runs and many useful points of interest. You’ll find many big walks marked along with their common variations. Like the Pennine Way, Wainwright’s Coast to Coast, the West Highland Way, the Cape Wrath Trail etc. Browse a ski area and you’ll find the regular runs are appropriately coloured on the map. That’s true of the UK too. See the ski runs at Aonach Mor, Glencoe, Aviemore, Glenshee etc
These maps all reveal more detail as you zoom in, behaving like a vector map. However they are aimed at web browsers and use good old-fashioned images. If you use a phone app to download any of these maps those images will take up a lot of storage for a relatively small area. However, they will look identical to the online map.
Zoomed fully-in, these maps don’t offer as much detail as OpenAndroMaps or OsmAnd mapping.They’re better for planning routes online than carrying on your phone.
OpenTopoMap (World)
Like the Thunderforest maps this is another version of OSM data and also appears on many apps and planning tools. It looks immediately familiar as the style is very similar to OS maps. Unlike the OS, it offers mapping for the whole world.
It’s one of the better OSM maps to use as it does contain contours and OSM crag detail. It’s a good map to print from as it’s not covered in an ink-consuming colour wash. Paths are more easily seen on the white background.
More recently I’ve found the OpenTopoMap image tiles very slow to appear, if they appear at all. I hope this issue gets resolved, as this map is useful.
Garmin compatible versions of this mapping are available at the OpenTopoMap website, here.