UKC

I’m looking for an app for my iphone that allows me to a) check where I am and b) perhaps track where I’ve been. (Other than that, I don’t need anything fancy such as altitude gained/distance travelled etc nor do I particularly want to share it digitally with others).

The context is that I’ll be in a fairly wild part of Greece where the mountainsides have some dense tree cover. I’ll be checking out some ‘maybe paths’ and although I’ll have a reasonable idea of where I am, it would be useful if I could cross-check against a GPS signal.

I could use Google Maps although I find that its downloaded satellite images aren’t so sharp. Also, I don’t think Google Maps allows me to track where I’ve been very easily.

So, again:

a) it’s for an iphone

b) must be able to have off-line maps

c) with best available satellite and topographic views

d) and functions with GPS

Suggestions as to the best option would be appreciated.

In reply to carl dawson: There is a detailed review of available mapping apps in the current edition of TGO. Might be worth a look.

Viewranger uses to do all of this but sadly discontinued. I'm working with Outdoor Active which is not as simple to use, but early days...though it does offer the ability to download maps. A key thing is availability of Greek maps...I live in Ireland and although there are lots of apps on the market very few offer Irish maps. 

In reply to JB:

On Android I use Gaia GPS for mapping whilst abroad, if I wanted to record a track I would probably choose a standalone gpx recording app rather than using a full blown mapping app.

In reply to carl dawson:

Galileo Maps worked well on the ipad. Seems to have been renamed Guru maps.

https://www.apppicker.com/reviews/24081/galileo-offline-maps-app-review

In reply to carl dawson:  Serious question 1. - what's the equivalent of the OS in Greece.  What's their website. Do they have an app?

What CRS do they use?  You have quite a long list of demands, and you might struggle to honour that using an iphone GPS in woody, steep terrain

In reply to JB:

Slightly OT, but are there any apps (or a website) with OSI maps on now that Viewranger has gone?

In reply to carl dawson:

Have you looked at Fatmap?

In reply to deepsoup:

Bing maps (web) and Maverick (Android) are a couple with OS maps.

In reply to Marek:

I can't see them on Bing from here, do you need to be in Ireland to see them?  (If so it might be worth cheating a bit and using a VPN.)  I'll have a look at Maverick, ta.

In reply to carl dawson:

Pocket Earth

In reply to Marek:

deepsoup asked about OSI; OS Ireland.

In reply to captain paranoia:

Oops! Sorry, should have read the question!

In reply to carl dawson:

100% Fatmap.

Used it recently in Wadi Rum to navigate the summit plateau of Jebel Rum. Totally amazing.

Cheers

In reply to Jack Geldard:

After reading your post I downloaded FATMAP but the mapping in my area showed lots of paths they were not PROWS. Could cause a lot of agro. 

In reply to carl dawson:

I’ve been using memory map which meets your requirements and suitably impressed. Also allows scaled printing

In reply to deepsoup:

Outdoors Active offers them. I had bought multiple VR tiles and after some back and forth with OA I now have them working in that app. I did have a look round for other apps with OSI maps but couldn't find any...

In reply to JB:

Ah, so they do, thank you!

Last time I looked (when Viewranger was still going but they'd put a stop to new subscriptions) they said they weren't going to be doing Ireland or NI but I guess that changed. 

I just had to sign the "Viewranger Legacy map" disclaimer thingamabob on the website and then 'synchronise' the app and there they are.  I still dislike the app compared to VR, but at least it works now.

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks. The overarching problem remains a lack of detailed maps for parts of Greece.

In reply to carl dawson:

You need to know someone in the Greek military! Cartography is an absolute monopoly for HMGS (surveying and mapping in Greece is considered spying and carries the appropriate sentences) so all maps are based on their information. Anavasi (and Road) used to be the only reliable publisher using HNGS data BUT militarily sensensitive areas are distorted, innacurate or not released at all in detail so coverage is patchy. All part of the fun! I use Open Street map downloads (Locus) which get me where I want to go.

In reply to jimtitt:

Topo GPS. 

I have just started using this, its very straightforward with few bells and whistles to complicate things. Some of the features are better than what was on Viewranger.. If you plot a goto it marks the bearing and distance on the route line. Really good. Programmed routes show distance and height gain on the routes page unless you use the "crowfly "option. 

Only 1:25000  and (road) maps are available but this is'nt a problem I find. New Zealand and continental maps can be obtained for about £3 each. Large areas can be downloaded (not as quickly as Viewranger admittedly) without taking up too much memory.

Pretty good all in all.

In reply to Baz P:

You can use it in OS map mode for the UK. IGN for France etc.

I use the satellite imagery mainly personally, and that could work very well for Greece I imagine for the OP.

J

In reply to Jack Geldard:

Yes, agree. For Greece, the satellite images are particularly useful, particularly for locating the old footpaths (few of which are shown with any reliability on certain modern Greek maps). Oddly, there are some, much more detailed, Russian maps if you can get hold of them!

In reply to jimtitt:

I have had a couple of hill trips to Greece in the pre electronic mapping age. Used sketch maps from one of their climbing magazines and asking locals.  Really tough at times and uncomfortable. There used to be no access to mapping at all.

Second time around Anavasi existed, but seemed to be distorted to the point of fiction (but Thraki is a bit sensitive)

I wonder how the orienteers stay out of jail?

In reply to Fat Bumbly2:

Back in the day I had a prized collection of British Admiralty charts based sometimes on 19c surveys and as long one didn't stray too far inland they were topographically brilliant, roads and towns not so good!