A) is there a really easy way to download and open these files,
B) can i get them onto my garmin 800 through garmin connect and is the new or classic the best to do it
I have maps on the garmin but i don,t have a clue on opening the files and transferring them, i always end up using a os map,
i followed the pb on the garmin but only because it was highlighted not because i put a route into it, this puts me off entering things like the bb200 as it is invaluable at night,

I do it like this:

Save gpx route to desktop.
Vist bikehike.co.uk.
Click course creator, then click load route.
Select the saved gpx.
Route opens up in bikehike and is displayed on OS map.
Click save route.
Select 'save to gps' and make sure that the file is a 'gpx track'.
Route loads onto gps.
At the start of the route press the big GO button.

If I can do it this way anyone can

ta stu printed it off, will have a go tomorrow

everything goes to your instructions stu but bike hike says it can,t detect garmin communicator plugin even though it,s on the laptop and recognises my device and is up to date, when i try and send it to my gps, any pointers greatly appreciated

The Garmin should show up on your PC as another drive. There is a directory on it called "New files" Just drag the GPX file you want into that directory.

Unplug the Garmin and switch it on.

Press 'MENU' on the Garmin and then 'COURSES' - hopefully your track is listed there.

For loading the GPx to your garmin 800:

Open explorer and figure out which drive is your garmin. I have an SD card in my 800 and it shows as a separate drive (G: for the garmin and H: for the sd card).
Open the garmin folder in g: or h:
Find the "new files" folder
Copy the GPx into the "new files" folder (you can drag and drop like a normal file copy)

A few tips:
Copy GPx files one at a time. After each file is copied disconnect the garmin from the PC, turn it on and let it boot up. Find the new route in the "courses" area and then you can turn it off, and reconnect to the PC for a 2nd GPx file upload.
I copy GPx files to the sd card, as if the garmin crashes and you lose all the data (happened to me once) the garmin memory is wiped but the sd card is left intact.

It's easy once you have sussed it. If you get stuck then google "frank kinlan" or something like that - he has written a very good garmin 800 hints and tips blog.

thanks slarge will print and play tomorrow, as you say once iv,e sussed it, hopefully

By the way one thing that can catch you out is that the name you will see as a course name on your garmin is not the filename. Instead if you open a gpx file in a text editor (think notepad rather than word) you will find something like
I have found some gpx files have standard names in here (for example the website producing them). The problem is that this name needs to be different for every course on your garmin. So if a course does not appear on your garmin despite copying the file into the newfiles folder then this may be the issue. In that case either edit the file and copy it again or delete the courses you have on the garmin and then copy the file again.

I use the software basecamp (from Garmin).
It’s free, you can install any OSM (world wide coverage) or other maps and if you plug your GPS to your PC/Mac it will pop up immediately, ready to have routes and maps uploaded and tracks downloaded immediately.

success at last using base camp and sending to the internal storage, not the sd card, will suss the sd card out later but gratefull to everyone for there input thanks