is sharing GPX files frowned upon here? I only ask as I'd like to get in to more off road riding, but it seems a lot of trails are simply found by exploring / local knowledge. I have Adventure and Explorer maps of my local area, but they're only useful to a point. I'd love to be able to see routes local-ish to me (North Wales) and go trying them out, seeing how they can be connected up in to longer trails and routes.

Thanks

I mainly use strava for discovering new trails.
The different ways I do this are:
1- Use the activity search and find rides other people have done starting near me and a specific length.
2- Use the segment explore and find a segment in the area I want to go to. Then look through all the people who have done that segment and check how they got there and where they went after that.

I have a paid-for premium account on strava so I can download gpx files from anybody's rides but it's just as easy to look at the ride on the map and create your own gpx with plotaroute.com or similar.

touch wrote:I mainly use strava for discovering new trails.
The different ways I do this are:
1- Use the activity search and find rides other people have done starting near me and a specific length.
2- Use the segment explore and find a segment in the area I want to go to. Then look through all the people who have done that segment and check how they got there and where they went after that.

I have a paid-for premium account on strava so I can download gpx files from anybody's rides but it's just as easy to look at the ride on the map and create your own gpx with plotaroute.com or similar.

Bloody good thinking Batman! I'll give that a go, hadn't thought about hijacking other peoples Strava data. Thanks

Not frowned upon at all. However, I don't really understand what you mean when you say the OS maps are only useful to a point ... they're the most useful route planning tool there is. You should be able to work out a route with them quite easily then convert it via bikehike or similar into gpx format. They really do contain everything you need.

s8tannorm wrote:Not frowned upon at all. However, I don't really understand what you mean when you say the OS maps are only useful to a point ... they're the most useful route planning tool there is. You should be able to work out a route with them quite easily then convert it via bikehike or similar into gpx format. They really do contain everything you need.

I'm basing this on the fact that I joined a few guys on a ride, who have the "local knowledge" and they took me along loads of trails up in the clwydian hills, none of which appear on my Explorer map. Maybe I just need to brush up on my map reading skills

In any area there are lots of "trails" on the ground that don't appear on a map, this is especially true in woodland and heathland.

In addition to the options already mentioned you can look at the Strava heat maps to see if anything has been ridden though the "local knowledge" ones are more than likely to be permissive at best.

There's also lots of things shown on the map that aren't on the ground

I'm a great believer that anything worth having doesn't come easy, use your maps and a spirit of adventure to amass your own local knowledge. It's not a fast process and at times there'll be some real dead-ends but the rewards are great. Google Earth, Geograph, etc can help and after a while you'll develop a bit of a sense for what's likely to be good and what isn't.

s8tannorm wrote:There's also lots of things shown on the map that aren't on the ground

I'm a great believer that anything worth having doesn't come easy, use your maps and a spirit of adventure to amass your own local knowledge. It's not a fast process and at times there'll be some real dead-ends but the rewards are great. Google Earth, Geograph, etc can help and after a while you'll develop a bit of a sense for what's likely to be good and what isn't.

That's what I'm thinking, worst comes to the worst I can follow a road if I get proper lost. Otherwise it's all part of the adventure etc. I just hate the idea of wasting hours looking for the "start" of the trail, and never really getting anywhere.

s8tannorm wrote:There's also lots of things shown on the map that aren't on the ground

Words of an expert!

That's what I'm thinking, worst comes to the worst I can follow a road if I get proper lost. Otherwise it's all part of the adventure etc. I just hate the idea of wasting hours looking for the "start" of the trail, and never really getting anywhere.

I think it might depend on what type of riding you're looking for. If you want a 'proper' ride then the OS is certainly your friend and it should be reasonably easy to link various bridleways, tracks and general RoW to produce a good route. If you're looking for a couple of hours blast round the woods, then local knowledge and following your nose probably is the only viable option.

The 'start of the trail' is myth ... the ride starts from the first pedal stroke, which may be your front door or wherever you park the car.

There's an awful lot of route knowledge on the forum, maybe ask for route ideas?

Words of an expert!

Thank you

I'd love any knowledge, tips, advice, GPX files for North Wales, especially the Denbigh / St Asaph / Holywell areas if anyone has anything.

Thanks

Try GPSies website or Ride with GPS -

Trailzilla can be quite good as well, as that will also show up walks that can easily be adapted to cycling or at least used as a guide

cheers Roddy

s8tannorm wrote:There's also lots of things shown on the map that aren't on the ground

Sometimes there are things on a .gpx track for an event that's been meticulously planned in advance (by a sadistic bugger) specifically intended to be ridden by folks on a bikes that aren't on the ground :grimace: