As I prepare to resume my trek to John O'Groats next week, I have been loading the GPS files and OS maps onto my smartphone and tablet as well as my handheld GPS unit. I was therefore interested to read a thread started by someone in a Facebook group asking for advice regarding navigation while out on the trail. The majority of the responses went something along the lines of 'ALWAYS take a paper map and compass as electronic devices fail' On the surface, this would seem like good advice but does it really stand up to scrutiny? There is no doubt that OS maps are superb and a fantastic tool for finding your way around the hills of the UK and there is something aesthetically pleasing about spreading a map out and tracing your route through the contours, but in this day and age, is it necessary to always carry paper versions? Some years ago, I started doing ever longer hikes and began to find the amount of paper maps required something of a problem. The sheer volume of space and weight on a moderately long trail is an issue when trying to keep the weight down and this is where GPS entered my thinking. I had only recently begun playing around with a very basic Garmin unit but this was no good for OS maps, being mainly for finding your grid reference or following a 'breadcrumb' trail or recording your route. It was then that I discovered a wonderful navigation app called 'Viewranger'. This can be loaded onto a smartphone or tablet and then loaded with OS mapping. Not only that, it can perform a host of other functions to help with navigation such as storing your intended route, which you can then follow with your position marked on the map so you always know exactly where you are. It has many useful navigation tools but one other useful feature is something called 'Buddybeacon'. With this, your location is sent to the Viewranger website and family and friends can log in using your I.D. and password and see your current location. The only drawback with this is that it requires a phone signal to log your positions, although it will update all of your recorded positions when you once again come into range of a signal. The navigational side of the app only requires a GPS signal to operate, so you don't have to worry about losing a phone signal. The 'traditionalist' view of using technology is that a paper map and compass should always be used regardless. 'What happens if your battery runs out' is the usual dire warning. 'The Mountain Rescue' teams warn people not to venture into the hills relying solely on electronics'. Yes, they do, but this I feel is aimed at those who set off with no previous navigational skills and rely solely on a smartphone and something inadequate such as Google Maps to find their way around. For my trip, I will have a smartphone loaded with Viewranger/OS Mapping, a 7" tablet loaded with the same for a bigger overview of the surrounding terrain. I will also be carrying a simple Garmin handheld device, largely for recording my walk but it will also have my route installed. This makes for a great double fail-safe as it uses AA batteries so can be used if for some reason I can't charge the other devices. Talking of charging, the usual cry of 'what about batteries failing' is easily answered by the use of a power-bank. Mine also employs solar panels to be used as a back-up charging source. I also leave both the phone and the tablet in 'airplane' mode and use just the maps for the majority of the time thereby ensuring I get the maximum life from my batteries. This may sound like I have simply swapped the maps out for a bunch of electronics but I already carried most of these items anyway, I am now simply using them to their full potential. I also now no longer have to wrestle with a paper map flapping about in the wind! I have used this system for my last few long walks with no problems at all and while I, like many other walkers, love to pore over a paper map when planning my walks, it's now a few years since I took one on a long hike.
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