The best map IS ?

[Boats in the head]

Right .... Got all the bank side stuff sorted, so thanks for all the advice

 

Before I head off, Im heading for the Map /.Guide shelf . Which ones are the best or give the most information? I Have a Nicholson water ways map which is ok but not to much info other than where the canals are ( Sort of worked that bit out already)

 

Has any one done any thinking like a good A-Z or somthing a kin to a Road Atlas of the UK ?

 

What about Canl -sat nav? any good or just a gimick?

 

All this stuff is sending the price of the boat through the roof ... and now she wants pink bloody curtians ..oh well

 

 

Colin

[alan_fincher]

Everybody has their favourites, but the undoubted leader in terms of sales for canal guides are Nicholsons.

 

You need around 6 to cover the whole country, but for most trips maximum investment is usually for about two.

 

They can be had a lot more cheaply at Amazon than in WHS or chandleries.

 

There are other guides, such as Pearsons, that do better for certain specifics. An example might be more detail on available shops, which Nicholsons is often poor at.

 

We have a variety, but I always come back to Nicholsons, (although someone has pointed out that some recent editions have introduced errors, such as omitting a lock or two! )

[Night Hawk]

I agree with ordering off Amazon....I got all six for around 35 quid!

[Scotty]

I still haven't made up my mind between Pearson's & Nicholson's I bought both and still use both!

I would also recommend the first mate guides which are great for finding canalside supermarkets, post offices, chemists, etc

 

Also GEOprojects do a nice laminated map of all the UK waterways

 

I think I bought most of mine from http://www.canal-warehouse.co.uk

[Chris J W]

I use both the Nicholsons and the GEO-Projects maps.

 

I find the GEO-Projects maps better for 'short range' planning as I find places like shops/supermarkets and pubs are more clearly identified, and they also have larger scale maps of major towns.

[WJM]

The GEO maps get my vote for clarity. All the others are a mess, visually. It could be argued that the GEO has less information but at least what information they have can be easily read.

[peasant]

(All this stuff is sending the price of the boat through the roof ... and now she wants pink bloody curtians ..oh well )

 

Has no one told you what boat stands for

Bring

Out

Another

Thousand

I used to like the old BW maps from 30? years ago. the canal was a straight line down the middle of the page with info either side

Edited October 13, 2008 by peasant

[dor]

Don't forget the BW boaters guides from http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/boating/guides

 

Useful for a bit of information fgor one-off trips when it is not worth buying the nicholsons. Also show visitor moorings.

[Canalwatcher]

If you want to know whats around in the countryside in the vicinity of the canal including topography pubs public footpaths and everything else you get on an Ordnance Survey map then Nicholsons are the ones to get - much prefer them to any others myself.

 

But for a larger overview the Philip's Navigator Britain Road atlas is useful it shows all the waterways including lock locations and also shows bridge numbers

 

Mick

Edited October 13, 2008 by zodiak

[Boats in the head]

Once again you do me proud Great advice as always

Cheers

Colin

[Richard Fairhurst]

I would also immodestly add that Waterways World has a pull-out cruising guide with detailed maps every month now.

[carlt]

I like this one

 

 

[magpie patrick]

I like this one

 

 

 

Yeah, I've a few like that, got a great one of the Somerset Coal Canal...

 

Trouble is no one ever updated them, I got very confused around Smethwick using yours, there were two routes ahead, and the one with locks only had a flight of three instead of six...

[stuart]

What about Canl -sat nav? any good or just a gimick?

 

Shameless plug once more....

 

www.waterexplorer.co.uk

 

 

Stu.