Canal Guides.

[Wiltshire Moonraker]

I'm sure I saw Geoproject maps rebadged somewhere recently.

 

Heron Maps, not just re-badged, though as apparently Geoproject wouldn't give them the rights.

Edited June 23, 2012 by Wiltshire Moonraker

[Circe]

I like Pearson's - love their commentaries on the different areas! I didn't gel with Nicholson's in quite the same way - they're more detailed but have less personality!

 

Recently I've been reading about canal maps for smartphones. Nothing to do with me, but I thought it sounded like something we'd potentially buy in the future.

Edited June 23, 2012 by Circe

[Grace and Favour]

I like Pearson's - love their commentaries on the different areas! I didn't gel with Nicholson's in quite the same way - they're more detailed but have less personality!

 

Recently I've been reading about canal maps for smartphones. Nothing to do with me, but I thought it sounded like something we'd potentially buy in the future.

 

I wonder if they'll show us where we shouldn't dump our domestic rubbish?

[Hastings]

There are in fact quite a few types of guides....

 

Nicholsons - until recently, seven volumes, but now an extra one for the Broads. Very detailed, and lots of information. Probably more for the anorak, keen boater and CCer. Based on OS mapping, and well respected. Cover just about all BW waterways, plus some others.

 

Pearsons - more user friendly than Nicholsons, with colour pictures and maps, but a little less information. Nine books, covering all the more poular waterways. Ideal for holiday trips.

 

Geo and Heron maps - Geo produced over 20 excellent fold out maps, plus one of the whole system. Production stopped two years ago. Around half are now out of print, but may be found by ringing round shops. Heron (staffed by ex Geo people) have introduced half a dozen or so of the out of print titles, redrawn and updated. Many more will follow.

 

Richlow guides are the best (and often the only) guides for the various waterways of the north east and Lincolnshire. They are regularly updated, and printed in small batches.

 

Imray guides cover East Anglia - the Fenland waterways, Nene, Great Ouse and adjoining waterways.

 

And we must not forget First Mate Guides - they're not maps or cruising guides as such, but provide the best information on facilities close to the canal, from pubs through vets to post offices and churches. Seven volumes.

 

Hope you don't mind the plug - all these guides are available from www.canalbookshop.co.uk

[BruceinSanity]

There are in fact quite a few types of guides….

 

 

And, just to add to the fun, there's the Philip's Navigator Britain Road Atlas; large scale atlas of the whole of the UK, with all canals marked including bridge numbers. Invaluable for arranging a rendezvous with someone in a car. We seem to have bought all our relatives a copy over the years.

[boots]

 

Hope you don't mind the plug - all these guides are available from www.canalbookshop.co.uk

 

Your plug worked, just ordered the four counties, first mate,

 

 

Martin

[Higgs]

I've just picked up a 1983 edition of a Nicholson. In it is a picture of an old wooden notice.

 

' The Punishment for Tampering with these Works is Transportation'.

 

Meant business in those days. No caption with it, so can't be sure which days they were. Obviously during the period when they were looking for good people to colonise Australia.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Higgs

[Hastings]

I've just picked up a 1983 edition of a Nicholson. In it is a picture of an old wooden notice.

 

' The Punishment for Tampering with these Works is Transportation'.

 

Meant business in those days. No caption with it, so can't be sure which days they were. Obviously during the period when they were looking for good people to colonise Australia.

 

I've got that edition too .... and I believe I'm right in saying that this particular bit of legislation has never been repealed, and I also believe that the penalty for throwing stones into what is now the Grand Union main line is still transportation.

 

Might be a cheap way of visiting the rellies in Australia - though no return ticket is provided!

[BruceinSanity]

I've got that edition too .... and I believe I'm right in saying that this particular bit of legislation has never been repealed, and I also believe that the penalty for throwing stones into what is now the Grand Union main line is still transportation.

 

Might be a cheap way of visiting the rellies in Australia - though no return ticket is provided!

 

… and you weren't allowed to come back for a specified period of time, varying from seven years to life. The penalty for being a "returned transport" was death; see Great Expectations.

[IanD]

I like Pearson's - love their commentaries on the different areas! I didn't gel with Nicholson's in quite the same way - they're more detailed but have less personality!

 

Recently I've been reading about canal maps for smartphones. Nothing to do with me, but I thought it sounded like something we'd potentially buy in the future.

 

I've just asked them if the North-West guide will be out in the next week before we do the Cheshire Ring -- if it is I'll probably buy it and report back.

 

Has anyone tried the Midlands one already out?

 

Ian

Edited July 1, 2012 by IanD

[JamesWoolcock]

I use Pearson's because, beside their charms and usefulness, at a glance they tell me what I most want to know - MILES,LOCKS,HOURS for each map. And then a Chris Clegg's Canal Time Map, £4.00 inc postage from hnbc.org.uk Club Shop, is a good thing to have too. It shows journeys in 2 hour chunks as well as 6 hour, 8 hour and 10 hour summaries. James

[dor]

I've just asked them if the North-West guide will be out in the next week before we do the Cheshire Ring -- if it is I'll probably buy it and report back.

 

Has anyone tried the Midlands one already out?

 

I've tried loading the Midlands one. The (Android) App downloads and installs, but when it runs it crashes so doesn't get the maps. Apparently it is to do with the amount of memory on the phone. The maps are over 1Gb, so you need plenty of internal memory, but what is stopping it running is the RAM memory. Don't know how much it needs, but my phone (HTC Wildfire) has 384Mb and that it seems is not enough.

 

I do have the program on laptop and it is very useful.

[IanD]

I've tried loading the Midlands one. The (Android) App downloads and installs, but when it runs it crashes so doesn't get the maps. Apparently it is to do with the amount of memory on the phone. The maps are over 1Gb, so you need plenty of internal memory, but what is stopping it running is the RAM memory. Don't know how much it needs, but my phone (HTC Wildfire) has 384Mb and that it seems is not enough.

 

I do have the program on laptop and it is very useful.

I've just tried the north-west one, same problem (crashes before going to fetch the maps). This is on an Orange San Francisco (ZTE Blade) with 512M of RAM...