Interesting question, Peter. And dear to my heart.

I'm a commercial graphic designer, and we use Open Source Streetmap Click here to take a look at Aviemore extensively. We like that we can publish maps royalty-free (with an acknowledgement) and that the mapping is free from the commercial locators that plague Google Maps.

But there's more! OSMAND is a sub-set of Open Street Map that gives you high-definition mapping including contours and hill-shading. Available on Google Play by clicking right here This is the Android version, but it's also available in the iTunes store for those who use a Mac system.

You can download areas - Scotland, Spain, whatever. First four downloads are free, and thereafter you pay a nominal sum.

I used this last year during a two-week trip in the French Alps, and it worked like a dream. You can geo-locate with your GPS, and since the maps are sitting on yr device you don't incur any data charges. The detail is first-class - even identifies my neighbour's shed!

Peter, if you'd like further detail eMail me off-board and I can give you a complete run-through.

Humphrey, is it me or does the Openstreetmap data lack a lot of detail? You seem to be able to zoom in but the detail stays the same.
The following two screenshots one fron the OS website and the other from Openstreetmap show the same location at roughly the same scale.



I can see the value of being able to load up the whole of Scotland onto a smartphone, but a map is only as useful as the information on it.

Brian, you're absolutely right. But . . . the OSMAND application gives a seriously greater level of detail than the Openstreetmap application. Same data-set, but greater ability to drill down. I guess that the vanilla Openstreetmap application only goes so far. The data's there,but simply not visible for default viewing.

Each to his/her own. It's a hard call. In the heel of the hunt you get what you pay for - I was an early adopter with Anquet and so payed serious money back in '04 for the same UK mapping that now is but a bag of chips.

Take a look at OSMAND. Worked for me. And, as I said to Peter, happy to share my direct experience off-board.

OK, what am I doing wrong? I downloaded the Android version and the Scotland map but I can still only get the low resolution mapping.
This is the same location shown above using the phone app....

You may have to pay for the contours as an in app purchase

Correct, the contours are an additional in app purchase. It is the lack of detail that concerns me. As you can see from the above screenshots the OpenStreetMap data completely misses several features including buildings, tracks and firebreaks. Comparing other locations between OS and OsmAnd shows a similar situation.

Do you think that paying the small premium for the contours and shading also increases the resolution? If that is the case it would well be worth the pennies.

I've just received an update from Humphrey explaining the source of the data and why it varies in resolution. Because OpenStreetView is the result of community contribution it depends on the submissions made in a particular area.

I use Talkytoaster on my Garmin GPSRs. I have the whole of Western Europe with POIs on a 4gb micro SD, this also includes contours, footpaths and bridleways. Certainly enough detail for my Geocaching but I still navigate using paper maps and compass.

Thanks for all the input. Humphrey has given me something to think about and I am researching that. Thanks Peter for the heads up on talky toaster. Completly concur on the paper maps. I do love them maps that is.