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The OS remains the absolute best, most detailed, most up to date, source of mapping and geospatial data for the UK. It's a fundamental part of my day to day wor

The OS remains the absolute best, most detailed, most up to date, source of mapping and geospatial data for the UK. It's a fundamental part of my day to day workflow working in telecoms and without it my job would be staggeringly more difficult. All UK ISPs (actually putting fibre out there) rely heavily on this data. OS MasterMap is a phenomenal product giving access to crazy levels of information depth via remarkably accessible APIs. And as of relatively recently some of that API access is also free, and even the paid categories have a free tier. If you find yourself in a position needed map data for the UK I would behove you to try OS out rather than defaulting to the regular big-tech names.

GekkePrutser 5y ago
I've never used the OS maps as I rarely visit the UK. I've worked with similar maps in the Netherlands though through a GIS system (also worked in telecom). But when hiking (mainly in Spain) I always prefer OpenStreetMap to the official maps. The problem with the official government maps is that they are official. If a hiking trail is nothing more than a trodden path through the brush, they won't show it as it's not an official path. If they'd put it on there they'd admit it would be a path and be on the hook for upkeep etc. Google Maps is also really bad for this usecase as I believe they get most of their data from the governments. So when it comes to really obscure paths which are pretty essential to hiking, the government maps are not as good. OSM shows how it is in reality, the government maps show how they want things to be :) But like I said, perhaps the UK is different in that sense.
- laumars 5y ago
  OS maps is really good for hiking :) That’s what I mostly use it for (well running more than hiking, but that’s effectively the same use case)
- soneil 5y ago
  Particularly in England & Wales, most hiking trails are well-mapped. Because we have no legal right to hike on private land (which is why I call out England & Wales separately from Scotland, Scottish law differs), most hiking trails are either specifically created by public bodies (national trust, etc) or are historical rights of way.
foobarbecue 5y ago
In the USA, an approximate equivalent is the USGS topographic map quads.

GekkePrutser 5y ago

I've never used the OS maps as I rarely visit the UK. I've worked with similar maps in the Netherlands though through a GIS system (also worked in telecom). But when hiking (mainly in Spain) I always prefer OpenStreetMap to the official maps. The problem with the official government maps is that they are official. If a hiking trail is nothing more than a trodden path through the brush, they won't show it as it's not an official path. If they'd put it on there they'd admit it would be a path and be on the hook for upkeep etc. Google Maps is also really bad for this usecase as I believe they get most of their data from the governments. So when it comes to really obscure paths which are pretty essential to hiking, the government maps are not as good. OSM shows how it is in reality, the government maps show how they want things to be :) But like I said, perhaps the UK is different in that sense.

laumars 5y ago
OS maps is really good for hiking :) That’s what I mostly use it for (well running more than hiking, but that’s effectively the same use case)
soneil 5y ago
Particularly in England & Wales, most hiking trails are well-mapped. Because we have no legal right to hike on private land (which is why I call out England & Wales separately from Scotland, Scottish law differs), most hiking trails are either specifically created by public bodies (national trust, etc) or are historical rights of way.

foobarbecue 5y ago

In the USA, an approximate equivalent is the USGS topographic map quads.