Digital raster ordnance survey maps (UK, Ireland)

[Parsa]

Hi, I'm a Yank from California and have been caching since 2002. I may be visiting Britain this year (and Ireland a bit later in the future). I am interested in getting raster (pixel image files) of the Ordnance Survey maps. This would be the OS Landranger, Explorer, and Outdoor Leisure maps. I have quite a few paper OS maps of the UK and Ireland that are a bit old now, but I need digital raster maps that I can open in my computer's mapping program (MacGPS Pro). In the U.S. all government maps can be downloaded for free now (including all historic maps). This doesn't seem to be the case in the UK and Ireland. Is there somewhere that I can obtain TIFF or PDF versions of the maps? It would help if they were georeferenced, but I do have the ability to calibrate them from scratch. Same question about the Irish Discover and Leisure series.
I may also be upgrading my GPS from the Garmin 60cx to a 62 or 64 that can read raster maps also.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Steve [aka "Parsa" on geocaching]

[+sharant]

The UK government setup our mapping service as a limited company a while back, so it sells its data rather than giving it for free to tax payers like your own!  You can buy their maps at https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/. They do provide free access to a variety of their databases, though.  If you can parse the geo data you can build your own maps from it at 10,000 and above 50,000 res, but not at the two useful scales (25k and 50k are what you say you need). But not the raster imagery. Bing provide access to OS maps, so if you have a free Bing developer account you can download a certain number of tiles a day for free.  

Of course, Openstreetmap provides all this for free, and has much the same level of info (including contour info on the cycle overlay).Info on downloading map data is here: https://planet.openstreetmap.org/.  Doesn't have the same look, though!

 

Ant

Edited February 6, 2018 by sharant

[Parsa]

Thanks sharant for your clear answer.
I've looked at the 1:50k tiles that UK Ordnance Survey lets you download, and of course they are not standard Landranger maps. I mainly desire the traditional tourist-style maps (Landranger/Explorer/Outdoor Leisure) because I intend to visit a lot of historical sites like megalithic monuments and the like. Cairns, stone circles, barrows and other sites are often shown on the old style OS maps. The raster maps made from vector maps do not generally show them. I'm also making my own Google MyMaps based on Megalithic Portal data, but seeing the sites plotted on actual OS maps on my computer is very helpful to me.

I was thinking that I could at least use Bing or Streetmap to take screen shots and construct my own maps. It's just a bit tedious.

[+dartymoor]

The 1.50k maps are pretty poor on a GPSr, and the cache icons disappear into the backgrounds.

Personally, I use the Talkie Toaster OSM derived maps, which are free, for my Garmins. UK coverage is very good on these and they are very clear on small devices.

https://talkytoaster.me.uk/

I have the 50k loaded as well, only used for the odd legality-check, but 99% of my time I use OSM (and contribute back to it as well!)

[+EnCeeGee]

I use OS maps on the computer all the time (but haven't got them to work on a GPS yet.) OSM maps work fine in the field but it is good to have the OS maps at home.

Below is a copy of a posting I made nearly a year ago. I've no reason to suppose it won't work now but I haven't tried it for a year and technology does have a habit of changing things just when you get what you want!! It could well be worth you having a read through it and see what happens.

You can also get OS maps and print them out easily from GSAK

Hope this helps

Forgot to add; all this is free.

 

 

How to get OS map as an option on the Geocaching.Com map page.

 

1. You must use Firefox as your internet browser. Firefox can be installed from HERE (http://filehippo.com/download_firefox/)

2. The latest version of the Firefox add-on called GreaseMonkey must also be installed. The Greasemonkey add-on can be installed form HERE (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/greasemonkey/)

3. You will also need a Bing Map Key.

a. Goto the Bing maps portal HERE (https://www.bingmapsportal.com/'>https://www.bingmapsportal.com/)

b. Sign in using you Microsoft account details.

If you do not have such an account you can create one from the sign in page.

c. Click on 'My account'\'My Keys'.

If you already have a key it will show on this page and you can ignore section d.

d. If you require a new key click on the 'Click here to create a new key'

Application name:- Geocaching OS Maps

Application URL:- https://www.bingmapsportal.com

Key type:- Basic

Application type:- Public Website

Click 'Create', your new key will now show on this page.

e. If you have more than 1 key, ensure that only one is enabled.

f. Copy the very long key (approx 60 digits) and paste it somewhere safe

(e.g. new text page in notepad or word) for future use.

 

4. Copy and paste the following code onto the same page as your Bing key you saved earlier.

 

{"alt":"Ordnance Survey","tileUrl":"https://t{s}.ssl.ak.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/r{q}.png?g=3440&productSet=mmOS&key=PRIVATE_KEY", "subdomains": "0123", "minZoom":10, "maxZoom": 17, "attribution":"Ordnance Survey imagery from <a href='https://www.bing.com/maps/'>Bing Maps</a>", "name":"osbing"}

 

5. Exchange the words PRIVATE KEY for your Bing key, and save.

6. Goto Geocaching.Com and log in. Goto 'Play' / 'View Geocache Map'

7. Click on the down arrow (between your name and the 'message' icon) on the top line of the page.

8. Click on the 'Geocaching Map Enhancements' / 'Manage Maps' tab. (If the 'Geocaching Map Enhancements' option is not available then you do not have the latest version of Greasemonkey.)

9. In the 'Mapsource:' box paste the saved code from step 5.

10. Click 'Add'

11. Click 'Map display' tab, ensure 'Ordinance Survey' box is ticked.

12. Set 'Default map source' from the drop down menu (i.e. what map you want Geocaching.Com to display on start up).

13. Click 'Save'

14 Click on the little arrow in the green bar on the left of the main map page to pull out the left hand side panel. Click on 'Set Map Preferences'. Ensure 'Leaflet' is selected.

15. Now in the right hand top corner of the map the 'Layers' icon should display a list of maps, including the OS map, when the mouse is hovered over it. Click as required.

 

Good luck!

 

Edited February 17, 2018 by EnCeeGee