What the hell is a GPX file?

The route pages from this site provide you with a printable version of the route for those of you without smartphones, and a gpx file for those of you with GPS devices or smartphones. A GPX file is basically a list of latitude and longitude coordinates measured at regular intervals, sometimes with elevation data, usually by a GPS device or smart phone. These files can then be loaded onto a device and followed in real time, if a decent GPS signal is available where ever you are.

Loading a GPX file

GPX files can be loaded onto standalone devices vis USB. For smartphones you’ll need a dedicated app. We can recommend the following two:

• 3D Maps GPS – App costs £2, but its free to download maps of any area from the open source mapping project OpenStreet Maps.
• Outdooors GPS – App is free but you pay for either yearly subscription to online maps or download sections. Works for both OS maps (UK) and IGN (France). The UK version is much less ecoonomical as you have to purchase the entire national park map (~£25 each). In the french version you can buy a small segment of map for a few euros. Disappointingly Outdoors GPS records neither the timing of the recorded route, nor the elevation data into the exported GPX file.

Outdooors GPS

It seems the only way to get a route into Outdooors GPS is via the Outdooors GPS website. You’ll need to save the GPX file and import it into your account. Then find the route in the Outdoors GPS app on your phone via “My Routes” -> “Routes on Website”.

3D Maps GPS

There are a number of ways to get GPX files into 3D Maps GPS:

• Dropbox, if you have dropbox on your phone, save the file to dropbox on your computer, find the file on dropbox on your phone, and then “open with” and select 3D Maps.
• Email the GPX file to your phone and “open with” 3D Maps
• The app claims it supports Track Portals and  Everytrail, so i guess if you import them into your account they should be available in 3D Maps if the accounts are linked.

Follow the routes via website

This site is fully mobile ready, as such, should you be lucky enough to have internet while you are out walking. The crosshair button on the map should be able to locate you from which you can follow your location on the map.