We downloaded a full version of the ViewRanger Ordinance Survey app for our Nokia N97 Mini last week, and have been playing with it for a couple of days now. With full navigation for the great outdoors, it's a decent accompaniment for your paper maps, and lets you take full advantage of your Nokia's built-in GPS chip. To find out how we've been getting on with the ViewRanger app, read on after the jump...
Once you've activated the ViewRanger app, you'll be able to download different areas of the country, with each grid that you download being paid for by a credit system. You'll also be able to buy full mapping for the UK for £150 – but considering that you're unlikely to visit all areas of the country, this may not be the most suitable option.
The ViewRanger mapping is beautifully rendered, and a world away from regular sat-nav mapping. It's available in both 1:5000 and 1:25000 scales, although we ended up downloaded both to get a better view of the area. With everything we expected from OS mapping – from contour lines to woodlands, roads and camping sites, it really could replace your paper map.
The menu in ViewRanger can be slightly tricky, purely because the amount of different features on offer. Everything is accessed through the central Options page, from downloading more mapping, to turning the compass on or off.
There are loads of features in place, including the ability to keep track of your walking speed, and it's even possible to view a graph to make sure you're keeping up a constant pace. We haven't had the chance to put this to full use yet – as it's currently too cold to walk much further than the corner shop – but keep an eye out here to find out how we get on on long walks.
The 1:25000 mapping is just about detailed enough to find out exactly where you are, and it's also good enough to navigate with without trouble. We'd still prefer to use it alongside a paper map though – with contour lines in particular looking a bit squashed at times. That's using a Nokia N97 Mini – a device with a high-resolution 3.2-inch screen – and whether the mapping remains as clear and easy to read on smaller screens also remains to be seen.
If you do decide you can get away without using mapping alongside ViewRanger – and it's quite viable that you can, just remember one thing before you set off for the weekend. However detailed the mapping, however complete ViewRanger is, you'll still be restricted by your phone's battery life – so if your phone struggles to last for more than a day you may well have to pack the paper maps after all.
We'll be pitting the ViewRanger app against the updated and now free-to-use Ovi Maps in the next week or so, so keep an eye out here for a head-to-head. In the meantime, check out our gallery to see the ViewRanger maps in all their glory.
