Spain topo map?

[505badgolfer]

I'm doing the camino frances in late April. I have downloaded the individual stage gpx files into my Garmin Etrex . Any recommendations on whether I should also download a Spain topo map? If yes, any recommendations on which topo map to get? Thanks very much.

 

[VNwalking]

@505badgolfer, on the Frances, you won't need that Garmin at all, at least not for finding your way. You may want the data, but that's another thing.
Likewise with the topo maps. If you like them and are interested in what they have to show you about your surroundings, definitely download them (I would say the 1:50000 official Spanish ones from IGN that you can access here: http://www.ign.es/csw-inspire/srv/eng/conjuntodatos). But for wayfinding? No need.

 

[505badgolfer]

Thanks VERY much for the info. I would never have found the Spanish map site on my own. Friends of mine who have hiked the camino frances have said it's pretty hard to get lost. I wanted to bring the Garmin so that I know about how far I am from waypoints.

 

[scruffy1]

I am one who loves maps, orienteering, while on the Camino I always carry an un-needed compass but one given to me by my father 60 years ago, one who is frustrated by the Brierley guides due to the mis-orientation of the maps ,Our fellow pilgrims from Germany seem to l-o-v-e topographic maps, they often walk with very detailed and exact maps showing every ascent, every descent, every bump and pothole one might encounter. Fun? Perhaps, Needed? Not really.

 

[islandwalker]

Another alternative for accessing the IGN topo maps is GAIA GPS. It has the Spanish IGN maps available as a free downloadable layer. We are walking in Spain right now and find ourselves using it every day for one thing or another. We have all our GPX tracks downloaded onto a master map on Gaia and can always tell where we currently are and what our alternatives are, as well as things like what the building on top of an opposite hill is or what route we might use to get around high water here in Andalucia. Very handy for explorations off a given track - more notes on the planning and resources page of our journal.
Elaine
http://hiking.topicwise.com/doc/GenalValley

 

[clivespicer]

I'm with the previous posters, there are just so many arrows on the Frances route that you barely even need a guide book. Too much tech on the road distracts from the day, this is a pilgrimage not a hike.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

You can put together a custom map just ticking the parts you want from here:

Open Street Map



because you won't need the whole of Spain (unless you get really, really lost) but, as others have said you don't need the GPS - just follow the arrows and the dusty footprints of those that preceded you!

 

[505badgolfer]

GAIA is an interesting product. Used by smart phones . Smart phone can be operated in airplane mode because GAIA uses satellite, not phone, signals. I expect the app to provide some real competition to GARMIN in the near future..

I did some more research today on Spain topo maps. Garmin sells one for a ridiculous price of about $150. I then looked at the old reliable free gpx source of gpsfiledepot. It has a World Topo Eastern map that has many countries, including Spain. It is a BIG file that I am currently playing with on my computer. Thanks again to everyone who posted a response to my query.

 

[reg2450]

the Briley book has contour guides for each stage