Best ‘sat nav or trip planner’ app to avoid unsuitable roads

[Peachley]

What is the best app to plan trips in uk, that allows you to avoid all roads that are unsuitable for your type of motorhome? Taking into account dimensions and weight of vehicle. Thanks in advance.

 

[Burge]

Try 'Magic Earth' app

 

[DBK]

CoPilot can do this I believe but it isn't free. There's a Truck version and also a Caravan one. The latter is cheaper, both take in the size of the vehicle but what the difference is I don't know. I've tried it a few years ago and found I needed to run it on a tablet as a phone was too small. However, I couldn't find a reliable way to mount a heavy tablet on the dashboard so gave up on it.

You might want to consider a Garmin Camper satnav. Halfords are selling them for £299 at the moment.

 

[scotjimland]

Try 'Magic Earth' app

Taking into account dimensions and weight of vehicle. Thanks in advance.

As far as I know , Magic Earth doesn't have that facility

 

[Burge]

As far as I know , Magic Earth doesn't have that facility

One I have does !

If you go into Navigation it shows
Pedestrian
Bike
Car
Truck

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[CazPaul]

Magic earth now charge 99p a year from next month I also didn’t know they had a weight, length, height section.

 

[bigtwin]

What is the best app to plan trips in uk, that allows you to avoid all roads that are unsuitable for your type of motorhome?

There is no such product; the best that you can hope for is to minimise the number of instance of being directed along unsuitable roads.

Any of the Motorhome specific sat nav’s (eg Tom Tom Camper, Garmin Camper) will do.

However, bear in mind that the settings you use in the ‘route planning preferences’ may increase the likelihood of unsuitable roads being selected so choose your settings wisely.

Ian

 

[scotjimland]

One I have does !

If you go into Navigation it shows
Pedestrian
Bike
Car
Truck

yes but not dimensions or weights as OP asked for

 

[Burge]

yes but not dimensions or weights as OP asked for

Mine does
Width
Height
Length
Weight
Axle Weight
Max Speed

 

[PlacidoD]

There is no such product; the best that you can hope for is to minimise the number of instance of being directed along unsuitable roads.

Any of the Motorhome specific sat nav’s (eg Tom Tom Camper, Garmin Camper) will do.

However, bear in mind that the settings you use in the ‘route planning preferences’ may increase the likelihood of unsuitable roads being selected so choose your settings wisely.

Ian

And keep your maps up-to-date!

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[Brains]

Mine does
Width
Height
Length
Weight
Axle Weight
Max Speed

Show me the route it selects between St Tudy and Trebarwith in Cornwall.

If this is (one of) the options, then it's not usable.

 

[Burge]

Show me the route it selects between St Tudy and Trebarwith in Cornwall.

If this is (one of) the options, then it's not usable.

View attachment 1091408

You download it & try it

 

[PeterCarole29]

There is no such product; the best that you can hope for is to minimise the number of instance of being directed along unsuitable roads.

Any of the Motorhome specific sat nav’s (eg Tom Tom Camper, Garmin Camper) will do.

However, bear in mind that the settings you use in the ‘route planning preferences’ may increase the likelihood of unsuitable roads being selected so choose your settings wisely.

Ian

We have the TomTom camper it’s a nice sat nav
I have just taken shots of choices unless I’m missing some even though we have our hieght weight and width it still takes us down roads with grass growing in the middle and we put 2.4 wide but are only 2.3
From all the sat nav’s we have had I don’t think you can avoid it so I’m guessing apps might be better
I think lorry drivers do a route check first also using maps
My wife likes a map to check

 

[bigtwin]

We have the TomTom camper it’s a nice sat nav
I have just taken shots of choices unless I’m missing some even though we have our hieght weight and width it still takes us down roads with grass growing in the middle and we put 2.4 wide but are only 2.3
From all the sat nav’s we have had I don’t think you can avoid it so I’m guessing apps might be better
I think lorry drivers do a route check first also using maps
My wife likes a map to check



View attachment 1091469

View attachment 1091470

Your settings look sensible but, TBH, widths are the least reliable as roads don’t generally have width data recorded. Of course it also depends on where you're trying to get to.

I wouldn’t expect any of the apps to be any different in that respect.

If you do review the route prior to driving it and are not happy with it, the TT has the option to identify alternative routes. Often those may differ by only a few minutes duration so worth comparing them.

Ian

 

[ChrisL]

CoPilot caravan has the best road preference selection, I set mine as below and it's never taken me down roads I wouldn't want to travel, except when I was using the wrong vehicle profile, which was my fault. Note there is also a preference for Motorways which I set to Strongly favour.

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[enark]

Time spent on recce is seldom wasted…..

So i just google street view along the planned route, if in doubt.

 

[PeterCarole29]

CoPilot caravan has the best road preference selection, I set mine as below and it's never taken me down roads I wouldn't want to travel, except when I was using the wrong vehicle profile, which was my fault. Note there is also a preference for Motorways which I set to Strongly favour.

View attachment 1091508

I think we will look at this can I assume it’s an app for your phone

 

[ChrisL]

I think we will look at this can I assume it’s an app for your phone

Yes, I run it on a samsung tablet mostly but I also have it on my phone, i'm using the caravan version which allows you to enter your weight and dimensions, there is also a car version and a truck version as well, there are various profiles so you can have one set for your car and one for your motorhome if you wish. The car version doesn't allow you to enter weight and dimensions.

 

[Jo-jo]

Show me the route it selects between St Tudy and Trebarwith in Cornwall.

If this is (one of) the options, then it's not usable.

View attachment 1091408

It's given me 3 routes, the blue is the fastest. I don't actually use Magic Earth as I can't get it to display throught the crappy Xzent. I just tried it for the route you suggested, so I have no clue if this is a good or bad route. Our vehicle dimensions and weight are saved.

 

[PeterCarole29]

My guess is if it ever says not possible you do research and know you may be trouble

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[Brains]

It's given me 3 routes, the blue is the fastest. I don't actually use Magic Earth as I can't get it to display throught the crappy Xzent. I just tried it for the route you suggested, so I have no clue if this is a good or bad route. Our vehicle dimensions and weight are saved.
View attachment 1091541

A Landrover will go through the ford as long as it has not rained recently.
A car should be OK in the summer.
Any car driven by a competent driver with the ability to do a 500m reverse up a 1:5 hill around a hairpin bend will be fine for the rest of the route.

But you would not do this route in anything bigger than a small Transit.
It what is known as a 'Cornish dual carriageway' (Single track with grass down the middle, two bicycles can pass)

It's single track road nearly all the way with a few passing places.
There is a ford over the river Allen. (Varies between 30 cm and several meters!)
Towards the end there is a double hairpin, on a very steep incline.
Once on the beach there is a small turning circle.

The 17min time is basis you are doing 60mph on roads where in reality you will not actually be not getting out of second gear.
A more realistic time would be about 40 mins, which means the longer routes are not only faster, but also possible in a motorhome (although I'd not take a tag axle or a trailer)

I use that route to test GPS's.
Most fail.
But not the Garmin based Camper Three, so I bought one.

 

[1967bowesj]

Brains
Would this pass your test?

 

[Brains]

Brains
Would this pass your test?



View attachment 1091628

Yes

 

[mikebiggles]

What is the best app to plan trips in uk, that allows you to avoid all roads that are unsuitable for your type of motorhome? Taking into account dimensions and weight of vehicle. Thanks in advance.

Tom Tom planner

 

[1967bowesj]

Yes

Best free one I have used, and I’ve used a few through the years, Mapfactor navigator, on android and iOS

You can edit lots of perimeters so you can Taylor to your needs.
You do have to upgrade now if you change axel weights on the truck profile

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[ChrisL]

This is CoPilot's route with my settings.

 

[Grianan]

We use Apple Maps and google maps. All I’m saying is you need to keep a sense of humour. How does google maps think a drainage ditch is a road ?

 

[1967bowesj]

This is CoPilot's route with my settings.

View attachment 1091809

4 hours ChrisL thats slow even for Devon/Cornwall lol.

PS I do see it’s probably starting at your current location!

 

[ChrisL]

4 hours ChrisL thats slow even for Devon/Cornwall lol.

PS I do see it’s probably starting at your current location!

Yes, unfortunately I can't plan from a location i'm not at.

 

[scotjimland]

Mine does
Width
Height
Length
Weight
Axle Weight
Max Speed

cheers..ill have another look