30 Apr 2025
Barrier Maps for the UK - Updated
The Aim
The aim is to be able to produce useful maps for those who are using trikes, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, etc. I don’t possess the skills needed to produce online maps which would show the barriers that may cause problems, but I can produce maps for a Garmin device which show the problems.
Zoom levels
The level of detail now varies according to the zoom level - at the highest level no barriers are shown at all. At medium, they just appear as the red B in its circle. When you are zoomed in, details of what is missing from the barrier are shown.
Barrier Maps for the UK - Updated
access=private or access=customers
If the barrier is marked as access=private or access=customers, or if the barrier has no access tags, but is on a highway which has the tags access=private or access=customers, then that barrier no longer appears in the maps (Although if the highway has a designation such as ‘footpath’, ‘bridleway’ or foot=permissive, then it will still be shown).
highway=steps
Appears if step_count= is missing. This can be easily updated using Street Complete.
barrier=cycle_barrier
Does appear if the measurements are missing, or cycle_barrier= is not shown as either single, double, triple, diagonal or tilted. All is explained, including the measurements needed on the OpenStreetMap Wiki
barrier=bollard, and barrier=block
Does appear if the measurement of the opening beside the bollard or block is not shown.
Again, can be easily updated using Street Complete.
barrier=kissing_gate
Appears if the type of kissing gate is missing, or the measurement for the opening is not present OpenStreetMap Wiki.
barrier=gate or barrier=lift_gate or barrier=swing_gate
Does appear if the measurement of the opening is not present - I accept width, maxwidth, maxwidth:physical or opening.
barrier=stile
Does appear if the type of stile is missing, or the step_count is missing for stiles with steps.
barrier=horse_stile
Does appear if the type is missing.
Update Schedule
The provisional plan is to update the barriers_filtered map;
1st of the month - same time as the other maps are updated, and 7th, 15th & 23rd of each month.
As with all of the maps, the plain .img file appears first - that’s fairly automated, but the winexe & gmapi files which are provided through torrent downloads requires my input and I’m not always available to do this straight away.
More info
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Main_Page contains all of the information about mapping on OpenStreetMap.
Downloads
- The barriers filtered Garmin compatible map is available from
https://daphne-nick.uk/nextcloud/index.php/s/WAmCwKGkGigmryn
- but the torrent files needed to download the exe or gmapi files are available from
https://daphne-nick.uk/nextcloud/index.php/s/6cQesAz38DWRWBo.
Viewing the maps on QMapShack
QMapShack at highest level.
QMapShack at medium level.
QMapShack at lowest level.
Thinking of making your own Garmin compatible maps?
All data produced by me is subject to the same copyright rules as OpenStreetMap.
” OpenStreetMap® is open data, licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL) by the OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF).
You are free to copy, distribute, transmit and adapt our data, as long as you credit OpenStreetMap and its contributors. If you alter or build upon our data, you may distribute the result only under the same licence. The full legal code explains your rights and responsibilities.
Our documentation is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license (CC BY-SA 2.0).”
06 Apr 2025
Fundraising for Shine
I’m raising funds for Shine https://www.shinecharity.org.uk/ by taking on the challenge of hiking 24 miles in one day (19th July 2025), taking in the 3 peaks in Yorkshire. It looked like a really good idea when I was sitting on a comfy chair at home, but the more I think about it, the steeper those 3 climbs appear.
Last year I was lucky enough to climb Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon in old money!) along with a great team including several family members. If you fancy joining me in this challenge, that would be great, but if not, any words of support are gratefully received.
Think I’d better plan a few training hikes - anyone know any long, steep climbs with a pub at the top?
https://www.justgiving.com/page/nick-allen-3?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL
Thanks for reading & I’ll try to add more info about the challenge, and my training and preparation.
The Challenge
Wikipedia article for Pen-y-ghent, mentions the other 2 peaks as well https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen-y-ghent
.jpg "Joe Haythornthwaitenagualdesign (CC BY-SA 4.0)")
Not sure if our route will go past this one - looks fascinating!
Picture by Andrew Curtis, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13976919
If you fancy supporting me - my just giving page
19 Mar 2025
Contributing
If you would like to support this website and the Garmin Compatible Maps produced, here are a few ideas;
OpenStreetMap
https://www.openstreetmap.org & https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/
OpenStreetMap can be easy to update / improve if you follow the guidelines - have a read of the wiki, and please help us to update and improve the map. It’s worldwide, so improving the area you are familiar with is a great way to help.
One of the easiest ways to update the map is using an app on your phone. I would recommend StreetComplete, which is an ideal way of updating existing data quickly - I use it on a regular basis. StreetComplete is an ideal way of updating the sizes of gateways and barriers - adding this data improves the Trike map, and the results can be seen on the next, monthly, version of the Barrier map.
Donating to OpenStreetMap is another way to help - please visit https://supporting.openstreetmap.org/.
All of the Garmin Compatible Maps offered here are derived from OpenStreetMap.
Donate to the Charity “Shine”
https://www.shinecharity.org.uk/
Shine specialises in supporting people with Spina Bifida &/or Hydrocephalus. The effects of either of these conditions can become apparent before birth, or may become apparent much later in life.
As a charity they have supported our granddaughter who was diagnosed as having spina bifida before she was born.
We weren’t really aware of either condition, and their website helped enormously to explain in terms which we could understand, what the conditions are, and the effect they were likely to have. Our daughter also spoke to their staff, receiving support, information, and guidance in enormous quantities. They have specialists such as physiotherapists who contact and support the local NHS staff, giving them the information they need to provide the best possible care.
Donate to me
If you’d prefer to make a donation to me to assist in the costs of servers, computers and internet, please scan this qrcode and follow the link.
02 Apr 2024
Canal Map of GB - Garmin Compatible
All mapping data is derived from OpenStreetMap, including the downloadable maps. Many thanks to OpenStreetMap contributors for their skill & dedication.
About
Useful if you want to see where you are in relation to locks, bridges and other features such as turning points (winding holes). It is not routable for boats, but is useful, and can be fun to look at - I find it useful when trying to work out exactly where winding holes and other features are ahead of me. I keep an old Garmin edge cycle computer at the back of the boat with me. The routing is for cycles, and it also shows cycle routes - these are often canal towpaths, making cyclists frequent users of the canal network.
It is no substitute for a good guide book! Treat it as a bit of useful fun, and hopefully you will enjoy using it.
Downloads
The file needed for loading onto a gps is available as a direct download from https://daphne-nick.uk/nextcloud/index.php/s/GwdJnq96Hq6bxMd
The .exe or .gmapi files are available as .torrent downloads with the file needed for doing this available from https://daphne-nick.uk/nextcloud/index.php/s/6cQesAz38DWRWBo
17 Feb 2024
Fundraising for the charity Shine
On the 19th May 2024 Daphne & Nick are treking up Snowdon, aiming to arrive at the summit in time for sunrise, and raising funds for the charity Shine which has done so much to help our family.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/nick-and-daphne-snowdon
We would be very pleased if you were able to donate towards this charity - see their ‘Just Giving’ link above.
Thank You.