Apologies for the lazy question ..no doubt it has been answered before but today I decided to ride a route through rural devon with numerous short lanes , junctions etc ..(little signage I expect).. and if possible I'd like to ride without numerous stops to check the phone based map . I see google appears to do it but are there others that are better ? I know from experience some voice guidance can be very intrusive and offer to much info and talk, when all I really want is minimal guidance regarding turns in advance .Also I need to factor in the fact that many of these areas lose phone connection . If anything stands out that needs paying for I would consider that too . Having little money I'd try and use the phone for this but if there's anything far better and not too pricey recommendations also welcome .
Thanks in advance, Bill
You can download sections of maps for Google maps and use your phone offline for directions when you don't have signal.
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I discovered an app which does exactly this, it will give you incorrect directions randomly and totally ruin a beautiful days exploring in any delightful location.
It is called Navigation and Guidance, affectionately known as NAG's by its user group.
The Pro version allows you to sample your significant other for the voice instuctions.
The most requested and best feature of this app is you can turn it off and just ride NAG free. 🙂
It is available on the Gewgle Pay Store,
I think that the Komoot App will do what you're after (although I've never used it). I think that the idea is that you buy the maps you want and download them to your phone, but when I signed up some years back they were giving away a region for free with each new signup. If this offer is still active it might give you the coverage you need for free.
Having said that, I've found the routing on their web platform a bit ropey.
If you ever go down the bike computer route I think that the Garmin Edge 2 (and possibly other Edge computers) can play voice navigation directions over a paired smartphone.
-- Edit --
It looks like the free region is still a thing - https://www.komoot.com/product
Also I need to factor in the fact that many of these areas lose phone connection
You’ve got that right! You’ll need all the help you can get in the South Hams area, between Dartmouth and Kingsbridge!
I used Cyclestreets app with voice navigation for the first time today.
It was good - most of the time it gave both warning of impending and actual turn information. I only pulled the phone out a couple of times. It re-routed neatly when some of the route was blocked. I would use it again.
The bad: it missed a couple of turns completely, a few times said 'go left/right' when in fact it was straight on, and announced every bridge on the West Fife Way railway line section with both the fact it was straight on, a bridge, what was under it and that I was on the West Fife Way, NCN764..
