Route Planner

Milopearlindie
Milopearlindie Forum Participant Posts: 42
edited March 2017 in Towcars & Towing #1

Hi all, 

Does anyone know of a reasonably reliable caravan route planner online? I have bought the garmin camper but wasn't impressed with the roads it was sending me on on the way down (single track lanes, 14% hills etc) I just wondered if there was a half decent online planner I can use.

Also are all the satnav's the same or are there better ones than the garmin?

Thanks 

Laura

Comments

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited March 2017 #2

    We have the Garmin, and thought that some of the roads a bit "iffy"but were bus routes, and they were better than when we had a Tom Tom 

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2017 #3

     I use an ordinary TomTom and also review my route on a good map. Grades on maps, as far as I am aware, only show sections steeper than 1 in 7 (14%) and sections greater than 1 in 5 (20%). 

  • Simon100
    Simon100 Club Member Posts: 666 ✭
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    edited March 2017 #4

    Google maps. If the route looks like it is using inappropriate roads you can change it to A or B roads and then print it off.

  • IanTG
    IanTG Forum Participant Posts: 419
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    edited March 2017 #5

    If you want a route planner to use at home (as opposed to a sat nav), try ViaMichelin. It has a 'caravan' tick box to affect route suggestions. 

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #6

    I find a truck sat nav works well. Mine is Co-Pilot

    peedee

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #7

    Yes, Viamichelin is very good.  We use a  'normal' TomTom, a map and common sense!

  • kentman
    kentman Forum Participant Posts: 147
    edited March 2017 #8

    I used the Michellin Route Planner to work out a route to Italy via Belgium, France and Switzerland last year, ticking the caravan box, and found it very good.  I used it in conjunction with my TomTom Motorhome and Caravan device and found that Michellin and TomTom corresponded almost exactly.

     

     

  • DougS
    DougS Forum Participant Posts: 327
    edited March 2017 #9

    As above, we use a hybrid system of Via Michelin, standard Tom Tom backed up by a map book and a bit of Google Maps & Earth for the final approaches.

    However, I've just noticed that the Tom Tom My Drive site has an option in the route planner for car or truck (there's a little greyed out picture of a truck which becomes solid when you click it)

    I haven't yet tried this in depth  but I believe you can set up the routes online then download them to the Tom Tom device (which doesn't have any selection for car or truck)

    If anyone else has used this option, could they give some comments please?

  • ocsid
    ocsid Forum Participant Posts: 1,395
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    edited March 2017 #10

    Has anybody been using one of the on line HGV route planners such as "Freight Journey Planner", to at least get waypoints to input to their satnavs?

    http://www.freightjourneyplanner.co.uk/

    I have not but the question here got me seeking if such things existed.

    We use the Disco's inbuilt satnav plus a big dose of intuition. It does have the habit of wanting to plough through conurbations that have far more acceptable bypasses to keep on better roads.

    I think they are great tools but need a bit of common sense intervention. They do however keep a sense of calm if I disregard the advise; my earlier still invaluable version used pre these gizmos was not quite as restrained wink

    I am another that when visiting an unknown rural CL/CS always Google its off B road approach first.

  • ocsid
    ocsid Forum Participant Posts: 1,395
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    edited March 2017 #11

    Using the above "Freight Journey Planner", I note a very useful feature is it finds all the lay-bys. Plus other things like loos and fuel if needed, but certainly I could find the knowledge of lay-by locations and distribution useful.

  • dmiller555
    dmiller555 Forum Participant Posts: 717
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    edited March 2017 #12

    I agree that the lay-by feature looks like it could be very helpful. Great pity that it doesn't tell if there is any room smile 

    It's something that could usefully be copied by other SatNav suppliers.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2017 #13

    According to some, there are lay-by here there & everywhere ..... apparently there's  always a lay-by for them to stop in when  they're a little ahead of schedule & don't  want to arrive 90 secs early on site .... 

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2017 #14

    I usually can decide whether to consider a layby up to an hour before arrival thanks to the satnav. 

  • NevChap
    NevChap Forum Participant Posts: 180
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    edited March 2017 #15

    I use a Tom Tom and then before setting off use 'My Drive' facility on the Tom Tom website to plan the route along with directions to the C&MC site. It is possible with a bit of patience to set the exact route you want and when satisfied save it and send it to your Tom Tom device. Obviously not as useful when out and about but great when doing your forward planning from home.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2017 #16

    I'm amazed that some ever get to their chosen site by the time they've  viewed the route & then 'driven' via Google Maps. I put the post code info Tom Tom & set off. If the site's bin man or gas supplier can get there, then I'm pretty sure I will too.

  • pagan8c
    pagan8c Forum Participant Posts: 91
    edited March 2017 #17

    I do read the CC book re the getting to the site and it usually gives you advice about the best way t approach if there is a problem. I also look at the google map street view so I know what to look out for when approaching the site but I tend to follow the sat nav and just use common sense as to whether it looks passable . If I decide it is not the best way then I carry on and let the Nav change its route. 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited March 2017 #18

    That can get you into trouble unless it has c/van /m/van programme 

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2017 #19

    I can always revert to the inbuilt back up programme of common sense! It's  worked so far ........ wink

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #20

     Pity Freight Planner is UK only.

    peedee

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Forum Participant Posts: 2,401
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    edited March 2017 #21

    As others we use a mix. When looking at routes abroad start with Google maps and a Euro Road Atlas and then use this info to get a cost  of tolls etc from viaMichelin.

    Street view is used for looking at site access and other details.

    Just looked at the freight journey planner and it sends a 24 tonne truck via a ferry with a 10 tonne limit,and very restricted access, and the directions mixed up place names from the start and end of a near 300 mile journey so not for me.

  • Milopearlindie
    Milopearlindie Forum Participant Posts: 42
    edited March 2017 #22

    Thank you everyone for your useful replies, I think I'm going to get myself a good atlas and stop faffing with expensive satnavs, their route planning at times was very poor and as someone new to towing I want an 'easy' route.

  • DougS
    DougS Forum Participant Posts: 327
    edited March 2017 #23

    A map is great for planning and en route overview especially motorways and major roads and is a must.

    BUT Whilst it's not good to rely on sat navs totally, if you get lost and for the local roads in the last few miles we find it invaluable. You would need a very large scale road atlas (think Ordnance Survey 1 mile to the inch?)  and a dedicated experienced navigator in your passenger seat to match them so the driver can concentrate on the road?

    If you've got one, you may have a planning option set wrong somewhere e.g. shortest route (which would take you up some crazy roads)

    They also potentially save relationships by preventing (to a useful extent) a LOT of arguments?

  • DougS
    DougS Forum Participant Posts: 327
    edited April 2017 #24

    Just checked and the Tom Tom online option for "Truck" does appear to allow for the dimensions of your vehicle (which can be set) and correctly routed us avoiding a very narrow road which we know and have had problems with, to the North of Kendal. It sent us by a far more sensible route so appears useful?

    You can then download to the device (more recent ones that use MyDrive anyway)

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