Adding Cycle Routes

There are over 200 National Cycle Routes, 10 main routes, over 50 national routes, over 200 regional routes and over 50 local routes. Some are just numbered and some also have have a route name so it can be a bit difficult to keep track of things.

For example there is NCN 6 in the midlands, it is 390 miles long but while it is that length, it is split into local and regional routes, so although the route number of 6 stays the same the trail name changes.

For 13 miles you have the “Derby Canal Path and Cloud Trail”, then it changes to the “South Midlands Trail”, then you become part of the “Leicester to Watermead Park Trail” which is 7 miles in length but all still part of NCN 6. Although Leicester to Watermead Park sounds like a specific destination it is actually an official NCN route name.

As Cycle Routes are part of the GPS system they can be added to HERE maps, but they must be edited in a specific way.

The route number must be in a specific format that being NCN #, (example: NCN 3 or NCN 45 or NCN 756). It will always be NCN followed by the number.

If the route has a name then you will enter road name NCN 6 in one box and the route name in another box as shown on attached image.

As you can see from the attached image, some routes are coloured purple and other ones are in green. The ones in purple are routes that are on the main road and share with other traffic, for the present time these should NOT be listed, however all green ones SHOULD be added as they are off road.

So for example, if a route starts in a country location and follows a canal or old railway then you add it but once it reaches a town and shares with cars then you stop editing, you start again when it is no longer shared with other vehicles.

(there is a rare exception where a road can be named with the cycle route but that all depends on location and length, so please ask before doing this otherwise your edit will get rejected)

There are some local routes that are not numbered as are not part of the NCN paths but operated and maintained by local councils. These are still official cycle paths so can be added but all you do is add the route name without the number. (If unsure please ask and I will advise you)

To find out what and where the official NCN routes are visit https://www.sustrans.org.uk you will be able to zoom into their map and find the routes.

If your a regular cyclist and use the routes you can record your journey on your GPS and upload the data to HERE and then edit the route on mapcreator.

You can find local and regional routes by local knowledge but also visiting your local council websites.

Several cycle routes have already been added to HERE maps and are accurate and been approved, if you think something is wrong then please ask beforehand before editing or deleting something, the same goes for the name of the route, ask before changing a name.

Once you have completed a route add a comment below so a list of completed routes can be compiled so we all know what has been done and what is not.

REMEMBER: only off road routes should be added.

If in doubt or want more information then please ask.

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