Using Google Maps to search for sites

[audiorob]

You may already be aware that you can have map view or satellite view in Google Maps, and typing 'Campsites near xxx' hit search will bring up several options, and a list on the LHS of the screen with website links where they exist. In most areas you can zoom in (or drag and drop the yellow figure - screen lower right) to get street view to check gateways etc.
I have just used it to check 'Campsites near Wicken' as we stopped off at Wicken Fen NT en route, but would like to take the van back and explore more. Also 'Campsites near Roscoff' in reply to another questioner showed the position of the sites PC Forumers had recommended - and that my recommendation had changed names since we used it!

 

[otherclive]

Yes I’ve been using it for campsites in Ardennes and Germany. It’s a very useful feature.

 

[Craigyoung]

I use Google Maps quite a lot on my phone for sites , and estimating times for when we go away , I do it on my mobile and I think its great , but as for up to date stuff its not the best as if i look at my own house , it shows my old car still from 5 years ago ! When i googled malven hills cc site i had to ring them cos it just showed a field !!

Craig

 

[Raywood]

I tend to use club sites so do not need to do the search and it might miss out the site you want so it is probably not for me. I think the site location web sites give you a more comprehensive list if you need one. What it is good for in my opinion though is checking out access and what to look out for when approaching a site before you book.

 

[otherclive]

I’ve found it good for European sites which you can then follow up on other websites once a location is decided.

 

[chrisn7]

Its very useful for spotting things that might be an issue for you, such railways, busy roads, water, distance from the pub etc

 

[DaveA1]

I tend to use club sites so do not need to do the search and it might miss out the site you want so it is probably not for me. I think the site location web sites give you a more comprehensive list if you need one. What it is good for in my opinion though is checking out access and what to look out for when approaching a site before you book.

I use mostly M&CC CL's Good for finding site when access instruction say " don't use sat nav" Not worried about the site as such, just to make sure I recognise the approach and entrance, if first time on site..

 

[FrintonMike]

If going to a new site I always use Google Maps to see what the entrance is like. ie do I need to swing wide or can I jut drive straight in.
Also local landmarks are useful to use as a reference when getting close to the site

 

[RayS]

I use Google earth rather than maps but you can go to the same view from Maps. I have noticed quite a lot of discrepancies between the satellite view and the street view of, for example, road junctions. Near Argentan for example the satellitr view shows the roundabout as it actually is while Streetview shows the same junction as a Tee with traffic lights as ot used to be.
Must be quite a problem keeping both systems updated and by and large they do a pretty good jjob

 

[Raywood]

I have used street view a few times and yes the images can be quite old in some instances although we have never had a problem with it. The satelite image can be quite old sometimes so they are not totally reliable.

 

[gravesyt]

I do the same as RayS using Google earth when looking for sites in the area I would like to go with one add piece ?Archies camping&caravan do a poi that works with Google earth and shows all sites in that area up to now it the best site finder I have used Europe or uk
ps it also works with most sat nav's and free

 

[KeefySher]

Street View has a date in the image so you know when it was produced.

Just checked my home address, image taken August 2012. I remember we were away in the MH in Cornwall when that was taken. We were having the bathrooms refitted at the time and the builder saw the google car coming, so you have a builders bum in the front doorway B) B)

Fortunately it doesn't show the caravan on the drive. There have been considerable changes in the appearance of the property since then.

We visited friends last weekend. As it was the first time using the new car and didn't have the postcode, popped onto Street View to see an image taken in July 2016 showing their cars on the drive. When we arrived there were cars on the drive, but not the same ones.

 

[ProfJohnL]

It seems our road system is set to continue to change so all maps will by default be out of date and only as good as the cartographers interpretation and last revision made.

Paper maps once purchased will always be behind the times, and the same applies to the purchases of electronic maps, but the freebies, like google maps (other mapping systems are available) do update their maps without notice, so unless you search for the revision codes you wont know exactly how far out of date they are.

But whatever system is in place there will always be some delay between a real change on the roads, and the maps being updated, sometimes it can only be a matter of days and in some cases years.

Those systems that can also show an aerial picture may not change both picture and map simultaneously. In some cases the map is updated after the aerial photo has depicted a change, or the local road authority may have made data available about a change, before the area is re photographed.

A member of my family has recently moved into a property on a new estate, Some mapping systems show the estate and its roads even before they been constructed! and some don't. The Google earth photos only show the estate under construction, without the estate roads, even though some have already been completed with houses.

The upshot is you can never totally rely on any kind of mapping, paper or electronic.

 

[VicMallows]

On the full Google Earth you can look back at earlier aerial views. Although the image clarity generally gets poorer as you go back in time, it can still be useful when trying to locate a small campsite (like a CS/CL) which may not have had any 'vans on site when the latest pic was taken. Also of course interesting to see how areas have developed over time.

 

[Anseo]

On the full Google Earth you can look back at earlier aerial views. Although the image clarity generally gets poorer as you go back in time, it can still be useful when trying to locate a small campsite (like a CS/CL) which may not have had any 'vans on site when the latest pic was taken. Also of course interesting to see how areas have developed over time.

Hi Vic,
What is the "full" Google Earth (neophyte question ).

Thanks,
John

 

[VicMallows]

Hi Vic,
What is the "full" Google Earth (neophyte question ).

I simply meant using the standard Google Earth program on a computer rather that accessing the 'satellite' images via Google Maps or the Earth application on a mobile device (which seems to 'fall-over' frequently on my Android tablet ...so never really had an opportunity to fully explore it).

As an aside, I have noticed that some commercial users (such as estate agents) seem to have access to far more detailed Google maps than those generally available. If you access the map of a property via their site, you can then pan-out to wherever you wish in the world and still have the enhanced detail!

 

[xtrailman]

I've found recently that using google voice to find somewhere is amazing accurate.
Try asking for a campsite by name and location.

 

[VicMallows]

Yes..spooky isn't it!
I worked on speech recognition systems 20yrs ago, and we never dreamt it would get so good so quickly.

 

[waffler]

I have used Google Earth for some years mainly to see junctions etc and gateways and have learnt a few lessons. Firstly check the date on both sat and street view. On a number of occasions I could see the site from the satellite but not the gate in street view. One new one old. I then ask the landowner. On one occasion I couldn’t find the site at all on google but the landowner confirmed its existence. Nightmare when we tried to tow to it! The route was single track with parked cars and then a tight right angled bend. It was on this that we met the dustbin lorry. He shouted he’d move out of the way and promptly slipped into the ditch. We got by and found the site. It was waist high in grass and very soft. So we left, loosing our considerable deposit. The bin men were still there. We apologised, offered a sweet and they reassured us it was not a problem as they were on overtime awaiting the recovery truck.

 

[Raywood]

The street views around here have been updated but they did it during the massive motorway roadworks we have endured so the street view for these may not be a lot of use.

 

[DrZhivago]

I worked on speech recognition systems 20yrs ago, and we never dreamt it would get so good so quickly.

Now you've got me started!

In that case the entities I phone that use speech recognition (often with no alternative) must be using software over 20 years old, because I have great difficulty in getting them to understand what I say, even the difference between "One" and "Two" for example. FWIW I have an "educated" English accent with slight London undertones; goodness knows how people with thick local or foreign accents get on. I always opt for button pressing if I can, I don't know what people find so hard about it.

Worst case was phoning BT to complain about poor line quality. You could only get through via a voice recognition menu, after which, still using voice recognition, they wanted you to state what you were phoning about * . I had to shout and scream through the crackling. What idiot decided to use voice recognition on a service used to complain about poor line quality? I guess they don't want you to get through; I changed my provider to Post Office Phones after that.

* When I did get through to someone it was obviously an Indian call centre, and trying to converse with them was not much better. They did not seem to know what trees (as in "tangled phone wires") are.