I’m switching off from everything... except for my route!

Learn how to prepare your activities with precision and navigate them safely

Hello! I’m Lena Berger, I’m 47 years old and a keen mountain explorer.

This weekend I’ve set myself the challenge of discovering a new area that I’ve been wanting to explore for some time. I don’t know it, so I want to prepare my route without complications and with the peace of mind of knowing that everything is under control. I’ll do it using the tools of the TwoNav Ecosystem.

I’m going to explain my tips for preparing and navigating my activities in a practical and straightforward way.

Lena Berger
Hiking and MTB enthusiast

Lena Berger
Hiking and MTB enthusiast

LET’S GET STARTED!

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Prepare your route > Navigate your route > Share the experience

In search of inspiration

As I don’t know the area, instead of starting from scratch and drawing out my itinerary from zero, to gain confidence and get off on the right foot, I’ll use routes from other users in this area as my starting point.

Then I’ll look for detailed maps of the place and mark the most interesting spots in the area. I’ll show you how to do it!

1. Komoot

There are plenty of enthusiasts who have already been there before me and have walked those same trails, so I make the most of their experience and connect to Komoot to compare routes and find several alternatives.

A tip: Don’t settle for the first route you find—review all the options Komoot offers you and compare different routes by looking at the most important data the platform provides: activity duration, gradient, total ascent…

I’ll show you how to do it:

Connect your Komoot routes

2. Wikiloc

It never hurts to browse other platforms too—this way you widen the available options and discover routes that might not appear among the first results. As well as Komoot, in my case I’ll also go to Wikiloc, another very popular platform, to explore routes that other users have already recorded in my area and to check their ratings and comments.

Review several suggestions and compare them with each other. Also look at the photos and reviews to get a clearer idea of the route before deciding which one best fits your plan.

I’ll show you how to do it:

Download routes from Wikiloc

3. TwoNav public routes

TwoNav also has its own online route platform. There you’ll find thousands of routes that other enthusiasts have chosen to share with the TwoNav community.

They’re routes from all over the world and for many different sports (hiking, mountaineering, MTB, road cycling, cycle touring, trail running...) that you can download for free to plan your next outing.

I’ll show you how to do it:

Download routes from TwoNav

4. Other online route servers

As well as Komoot and Wikiloc, two of the most powerful platforms, Land also gives me access to other online route servers, where I’ll also take a look and search for routes in the area I want to explore.

It’s not about copying blindly, but about finding existing routes that provide a solid base on which I’ll build my own itinerary. Once you’ve selected your route, Land will open it directly in the main window on top of a free base map of the area.

I’ll show you how to do it:

Download routes from other online servers

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Adapting the route to me

As this is a new area for me, I want to make sure I’m working with reliable maps that provide detailed information about the location. That way, I can explore the area more confidently, understanding the terrain and its gradients.

With a quality map, it will also be easier to modify my route and redirect it through other places, with the reassurance of knowing the area well.

1. Find the most suitable map of the area

In addition to the free worldwide maps provided by Land, the route planner also gives me access to more specialised cartography from publishers and national geographic institutes in each country. There are many types of maps; I’ll use the ones that provide the most useful information to better understand the area I’ll be travelling through.

A good map will allow me to work on the route in Land with greater insight… and once it’s ready, I’ll be able to use the same map on my TwoNav device to navigate it. If you’re new to maps, I recommend learning about the different types so you can choose the best one for your routes.

I’ll show you how to do it:

Learn about map types and their differences

Find quality maps for your area

Buy offline maps

Install your purchased maps in Land

Maps Plus: High-quality maps

2. Create a waypoint database for the area

Once I have the right map and an initial route proposal, I create a small database by marking the most relevant points of interest in the area: water sources, junctions, shelters, viewpoints or any other useful reference.

This way, when I head out to explore, I’ll always have key information at hand, I’ll find it easier to orient myself and I’ll gain a better understanding of the environment I’m moving through.

I’ll show you how to do it:

Create your own waypoints

Move, copy or delete waypoints

3. Edit the route track

Although the downloaded route is a good base, I always review and modify it to suit my physical condition and effort level. First, I’ll add an optional visit, so I have a plan B if I’m making good time. Finally, in the last section I’ll change the original track and redirect it onto a more accessible path with less gradient.

In your case, once you have a quality map of the area, you can also generate your own itinerary by extending, shortening or adding alternative shortcuts to the route, with the confidence of having a solid understanding of the terrain you’ll be travelling through.

I’ll show you how to do it:

Edit your route track

Add alternative paths to your route

Create your own route from scratch

4. Add roadbook points

Although I’ve already adapted the route to my needs, I now want to take it one step further: I want to turn my route into a roadbook.

Converting the route into a roadbook allows me to add manoeuvres at key junctions, turn-offs or uncertain points where it’s easy to make a mistake. I make sure that during navigation I won’t have any doubts and I’ll be able to consult these notes on the screen. This way, I don’t rely solely on the track line; I have references written by myself that make the itinerary clearer and safer.

If you wish, you can also use this tool to mark other points of interest along the track, such as water sources, shelters, viewpoints or villages…

I’ll show you how to do it:

Enhance your route with roadbook points

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Route analysis and difficulty

Once I’ve planned the route, before I consider it finished, it’s important to spend a few minutes analysing its difficulty and assessing the critical points along the way. That way, we’ll know whether the track we’ve drawn up is manageable.

We should also pay close attention to factors outside our route, such as the weather, ground conditions or the time available, so we avoid unnecessary risks before heading out.