ViewRanger puts Ireland in the palm of your hand.

Ireland has some of the most unspoilt natural backdrops in the world ranging from mountainous peninsulas to rugged coastline. Now for the first time it is possible to explore this beautiful country with the convenience of high quality Ordnance Survey Ireland mapping on your smartphone using ViewRanger, an easy-to-use off-road satellite navigation system.

The Republic of Ireland offers a great diversity of scenery with over 3,000 km of way marked trails around loughs and glens, mountains and moorlands.  ViewRanger provides high resolution Ordnance Survey Ireland 1:50,000 scale maps with contours, roads, paths and tracks clearly displayed.  In addition, tourist and leisure information such as historic sites, viewpoints, golf courses and picnic sites are also indicated. 

Other features include ‘Buddy Beacon’ for keeping track of friends on the hills and a sports computer for comparing routes and performance, which all add a new dimension to outdoor navigation and contribute to the enjoyment of the great outdoors.  You can even take advantage of the phone’s camera to attach pictures and videos to locations on the map and share them with the world.

The award-winning ViewRanger software, developed by Augmentra, is fast becoming a ‘must have’ item for a wide range of outdoor enthusiasts and weekenders, as Hugh Mangan, Product Development Manager for Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi), explains:  “We worked with Augmentra on the ‘StreetSmart’ Dublin Guide two years ago, which has proved extremely popular. The addition of topographic maps means that every part of Ireland can now be explored with detailed digital mapping on a GPS-phone.”

“With the introduction of OSi topographic maps, ViewRanger is ideal for outdoor lovers, whether enjoying a one day loop, a forest walk, or a long distance hike.”

Craig Wareham of Augmentra said, “Discovering Ireland on foot, horseback or by bike is a great experience.  Now, with ViewRanger and OSi mapping, tourists to Ireland and Irish residents alike can map, navigate, and share their outdoor adventures easily and conveniently.”

“Map tiles can be individually selected and downloaded over-the-air via the mobile network. This is useful if you are exploring different parts of Ireland and want topographical mapping of a specific area downloaded directly and instantly to your phone.”

Users can add larger areas of high resolution Irish topographic maps from just £20 for a 5,000-sq km section of Ireland through the ‘Self Select Mapping’ option from the ViewRanger website, while the whole of Ireland is available for £120.

Any StreetSmart customer can enjoy a free upgrade to the latest version of ViewRanger software, as StreetSmart’s detailed street maps and tourist information is compatible with the ViewRanger software. 

ViewRanger software continues to win accolades and has been enthusiastically received in the press. It also offers a unique Christmas gift idea for friends and family who enjoy the outdoors - and you can download specific map tiles to personalise things further.

- ENDS -

Notes for editors

ViewRanger software requires a Symbian S60 compatible phone, such as a smartphone from Nokia or Samsung.  ViewRanger maps and software are available pre-installed on a memory card, allowing ViewRanger to be used straight away without requiring a connection to a PC; via web download from www.viewranger.com; or through mobile channels including Nokia Software Market and Orange App Store.

Detailed topographic maps, sourced from national mapping agencies, can be downloaded in ViewRanger for a growing global community including Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Ireland, Slovenia and Switzerland.