Paul Webster wrote:I understand your point of view, you'd prefer to just download a single file and are not so bothered about visiting the stage descriptions and other info on the route.
However, we were contacted by officers from Police Scotland last year, asking us to change the site to try to make users read the safety information provided in each route and stage we feature, as Police MR teams have concerns that it has become too easy to download GPX files from the internet (not specifically Walkhighlands) as their only research, and failing to get other necessary supporting information about routes.
We've added in extra steps to downloading GPX files at their advice, and after I had discussions with one of their officers I don't think we could make a change in the opposite direction. I do realise it's less convenient for you but when using our GPX files you have to go to the relevant pages to get them rather than a bulk download.
Very interesting, and makes a lot of sense. Its also good to know that the police/MR are being proactive in trying to address a potentially growing problem. Even with my only occasional trips to the highlands, I have noticed when chatting in hostels or pubs to folk, a definite increase in folk who simply download a route and drive to the start point without much further thought. They may well carry a paper map as well, but I do sometimes get the impression that they've never looked at it!
I'm sure most people who are intending on doing a long distance route would be doing lots of research and spending time reading everything they can find, so I doubt that having to download stages separately is much of an additional burden. Though I am a luddite, and have never used a GPX file in my life...