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Open Canal Map UK

Open Canal Map UK

Navigation for UK boaters

11 ratings
54 reviews
✈️ Travel
🗺️ Navigation
Free
In-App Purchases

Details

Released
June 8, 2018
Updated
October 1, 2026

Features

Developer

Tom Sapey
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Open Canal Map UK screenshot #1 for iPhone
Open Canal Map UK screenshot #2 for iPhone
Open Canal Map UK screenshot #3 for iPhone
Open Canal Map UK screenshot #4 for iPhone
Open Canal Map UK screenshot #5 for iPhone
Open Canal Map UK screenshot #6 for iPhone
Open Canal Map UK screenshot #7 for iPhone
Open Canal Map UK screenshot #8 for iPhone
Open Canal Map UK screenshot #9 for iPhone
Open Canal Map UK screenshot #10 for iPhone
iphone
ipad
🧾$4.99
In-App Purchase↘︎
📌Ready
Reviews summary↘︎
⭐54
Reviews↘︎
📝4+ tags
Tags↘︎
🔄5+ apps
Alternatives↘︎
❓5 answered
FAQ↘︎
📦~ in 6 days
Updates frequency↘︎
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About

Navigate the UK's waterways with a comprehensive map of canals and rivers. Discover points of interest like locks, services, and commercial amenities. Contribute to the community by adding new locations and keeping the map up-to-date.

✓UK canal and river mapping
✓Points of interest (locks, bridges, services)
✓User contributions and updates
✓Boater services (water, pumpouts)
✓Commercial services for cruisers
✓Automatic map updates
Show original description

What users say about Open Canal Map UK

Reviews of Open Canal Map UK are mixed: the Travel app is rated 4.4/5 from 11 App Store ratings. What users like most: very useful for canal navigation, great interactive maps. Top complaints: ads are intrusive and polluting, location not found after update. Summarized from real user reviews.

Positive things

  • 👍Very useful for canal navigation
  • 🗺️Great interactive maps
  • 💡Rich with information
  • 🆓Free to use
  • 🚀Works well with GPS
  • ✅Useful for planning routes
  • 💯Excellent support
  • 🌟Historical view is interesting
  • 👍Great for novice canal users
  • 📱Works on iPhone and iPad
  • ✨Recent updates are great
  • 👍User interface looks great

Negative things

  • 😠Ads are intrusive and polluting
  • 🐛Location not found after update
  • ⚠️Static info is outdated
  • ❓No mechanism to report errors
  • ⏳Lacks ETA feature
  • 📍Auto-sends map to location, can't stop
  • 📅Data is months out of date
  • 🚫Droitwich canals not updated
  • 🗺️Locks disappeared from Thames
  • 📏Distances only in kilometers
  • ❓No easy way to calculate distance
  • 🖼️No photos for points of interest
  • 📉Preferred old version
  • ❓Half of services only listed
  • 🚫Maps do not load
  • 📏No easy way to calculate start/waypoint distance
  • 📉Mapping difficult and unusable after update
  • 🎨App icon changed, graphics horrid
  • ❌Stopped working on iPad
  • 🚫New update no longer works on phone
  • 📏Text unreadably small on iPhone
  • ❓Blurry Google map overlay
  • ❓No map legend
  • 🚫Report option greyed out
  • ❓What are white dots/random words?
  • 🚧Tow path closure location incorrect
  • 🤔Mobile markers on Thames unclear
See all reviews

What's New in Open Canal Map UK

4.6.0

October 1, 2026

* New measurement tool traces canal routes * Switch between metric and imperial units

1

Subscriptions & In-App Purchases

$4.99

Remove Adverts Permently

One time purchase to remove the adverts from the App.

User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

It used to be good.

It was helpful and useful until they put ads in it and now it’s polluted. Can’t do anything useful with it without an ad getting in your face.
Fferretface99

Love this app but…

Love this app and use it every day that we’re cruising.
SSinMorris

Very useful

I’d already bought this on android and used it while on a week’s holiday along the Shropshire Union canal. Helped us a lot planning routes considering CRT works. Excellent support when I asked for it too (within a couple of hours!)
Iitsmeyetagain

Love this app but…

Love this app and probably use it every day but since it’s been updated with the advert at the beginning (which I don’t mind) my location can longer be found. I’ve checked and my location is definitely on in my settings. This means that on a long cruise I have no idea j how close the next locks, moorings, etc, are because I can’t see where I am.
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SSinMorris

Static Info getting outdated. Use with caution.

I like the app for navigating on the move. However, when a feature such as a water point is closed, it is still shown. There does not seem to be a mechanism for reporting these errors.
Cconstructivefeedbackfrom46
See 49 more reviews

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

11 issues

Location not found after update

Bug

Tow path closure location incorrect

Bug

Locks have disappeared from the Thames map

Bug

App icon changed, graphics horrid

Bug

Stopped working on iPad

Bug

New update no longer works on phone

Bug

Maps do not load

Bug

Report option greyed out

Bug

Text unreadably small on iPhone

Bug

Blurry Google map overlay

Bug

Mapping difficult and unusable after update

Bug
✨

Requested Features

18 requests

Add ETA feature

Feature

Include widths, depths, and air height of canals

Feature

Option to change text size

Feature

Option to switch off blurry Google map overlay

Feature

Add map legends

Feature

Facility to add personal notes

Feature

Incorporate a route planner

Feature

Add pubs and eateries as POI

Feature

Allow users to contribute pubs, shops etc.

Feature

Add a donation button

Feature

Show distance from point to point

Feature

Add photos for points of interest

Feature

Ability to report errors

Feature

Update Droitwich canals

Feature

Add mile markers instead of km

Feature

Include historical map year

Feature

Search function for locations

Feature

Allow users to comment on premises

Feature

FAQ

What does the Open Canal Map UK app do?

This app provides a detailed map of the UK's navigable canals and rivers. It highlights points of interest crucial for boaters, such as navigation aids like locks and bridges, essential services like water points and pumpouts, and commercial amenities relevant to long-term cruising.

What kind of points of interest are included on the map?

The map includes a wide range of points of interest. These cover navigation features (locks, bridges, junctions), boater services (water points, toilet pumpouts), and commercial services (laundry, convenience stores). It also features user-submitted additions like high-quality mooring spots and private marinas.

Is the Open Canal Map UK app free to use?

Yes, the app is completely free to use. It does not have any in-app purchases or advertisements, allowing all users to access its features without cost.

How are new points of interest added to the map?

The map is a community-driven project. Fellow boaters can contribute by adding missing items directly to the map. These user submissions are reviewed and added periodically, ensuring the map remains current and comprehensive.

How does the map update?

The map will auto-update automatically when new points of interest are added by the community. This ensures that users always have access to the most current information available for UK waterways.