Talk:State of the Map Europe 2025
Who's Going
Tickets are now available! Once you're booked you may wish to publicly show it by marking yourself as attending on OSM Calendar (OSM login required).
You may also want to share your travel or accommodation plans. It can be fun to meet mappers en-route: chat in departure lounges, assist each other in navigating, or save by sharing accommodation. This was done in previous years.
A special Welcome to Dundee video shows how close public transport is to Abertay University.
Please note this is not part of the official organisation and it is your own responsibility to stay safe sharing information online, only do what you are comfortable with.
Travel
- Transport, departure location, date/time - latter leg of transport if relevant - OSM Username (Real Name).
- Harry Wood didn't book it yet but getting the Caledonian Sleeper up from London on the Thursday night. (I could still share cabin with someone). Train down on Sunday some time.
- train (first class), Karlsruhe Hbf to Paris Est, 13th Nov 07:32 TGV 9578 – Paris Nord, 12:09 ES 9027 - Nakaner
- train (first class), Dundee to London Euston, 16th Nov 21:57 Caledonian Sleeper – London St Pancras Int, 17th Nov 11:31 ES 9022 – Paris Est, 15:55 TGV 9577 - Nakaner
- daytime trains. Thurs 8am BTN->KGX->DEE 4pm, Sun 7:30am DEE->EDI->KGX->BTN 3:30pm Jnicho02 (talk)
Accommodation
- Hotel Awesome - Example User (Mr A Sample)
- Looking to share, happy to split costs of AirBnB - Example User (Mr A Sample)
Potential Thursday/Sunday Morning Mapping Nature Walk
Latest update: Thursday see SK53's Mastodon post
I am seriously considering trying to organise a walk, or other activity, to explore some significant natural landscape local to Dundee on the Thursday before or Sunday after the formal conference. Roughly from 09:00-14:00 including transport time.
As I have COPD, climbing Dundee Law is not suitable for me (at least in an organised event). Particularly attractive and distinctive features of the Scottish coast are dune landscapes. Two are close to Dundee: Barry Links on the N shore of the Tay between Monteith and Carnoustie, and Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve on the S side of the estuary. The first is reachable by train, the second by bus from Dundee. Unfortunately Barry Links is also a military live firing range with unexploded ordnance risk off the asphalt roads. Tentsmuir looks more interesting as it offers a wider range of habitats: lochs, Heath, managed forest, dunes and foreshore. The Tay estuary is also likely to have lots of wintering waterbirds, including many Eider.
- Tentsmuir 1: Bus to customary stop by the Beeches Campsite on the B945 S of Tayport, then E to Morton Lochs on across Morton Links into the forest and then N to the heath/dune area above the shore and back to catch a bus in Tayport. Various distances from 7-10km.
- Tentsmuir 2: if cars or a taxi is used we could walk from the car park N of Leuchers along the shore towards the point and then aim to finish at the car park by Morton Lochs. Up to 10 km.
An alternative much closer to Dundee would be to visit the Dundee University Botanical Garden (fee ~ £5) and look at mapping trees.
These activities need good footwear and a waterproof jacket is a good idea.
Please let me know if you are interested. SK53 (talk) 16:55, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
LastGrape/Gregory has some advice (mainly adjusted advice from locals):
Barry Links: The train is very infrequent, you likely need the bus from Monifieth or Carnoustie, or even from Dundee. "If you are gathering appropriate data for the garden (tree mapping) you may be able to negotiate a free entry to the gardens - have a chat Keith Skeene there." Another option is to walk from Carnoustie along the beach and/or golf course. Carnoustie could do with some urban map attention (as could Monifeth).
"Cycle pathway that is between the golf course and the train line to Monifeth. It is a lovely walk and probably takes a couple of hours. This also takes you to Barry as does the local 73 bus. We kept stopping to forage as there are various types of apple trees as well as wild raspberries."
Riverside Nature park I'm told is good and much closer. Busses along Perth Road. If you get to Invergowrie the "Post House Coffee Co" is good for a drink.
57/59/51 bus North West to Liff/Birkhill for Templeton Woods/Backmuir woods. These could be much shorter walks. Plenty of good coffee shops dotted around the countryside. There's also lots of flat walk options if you get the 57 to Auchterhouse, with the option for some people to summit Scotston Hill or Auchterhouse Hill.
LastGrape/Gregory 16:52, 30 August 2025 (UTC)
Sunday Hackday
A local group organises regular Make/Hack days. They're planning to have a geo-focused one the day after SotM (rather than clash with the conference).
Makers Gonna Make Dundee Free sign-up. The venue is limited to 30 attendees, so make sure you sign-up early.
orienteering
There is a local level orienteering race by Tayside Orienteers on Sunday morning at Camperdown Country Park. Online registration is closed but it should still be possible to register on the day. I plan to do the green course. --Miklcct (talk) 21:11, 13 November 2025 (UTC)