GPS!

Up until this point, my rides have ben short enough for me to simply remember the route. This trip meant however that I was going to need an extra bag just for maps or I add a super spangly GPS to my birthday wish list!
Again, after much deliberation and forum hunting, I finally went for a Garmin Etrex Vista HCx. There are other, more cycling specific untis on the market but I want mine solely for navigation and not speed (I have a normal cycle computer for that).
My birthday wish was granted early (thanks parents!) and I took ownership of my new gadget courtesy of http://www.lemon-digital.co.uk/ I also bought a mount which I had to modify to fit on the bike stem. Garmin do a handlebar mount but a) it's pants and b) I wanted to mount it centrally and more securely.

I first had to file the back down so it would fit nicely against the curve of the stem and then drill 2 extra holes before cable tying the mount securely in place!

I have taken it out on a couple of test rides and it is solid as a rock and at a nice viewing angle (luckily) There is also just enough space to squeeze the computer in next to it.

This GPS allows me to load my routes onto it so I can then follow the trail. The world of GPS mapping is extremely complex but I think I have mastered enough of it to get me to where I want to go...