Examples of Custom Map Styles

If our ready-to-use maps don’t quite do the job, we can quickly create a custom map for you.

Just need to overlay your own information? You can do that with all our ready-to-use maps

Create a highly customised map that supports your specific use case

1. CUSTOM EXAMPLE: Mountain trekking

User priorities:

  • Quickly locate mountains: make icons large and clear
  • Easily see difficulty rating of paths: boost path highlighting
  • Make navigation easy in various lighting conditions: use high contrast colours
A map showing large icons for mountains

2. CUSTOM EXAMPLE: Activity map

User priorities:

  • Quickly see all road and running routes: remove cycle-only paths
  • Support different activity types: highlight relevant points of interest
  • Make navigation easy: clearly show green space vs urban
A map with highlighted pois

3. CUSTOM EXAMPLE: Snowmobile map

User priorities:

  • Quickly see all snowmobile routes: de-prioritise other routes
  • Make sure snowmobilers know their location: prioritise route shields and labels (in French)
  • Show live state of routes: include hazard warnings and closed routes
  • Use appropriate colours for seasonal winter activity: create winter style

You can see this route live at FCMQ.

Thunderforest have provided the base layer. FCMQ have overlaid all the snowmobile information.

[Take a screenshot from the live site?] Zoom Screenshot 2025-01-30 at 11.09.35.png Screenshot 2025-01-30 at 11.09.35.png 8.32 MB View full-size Download

4. CUSTOM MAP: Rescue map

User priorities:

  • Quickly see where they are in bright sunlight: use high-contrast style
  • Emphasise route labels: use clear labels visible even at low zoom
  • Quickly spot terrain: use clear terrain styling to show mountains, forest and low land

https://www.thunderforest.com/preview/satmap-adventure/#zoom=10&lat=56.5581&lon=-3.539 Zoom Screenshot 2025-01-30 at 11.18.41.png Screenshot 2025-01-30 at 11.18.41.png 4.77 MB View full-size Download

5. CUSTOM MAP: Dark Mode

User priorities:

  • Respect Dark Mode preference
  • Easily differentiate between water and land
  • Enjoy accurate and interesting map style

https://www.thunderforest.com/preview/fatherio-3af/#zoom=7&lat=44.551&lon=-80.51 Zoom Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.24.00.png Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.24.00.png 2.63 MB View full-size Download

Make small changes to one of our ready-to-use maps

1. Lightly customised version of our neighbourhood map

  • Make cycle paths blue
  • Add one-way arrows
  • Other small details

https://www.thunderforest.com/preview/drakewell-b3i/#zoom=13&lat=51.2189&lon=4.4253 Zoom Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.36.56.png Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.36.56.png 3.03 MB View full-size Download

2. Lightly customised version of OpenCycleMap

  • Remove map highlighting

https://www.thunderforest.com/preview/mapsherpa-cycle/#zoom=16&lat=51.5095&lon=-0.09802 Zoom Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.42.45.png Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.42.45.png 3.39 MB View full-size Download

3. Lightly customised version of Outdoors map

  • Remove hiking routes (so can overlay own route)
  • Remove specified labels and icons

https://www.thunderforest.com/preview/matynka-e2z/#zoom=12&lat=44.127&lon=10.4832 Zoom Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.45.38.png Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.45.38.png 7.21 MB View full-size Download

Create a custom background map

1. Create a simple background layer to overlay air traffic control information

https://www.thunderforest.com/preview/nats-ft4/#zoom=7&lat=36.842&lon=-2.28 Zoom Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.53.56.png Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.53.56.png 1.3 MB View full-size Download

2. Low-contrast style to overlay financial information

https://www.thunderforest.com/preview/panopticon-ri6/#zoom=11&lat=53.3446&lon=-6.4504 Zoom Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.56.07.png Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.56.07.png 1.85 MB View full-size Download

3. Create customised ground-tiles base map

You can see this route live at: Windfinder Zoom Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.57.37.png Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 09.57.37.png 7.52 MB View full-size Download

Start from scratch

If you have a project that needs something entirely novel - for example a map with no roads, or a fantasy map set in medieval times, or something distinctly different - we can do that too.

For completely unique maps, we can start from a blank sheet, and build every detail starting from scratch.

It’s unusual for us to do this, but the option is there if you need it. If you’re considering this, we’re intrigued to hear more.

Have you seen our film-inspired Spinal Map?

Zoom Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 10.40.36.png Screenshot 2025-02-03 at 10.40.36.png 5.31 MB View full-size Download

See Thunderforest Custom mapping: what’s involved to get started on your custom map.