I'm a new user of Inkscape, trying to mark up some cycle routes on OpenStreetMap.
As I want to retain most of the information from OSM, the easiest way seems to be to re-colour roads which form parts of the rides I want to describe.
This is ok so long as the road starts and ends at a road junction, but quite often, I need to change the colour only as far as a side-turning.
I understand how to break a path at selected nodes, but the nodes are still grouped in some way and I can't find out how to break that grouping so that I can modify the properties of part of the path.

Any suggestions?
Thanks
Keith

Welcome to InkscapeForum, Keith!

It's hard to say, without seeing the actual file. But right above Break Apart in the Path menu, is Combine. So that's one method of "grouping". Another way is actually called Group and Ungroup, in the Object menu, or on the command bar. And I have seen in some maps that people have shown us, cloned paths. So "Create clone" and "Cut the clone's link to original" buttons are also on the command bar, just to the left of Group and Ungroup. And also in the Edit menu > Clone. And actually, it does sound like the problem might be clones, if it seems like you can't alter the path/stroke style.

Here's a tip. Select the path which you can't change, with the Selection tool . Then look at the bottom of the Inkscape window in the middle. That's the status bar, which provides a true wealth of info. Different info is shown, depending on which tool you're using. But the Selection tool gives the mose basic, and usually most important info. If it's a clone, it will say something like "Clone of: Path (6 nodes) in layer Layer 1". Or depending on how the map is constructed, it seems possible it might say 'Clone of: Rectangle...'. Or if it's a Group, it will say "Group of 6 paths" or "Group of 3 objects" or something like that.

If you still can't sort it out, please feel free to attach your SVG file to your next reply. Then we can download it, and look into it ourselves. There are some other things that might be happening, but it would make for a long discussion, and it would be easier to just look at the file, and explain only the problem, instead of several possibilities.

I'm guessing you've already thought of simply drawing new paths over top of the map (like using a marker on a printed map)? But I thought I'd mention it, just in case. I think that would be simpler than node editing. At least it would be for me. But I realize we all might have different preferences there

Let us know how it goes

Thanks, brynn.
The key to success was discovering that I needed to 'break apart' the path once I'd used 'break path at selected nodes'.
I'd tried to use 'ungroup' but that was obviously wrong (it didn't work!).
I overlooked path > break apart. That works fine. I'll put that down to my inexperience with Inkscape (which I think is a good tool).

The reason I want to do it this way is that I can accurately and neatly produce a clearly coloured route overlayed on the map.
I did try drawing a new path over the existing one but the results were unpredictable and not always neat.

Now I can produce some very professional route maps - great!

Thanks
Keith

Awesome!
You're welcome