Welcome to the Guild daigh, there are plenty of resources here to help you learn all you want about mapping. You should take a gander over here for a list of programs that people have found useful for mapping from time to time. You can also look through the Finished Maps and WIP (Work In Progress) forums to get an idea of what people are capable of doing, and use that to aid in your program choice. You could also check out the tutorial forum for for guidance on HOW to use some of those programs. Like I said, all kinds of info available...