Useful Links
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Useful Links *
USEFUL LINKS
A collection of websites, apps and organisations I’ve found useful for planning walks, preparing for challenges and getting out on the trail. From maps and route planning to safety, inspiration and travel, these are resources worth having bookmarked.
WALKING & HIKING ORGANISATIONS
The official home of the UK’s 15 National Parks. A great starting point for discovering each park, planning a visit and finding inspiration for walking in some of Britain’s most spectacular landscapes — from the Lake District and Peak District to Eryri, the Cairngorms and beyond.
The National Trust looks after hundreds of special places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including coastlines, countryside, woodland and historic estates. Its walking section is particularly useful for finding routes, accessible trails and ideas for your next day out.
Ramblers is a charity, that’s committed to expanding people’s access to nature, protecting our precious paths, improving walking opportunities for everyone and championing walking for greater health and happiness.
MOUNTAIN RESCUE ENGLAND AND WALES
Mountain rescue team members are on call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to recover climbers from precipitous crags, reunite lost walkers with their pals and ensure injured and sick casualties are safely delivered into vital hospital care. But they also regularly help search for missing children and vulnerable adults, on and off the hills, whilst administering sympathetic support to their families. They search river banks and swift water, and wade chest-deep through flooded urban streets aiding swimmers, kayakers and devastated homeowners.
MAPS & ROUTE PLANNING
My go-to app for planning and following walking routes in the UK. OS Maps gives you access to detailed Ordnance Survey mapping, route planning tools and thousands of suggested walks. I use it regularly when planning my own hikes and challenges.
A useful app for discovering new walks and seeing routes shared by other walkers. I use AllTrails alongside OS Maps when researching hikes, checking route ideas and seeing what other people have experienced on the trail. As with any user-generated route, I’d always recommend checking it against a reliable map before heading out.
FIRST AID
Knowing some basic first aid can make a real difference when you’re out walking, particularly in more remote areas. The British Red Cross offers practical first aid advice and training, including guidance on dealing with common injuries and emergencies.
PUBLICATIONS
LIVE FOR THE OUTDOORS
Live for The Outdoors is created by the teams behind Trail and Trail Running, the UK’s biggest and most influential hillwalking and hiking magazines. Plus Country Walking, the UK’s leading magazine for walkers.
Trail Magazine has been the leading authority on UK hillwalking and backpacking for more than 30 years.
Country Walking From breath-taking landscapes to hidden gems, we'll inspire you to explore, connect with nature, and improve your well-being.
WALKING INSPIRATION & INFORMATION
The Walking Post was founded by Lucy Maddison and Emily Morrison, enthusiastic weekend walkers who regularly head out of London by train to explore the varied countryside of Surrey, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire and beyond. Their website has tons of useful and accessible ideas for walking routes out of London, particularly using public transport.
I’ve also featured one of their long-distance routes, the North to South London Trail, here on Walking in Circles. We regularly support and cross-promote each other, so they’re well worth checking out for more walking inspiration.
A simple challenge with a great idea behind it: walk an average of just 2.74 miles a day and you'll cover 1,000 miles in a year. A brilliant way to build more walking into everyday life, with a supportive community to help keep you motivated.
A huge free resource for finding walking routes across England, Wales and Scotland. Particularly useful when you’re looking for route ideas in a specific area, with walks ranging from straightforward countryside outings to more challenging hill and mountain routes.
TRAVEL & TRANSPORT
Essential for planning London journeys by Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line, bus and other public transport. Particularly useful for getting to and from London walks — including, of course, the London Monopoly Tour.
A handy way to plan rail journeys, check live train times and buy tickets for travel across the UK and Europe. Useful when planning walks that start and finish at different stations.
If you regularly travel by train for walks around London and the South East, a Network Railcard can save up to a third on eligible leisure journeys. Particularly useful for many of the routes featured by Walking Post.