flickr © binaryape

source: flickr © binaryape

Ordnance Survey is a great British institution. Established in 1791 to map southern England for defence purposes, Ordnance Survey has been the BIG name in mapping ever since. Its maps not only served the military but were also used for commercial purposes, and eventually for leisure. Hikers have been using Ordnance Survey maps to find walking routes ever since recreational walking became popular. The ubiquitous, orange, fold-out Explorer maps have been the companion of trekkers for decades.

Today, Ordnance Survey is leading a technological revolution with its digital mapping service for electronic route finders, mobile phones and map websites. Its own website is packed with free resources including a useful walking route finder. You just type in a village or town where you want to go walking and the finder returns a list of walks pinpointed on its highly detailed maps. The walks are suggested by fellow walking enthusiasts so you always know they are tried and tested walking routes.

There are loads of great websites in cyberspace and they all suggest great walking routes. But the reliability and trustworthiness of Ordnance Survey and the detail of the mapping means you can really assess the worthiness of a walk before you embark on a walking route.

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