All of Great Britain
Eco-Friendly Running Shoes: Repair, Don’t Replace!
Extend the life of your running shoes by making simple and effective repairs - make your trainers more eco-friendly!
Get to the Gym v Get Outside
Why you should bin the gym and get outside instead if you want to boost your mental and physical wellbeing this winter
The Benefits of Joining a Group
Need Motivation to Get Outside? Find out all the amazing benefits of joining a group to help motivate you to get outside more!
Christmas Walk Ideas & Inspiration!
Christmas Walk Inspiration! Where will you go on your traditional Christmas or Boxing Day walk this year? We have 12 great ideas and 1000's more on our OS Maps App to try!
Embracing Mindfulness in Nature During Winter
Learn how to practice mindfulness in nature and the benefits it will have on your mental wellbeing
How to become a Winter Weekend Warrior!
Having some winter treats in your calendar can really help to lift your mood. Make a decision today to become a Winter Weekend Warrior and banish the winter blues!
No Excuses: Practical TIPS for Exercising in Winter
Are you full of excuses when it comes to getting outside in winter? Read our list of top winter exercising tips to keep safe and get energised this winter
The Proven Health Benefits of Getting Outside in Winter
Don't let winter get you down! Get Outside and start reaping the proven mental and physical benefits of spending just 2 hours a week in nature
What makes you a runner? My experience with Imposter Syndrome in running
What makes you a runner? OS Champion Crystal Silver talks openly about her imposter syndrome in running despite being an experienced marathon and ultra runner!
Walking in Snow
With cold weather expected to hit Britain over the next few days, here's a quick guide to walking in snow from hiker, snowboarder and OS GetOutside Champion Jonathan Elder.
Outdoorsy Christmas Gift Ideas from Ordnance Survey Champions!
Need some Christmas Gift Inspiration? Our OS Champions have picked out some great outdoorsy gift ideas for your adventure loving friends and family
8 Beautiful Places to Paddleboard in England, Scotland and Wales
8 Beautiful Places to Paddleboard in the UK! We share beautiful locations hand picked by SUP Expert Jo Moseley with top launch and safety tips
Five Firework Free Dark-Sky Locations for a Serene Bonfire Night
This guide explores top stargazing spots, and how to find them with OS Maps, where the beauty of the night sky becomes the highlight
Running in Squares (OS Map Squares!)
Martin set himself a challenge to run through the 400 1 km squares in a 1:25.000 OS map centered on his home in Topsham, Devon...
OS Test The Best Lightweight Head Torch – Silva Smini & Smini Fly
Our intrepid OS Champions review the NEW Smini Headtorch and Smini Fly Headtorch - take a look at their in depth reviews
Opening Nature’s Doors: Debbie North’s Mission for Accessibility
Debbie North 's passion for accessible adventures and dedication to breaking down barriers have inspired many. She has recently released a brand new book.
Horror Film Locations in the UK
UK Horror Film Locations: With Halloween around the corner, why not explore some routes passing real-life locations from iconic horror films using Ordnance Survey’s OS Maps?
Wild Swimming & Paddling Adventures by Train
Wild Swimming & Paddling by Train! Fi Derby shares her advice on getting outside for adventures by train wherever you are in the UK
Why do people run Marathons?
Why do people run marathons? Ordnance Survey has teamed up with our friends at APB Southampton Marathon to explore all the reasons...
Monday’s are for Mountains – meet Solo Hiker Claire Edwards
A Life More Adventurous: meet Claire Edwards, a solo hiker who shares her story and some great advice and routes for anyone wanting to go it alone in the mountains
Wild Swimming Safety – Keep safe whilst wild swimming
Wild Swimming Safety - Are you worried about trying wild swimming? Learn how to keep safe when wild wild swimming with our OS Champions
Planning a walking route in 5 easy steps
The Best Walking Route Planner and Guide to planning your own walking route Jonathan from the OS Team outlines how you can get started and find new walking routes with the help of a walking route planner.
Let’s celebrate hills and mountains named after boobs!
Hills named after Boobs! A list of hills and mountains in the British Isles that are named after or shaped like breasts...
Which GPS device do you need?
If you’re considering buying a GPS device, you’ll be probably be comparing dozens of models with hundreds of features. Here’s our guide to finding the best GPS. We look at handheld and wearable GPS devices for walking, hiking, running, cycling and off-grid adventures.
How to Avoid Blisters When Hiking
How to avoid blisters when hiking! Learn how to ensure you don't get a blister on your next hike
Most Popular National Parks: Britain’s favourite routes
Most popular National Parks in Britain! Using real Ordnance Survey Data we compile a list of Britain's top route locations for outdoor adventures.
Top Trigs – What’s Your Favourite Trig Point in the UK?
What's Your Favourite Trig Point? Our OS Champions have been sharing their Top Trigs, which is yours and why send in a pic of your favourite Trig!
Embracing Eco-Adventure: Sustainable Outdoor Pursuits in the UK
Ordnance Survey Champion Isaac Kenyon will be exploring what an eco-adventure is, share best practices for eco-friendly outings, highlight destinations that prioritise sustainability, and offer tips for reducing your environmental footprint while exploring the great outdoors in the UK.
Best self-guided day walks for holidays in the UK
The YHA showcase 10 of the best self-guided walks from YHA Hostels, perfect for holidays in the UK. Each circular walk makes a great day out.
Map Puzzles for Adults & Children with Free Download
Download your free Map Puzzle samples and test yourself and your family on your map reading skills!
OS Test The Best: Lightweight Running Jacket
OS TEST THE BEST Lightweight Running Jacket: Mac In A Sac Venture Ultralite Running Jacket Review. Our OS Champions have been putting this new hiking and running jacket through its paces.
Is Wild Camping Legal in England & Wales?
Is wild camping legal in England and Wales and can you get into trouble wild camping? Read our advice and wild camping code
Paddle Boarding Tips – A beginner’s guide to stand-up paddle boarding
Looking for Paddle Boarding Tips? Read our complete beginners guide to SUP and SUP Essentials for safety on rivers, lakes and by the sea
A Bridleway Map in Your Pocket: Ten of the Best BHS Horse Riding Routes
Top 10 Bridleways in the UK! Whether you’re asking: ‘where are the bridleways near me?’ or planning a hack further afield, the British Horse Society’s riding routes are a fantastic resource!
Beginners guide to choosing a GPS device
Would you like to use a walking, running or cycling GPS device to make your outdoor activities easier, safer or more fun but don't know where to start? This GPS guide looks at different features and functions to help you choose a GPS device most suited to you.
How Can Festivals Be More Sustainable?
How can festivals be more sustainable? Take a look at 5 festivals that are taking sustainability seriously
Mountain Safety in the Summer
Mountain Safety: Ordnance Survey, Mountain Rescue England and Wales and the Met Office join forces to offer some great advice on summer safety in the mountains.
Britain’s weirdest local nicknames
Britain is treasure-trove of the weird, wonderful and occasionally rude place name, so we thought we'd pick out a few of our favourite of the weirdest local nicknames.
Try these 14 Routes with your TCS London Marathon MyWay Adventure
Complete the TCS London Marathon wherever you wish with 14 virtual OS Maps routes to try.
Wander through words: amazing walks inspired by Britain’s favourite books, authors and characters
Explore enchanting literary walks in Britain, from the Brontë Sisters' Haworth in West Yorkshire to J.K. Rowling's Edinburgh. Hear the stories behind Britain’s favourite books and authors and recommended routes combining literature with breath-taking landscapes.
Best Christmas walks
Christmas and New Year offer so many reasons to put on your walking boots and head out into the great outdoors. Whether it’s to breathe in the refreshing winter air or to walk off your Christmas dinner, there’s nothing like a festive stroll. To help you find one near you, here are some of our most popular.
10 best pub walks in Great Britain
There’s nothing better than incorporating a stop at a nearby pub when out on a walk with friends and family. Reward yourself with a refreshing drink or warm up in front of the fire. Here are 10 of the best pub walks across Great Britain.
Walks for all types of weather
The Met Office team share their favourite walking and running routes across the UK and tells us how they differ across the seasons. Find walks for different weather conditions from the weather experts.
Top 100 largest parks in Britain
Whether you seek nature, history, a place to play or just a moment of quiet, parks have something extraordinary to offer. Here are the top 100 largest parks in Britain.
Ramblers wellbeing walks
Discover Ramblers Wellbeing Walks; over 50,000 walks taking place all over the country to help improve the nations health and happiness. Here are some of the best Wellbeing Walks for you to join or try in your own time.
Timmy Mallett cycles Britain
Explore this interactive map of Timmy Mallett’s cycle ride around Britain. See the paintings he's done on route to showcase his love for Britain's coastline.
Areas of Natural Beauty
OS Champion, Anita Kerwin-Nye, set herself the challenge to visit all areas of natural beauty in England with her family. Here are 10 of her favourite areas including information on where to go and a recommended walk.
10 outstanding circular walks
Discover Britain’s 10 best circular walks for a great day out. Featured in the OS Pathfinder Guides, each walk provides key information like where to park, where to eat and what to see on route.
Ramblers walks: top routes across Britain
Our friends at the Ramblers share their favourite walks from The Ramblers Handbook. With routes for every season, these leisurely day walks will guide you around Britain through picturesque locations to soak up stunning scenery as you go.
Best woodland walks
From family-friendly forest parks to less-trodden ancient woodlands, here are the best woodland walks in the UK which are not to be missed.
A beginner’s guide to trail running
Looking to get more from your runs? Enjoy one of the many benefits of trail running and discover new paths near you. Our beginner's guide to trail running will help get you started.
10 best paddling routes
British Canoeing share their best paddle routes across the UK that you must try. These recommended paddle trails can be found on OS Maps, making it easier to navigate and plan your next on-the-water adventure.
Best fishing spots in Britain
Eight million people in England and Wales live within five minutes’ walk of somewhere to go fishing. We take a look at some of the best fishing spots near you and offer some advice on how to enjoy them year round.
Best climbing crags in Britain
Britain is home to over 47,000 rock climbing routes that are free to use, from dramatic sea cliffs in Cornwall to the rugged mountains in Snowdonia. Bethany, from the OS Team, shares her best climbing crags in Britain for you to enjoy and explains how to find crags near you.
5 of the best places to walk and swim
What could be better than walking to your favourite wild swimming spot, taking a refreshing dip and drying off on your walk back. This new fitness craze will see you exploring new places while staying fit and healthy throughout the summer. Here are some of our favourite wild swim walks.
Beginners guide to using a compass
Even with a GPS in your phone, it's important to know how to use a compass just in case technology fails or visibility is poor. Here's a step-by-step beginner's guide to using a compass, so you can learn the basics of how to navigate with a map.
25 island adventures in Britain for families
Having explored over 600 islands in Britain, Lisa Drewe shares some of her top family-friendly island adventures in Britain, plus recommended walking routes. Whether you are a hiker, sand-castle maker, beach lover, wildlife watcher or just have a curious mind, these family-friendly adventures will help make a great tip.
A guide to hills and mountains in the UK and Ireland
Do you know your Munros from your Corbetts? The Adventure Patch Company tell us about hill bagging and explain some of the better and lesser known hills and mountain classifications in the UK and Ireland.
Most popular walking routes in OS Maps
OS Maps users have been busy over the last six months, following thousands of routes and saving their favourites. To help inspire your next adventure, we’re sharing the top 10 most popular walking route. All these routes are Trusted Routes, so they’ve been tried and tested by our partner experts up and down the nation, guaranteeing a great walk.
10 best dog walks
Walking your dog on the same path each day can get boring, so why not mix things up and plot new routes to enjoy with your four-legged friend. We’ve found some of the best places to walk your dog and picked 10 best dog-friendly routes, tried and tested by our OS Champions and their canine companions.
The best ‘hidden’ places to visit in Britain
Daniel Start, author of the award-winning Wild Guide guidebook series, reveals his favourite all-time hidden and wild spots to visit across Britain. Here are some ideas for the perfect adventure, pitstops included!
10 best bluebell walks
There’s no denying that spring is one of the best times to get out and about. Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are one of the most iconic spring flowers and you can usually find them in April and May. We’ve rounded up some of the best short bluebell walks across Britain where you’re guaranteed to find these beautiful lilac flowers.
Top urban hills that are worth the climb
Hills make a great place to walk. You'll benefit from an excellent workout and when you reach the top, will be rewarded with some great views. Here are our top urban hills that are worth the climb. Find hills near you.
Top 20 romantic walks
Whether you're madly in love or a happy singleton, you can plan a romantic walk with a beloved partner, family or four-legged friend at any time of year - a must on Valentine's Day! Discover the best romantic walks across Great Britain and find one near you near you.
Homemade Christmas decorations
Get crafty this Christmas with these festive decoration ideas made from things you'd find outside. These natural Christmas decks are suitable for the whole family to make!
Winter cycling guide
Winter can be a challenge to get out on two wheels, especially if you have a new bike or are new to cycling. Helen Pollard gives us her top tips to keep your wheels turning in this guide to cycling in winter.
Best UK locations to fossil hunt and spot wildlife
There are many fantastic locations in the UK for you to discover the fossilised remains of those that came before us, or admire the beauty of today's wildlife in its natural environment. Here are a few of our favourites.
Top 10 English Heritage castles
English Heritage protects and preserves some amazing historical buildings across the country. They asked their Facebook fans for their favourite British castles for a great day out. Here's the 10 best English Heritage castles to visit with the whole family.
Best British locations for surfing
One of the many benefits of living on an island is the sea! Here are seven of our favourite surf spots in Britain for you to take to the waves.
50 of the best day trips across GB
Whether it's a single day trip, or a series of long weekends, there's some epic things to see and do outside across Great Britain. The OS GetOutside Champions bring you 50 of the best day trip ideas!
Sensory walks
We’ve teamed up with the national charity Sense to support their work on a programme of sensory walks. Find out how you can better connect with nature and get the most from your next walk.
Danger Areas
If you’ve been using OS Maps’ ‘standard’ mapping recently, you may have noticed we’ve added some places marked as ‘Danger Area’. Find out more about what they are and what you can do on them here.
Five fantastic walks with kids
GetOutside Champions Jen & Sim Benson are massive advocates of an outdoor family lifestyle in the Great British outdoors. Their fantastic new book '100 Great Walks with Kids' is packed with woodland adventures, tasty treks, trails through time, mini mountains and wildlife wanders for the whole family to enjoy!
A beginner’s guide to running
Whether it’s around the block, to the shop, or a full scale marathon, there is no doubt that running is good for you. This beginner’s guide to running will help you get started.
10 best spring walks
Whether you’re looking to find beautiful bluebells, delicious wild garlic, or cute newborn lambs, our 10 best spring walks will help you do just that.
10 best city walks
The vast majority of us in Great Britain live in urban areas. Our cities have such an eclectic mix of people, cultures, skylines and history to enjoy. So, take a wander around the streets or your local park, find some new street art, and uncover the hidden histories that make up the cities we call home. Here's our selection of 10 of the best city walks.
Walks to keep your feet dry
During wetter months there may be a fair bit of mud on the trails, which can turn a leisurely stroll into a slippery mud bath. Some routes do remain relatively mess-free - you just have to know where to go! Our OS GetOutside Champions share their tried and tested walks to keep your feet dry.
10 best UK hill walks for beginners
Despite a reputation for rainy weather and small mountains, the UK is an excellent place for hill walking. It has many National Parks and protected areas where nature is preserved and worth a visit. So here's 10 of the best UK hill walks for beginners to take in the beautiful landscapes.
Five of the spookiest uk & ireland walks
Give yourself an authentic fright night experience with these walks around the spookiest places in the UK!
10 best sunset views
We spoke to our OS GetOutside Champions about their favourite places in Britain to watch sunset. It was hard to choose a favourite so here’s ten of the best sunset views with details on how to get there.
38 of the spookiest place names in the uk
For Halloween, we've dug out 38 of the spookiest place names we can find across the UK... can you add any more?
Top 5 accessible walks
Debbie North, from Access The Outdoor Guide, uses a variety of off-road mobility wheelchairs to access the countryside and wants to inspire other less-mobile users to do the same through accessible wheel-friendly walks. Here are five of her favourites.
National cycle network added to os maps!
We’re pleased to announce that we’re are teaming up with Sustrans to create a brand new free layer in the OS Maps app. That’s 16,575-miles of brand new traffic-free and quiet on road cycling and walking routes to explore!
Top tips for winter navigation
You might be able to rely on basic navigation skills and gadgets in summer but now winter is in full swing you need to ensure that you have the skills to still have a great day whatever the conditions.
How to shower with hot water in middle of nowhere
Spending time in the outdoors camping or hiking is fun until you're in need a hot shower, and don't know where to get one. Here are 8 ways of having a hot shower while out in the wilderness.
5 UK beaches for your bank holiday staycation
A staycation is the perfect opportunity to kick back and relax for a few days. If you’re dreaming of escaping to coastal views and brilliant surf, the great news is that you may not have to venture very far. Here are our favourite beaches across the UK.
Best road views in Britain
To mark the release of our brand new road maps, we discovered our favourite road views in the UK. Take a look at our top recommendations for that awe-inspiring driving view.
Visit Britain without a car
Fancy staying local this summer? Want to go on holiday or day trip but leave the hassle and stress of driving at home? Pack your bags, leave your car at home and make the most of what Britain has to offer.
Unexpected wild animals in britain – part 1
When you #GetOutside in the UK, you expect to see plenty of native birds, squirrels and rabbits, and if you are lucky a roe deer or even a badger – but there are plenty of weird and wonderful wild animals if you know where to look…
Pooch perfect pubs & promenades
Discover some of the Britain's best dog-friendly pub walks - complete with routes!
Spring scenery around britain
Discover some of Britain's favourite seasonal walking spots and indulge yourself with colourful spring scenery.
7 unusual sports played in great britain
When you consider the quintessential British summer, it probably involves garden parties, canapés and…bog snorkelling? Fancy trying something new this year?
Britain: then and now
Ever wondered what some of the most well-known areas of Britain used to look like? We’ve taken a look at how some of our favourite cities and towns have changed over the years.
10 best places to horse ride in the uk
There are many excellent and exciting horse riding routes in the UK, which are suitable for all ability levels. Discover the 10 best routes...
Discover more with national parks fortnight
Britain's 15 National Parks offer outdoor activities from sightseeing to extreme sports. Read our 30 second intro to each one here.
Beginners’ guide to fossil hunting
This beginner's guide to fossil hunting takes a look at the best places to find fossils in the UK and explains how and when to find them. Get some advice from a professional and find out what you need to start searching for fossils near you.
Top 5 Dark Sky locations in Great Britain
There are many dark sky locations across the UK, with most being publicly accessible and recognised as some of the best in the world. Here are our top five locations to go stargazing. So, grab your camera and enjoy the view!