Reviewed by Ian Mowll
Do you go rambling, forest bathing or hiking? Well, here is a game changer to help you. In the same way that sat navs have transformed car travel, I am sure that this app (and similar ones) will transform hiking in the same way.
On the website (or app) you can search for a walk using various criteria and filters (location, length, star reviews, difficulty, forest etc) and once you have selected a walk, you can download it to your mobile phone. The mobile phone then uses GPS signals (like a sat nav) to track your progress on the walk. It’s very accurate and when I went on a five-mile forest walk which had many intersecting paths, I did not get lost once. There is no way this would have happened with a map or walking guide, there were just too many paths and unexpected turns to make that possible.
The app needs a certain amount of familiarisation before you do a walk. But there is also a lot more offered in the app such as directions to the start of the walk (via Google Maps), connecting with others and photos taken along the route. You can also upgrade to the paid version and see a 3D preview of the walk which is really impressive, you can get a really good sense of what is entailed in the walk.
I am hopeful that the days of getting lost and backtracking on walks are over and I can relax and enjoy each trip – taking in the wonders of Nature and feeling restored.