In England, we’re blessed with over 116,000 miles of public rights of way, giving us remarkable access to the countryside. Although much of this network crosses private land, the public have had the right to use the paths since time immemorial. It’s one of the (many) joys of hiking in England — you’ll likely be walking on pilgrims’ ways, drovers’ roads and corpse roads used by humans since the Stone Age.
The paths may not always be visible on the ground, if you’re standing in front of a freshly ploughed field, for example. So how do we find our way?
The most obvious physical markers are the fingerposts and waymarkers placed at regular intervals along routes. But it also pays to carry a map. Ordnance Survey (OS) Explorer maps are the gold standard here (and the maps we use at Foot Trails). They show every public right of way as well as all the other information you need to walk the footpaths and byways of England. For many, though, map reading can feel daunting, which is why phones and navigation apps have become so popular in recent years.
As useful as they are, relying on a phone has its downsides. Rural coverage can be patchy and there are many places where you may lose signal completely. Regularly checking a phone can also draw your attention away from the beauty of your surroundings, and we all know just how easy it is to be distracted by emails and messages. And if you are out hiking all day, battery life inevitably becomes an issue.
At Foot Trails, we navigate without screens. Instead, we provide you with our detailed trail guides printed on tough, waterproof paper complete with a numbered sequence of step-by-step instructions as well as an overview of your day’s walk, places of interest, historical notes and suggested lunch stops. For those who prefer to navigate using a map, we also include the relevant OS maps with each day’s route clearly marked out (also printed on our waterproof paper).
This lets you put your phone away and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the countryside. No notifications and no noise. Just you and the views.
To find out more about our walking & hiking trips in South West England, visit our website or send us an email.
