This tool helps you plan and estimate a walking route. It does not
replace a proper map, sound navigation, or human judgement, and it must not be your only
source of information.
Always check the route yourself against an up-to-date, large-scale map
(e.g. Ordnance Survey 1:25 000) before you go and while you are out.
All figures are estimates and may be wrong — distances, ascent/descent,
walking times and daylight times are approximations from modelled data.
Snapped paths come from crowd-sourced map data (OpenStreetMap) and may
be incomplete, out of date, impassable, cross private land, or be unsafe. A line on the
screen does not mean a safe, legal or existing route on the ground.
Walking-time estimates assume reasonable conditions. Weather, terrain,
navigation, rest stops, group fitness and fatigue all change real times significantly.
The leader / user remains fully responsible for the route, for checking
it, for conditions on the day, and for all decisions in the field.
Carry proper equipment, know how to navigate with map and compass, check the weather
forecast, and have an escape plan and emergency contacts.
If you are running a Scout activity, this tool is an aid to producing a route
card — it does not replace the requirements, approvals and supervision set out
in The Scout Association's Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR). See the references below.
For a DofE expedition, remember that planning your own route and
navigating unaided are part of what is assessed. Use this tool to
learn, practise and check your own planning, or for leader / supervisor /
assessor planning — not to produce a route card you have not planned yourself.
Friendly user guide
Welcome! Here's everything you need to plan a walk and produce a route card.
1. Find your start
Use the Find a place box (top-left) to jump to a grid reference such as
SU 122 422 or an easting/northing like 438600, 113700. Or just pan
and zoom the map to your area.
2. Drop waypoints
With the map in ✛ Add mode (top-right of the map), click to drop waypoints
along your route. They connect in order. Switch to ✋ Pan mode when you just
want to move the map around without adding points.
S the first point is your Start,
E the last is the End, and the
1 middle ones are numbered.
Drag a pin to move it. Use the ↑↓ buttons to
reorder, ✕ to delete, or Remove last to undo the last point.
Insert a point mid-route by clicking on a route line between two
waypoints.
Rename any waypoint by typing over its name; clear the name to return to the default.
3. Snap to paths (or not)
With ⤳ Snap on, each leg follows real footpaths/tracks from the map data,
and distances/ascent are measured along that path. Where there's no suitable path (open
moorland or fell), use the per-leg Snap / Straight toggle in the sidebar, or
right-click a leg on the map, to force a straight line. Line colours:
orange = snapped,
blue = forced straight,
grey dashed = no path found.
4. Set your walk
Under Walk settings, choose the date and
start time (used for sunrise/sunset/darkness), your party's
fitness and flat pace (these drive the time estimate), and
the routing profile.
5. Read the route summary
The sidebar shows total distance, estimated time, ascent and descent, and a daylight strip
(first light, sunrise, sunset, dark and your estimated finish). If your estimated finish is
after dark, you'll get a warning to start earlier or shorten the route.
6. Fill in the route card details
Open Route card details and add your group/section, leader, party size,
home contact and call-by time, plus weather, equipment and notes. Add per-waypoint
escape route notes too.
7. Export
Open route card (print / PDF) — a printable A4 landscape route card.
For the cleanest PDF, the page already removes browser headers/footers and prints without
heavy colour fills.
Export GPX — save the route to open in other apps or a GPS unit.
Import GPX — load a route someone else made; dense tracks are reduced to
editable planning waypoints.
Your plan is saved automatically in your browser, so it's still there when you
come back. Use Clear all to start fresh.
How the numbers are worked out
Figure
Method & accuracy
Grid references
Lat/lon ↔ OS National Grid via the OSTN15 transformation
(sub-metre) where available, otherwise a Helmert datum shift (±3.5 m).
Distance & bearing
Great-circle calculation between points, or along the
snapped path. Bearings are true north.
Altitude & ascent
From the Open-Meteo terrain model, or along the BRouter
path elevation — modelled values, approximate.
Walking time
Naismith's rule (≈5 km/h + 1 min per 10 m ascent)
with Langmuir's descent correction, then Tranter's corrections for party fitness and
fatigue. Estimates only.
Daylight
Sunrise, sunset and civil twilight ("first light"/"dark") computed
for your start point and date (≈1 min accuracy).
References & further reading
These are external sites maintained by third parties; links may change over
time. They're provided so you can learn the methods and rules behind the tool.
The Scout Association — Running things safely (risk assessment, InTouch, activity rules)
DofE
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award — Expedition section (the participants plan their own route — route planning and self-reliant navigation are part of the assessment)
This project is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed
by The Scout Association, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Ordnance Survey, OpenStreetMap,
or any other organisation named here. "Scouts", "DofE" and "POR" are referenced for guidance only.
Terms of use
This tool is provided free of charge and "as is", for personal,
non-commercial route-planning assistance.
It is provided without warranty of any kind, express or implied,
including as to accuracy, fitness for a particular purpose, or availability.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, the authors and contributors accept no
liability for any loss, injury, damage or cost arising from use of, or reliance on,
this tool or its output.
The tool is an aid to planning only and does not replace human oversight,
navigation skill, an up-to-date map, official guidance, or the responsibilities of a group
leader.
You are responsible for complying with any rules that apply to your activity (for example
The Scout Association's POR), and with access, landowner and right-of-way restrictions.
Source code is released under the MIT licence (see Credits). The MIT licence
governs the software; it does not extend any warranty to route plans you create.
Support & affiliate links
This tool is free to use. To help cover its running costs, the optional
Suggested kit panel in the sidebar contains affiliate links:
if you buy something after following one, we may earn a small commission
at no extra cost to you. You can also support the project directly through the
Ko-fi “Support” button.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The suggested items are general prompts, not safety-vetted recommendations or
endorsements of any particular product or retailer.
Choosing kit that suits your party, route and conditions on the day is the
leader’s responsibility — see the safety notice above.
We have no control over, and accept no responsibility for,
the goods, prices, availability or services of any third-party retailer.
Whether the Suggested kit panel is shown is a setting that may be on or off; the
tool works fully without it, and following these links is entirely optional.
Data & privacy
The app runs in your browser. There is no account and no sign-in.
Your route and settings are saved only in your browser (local storage)
on your device. They are not sent to or stored by us. Clearing your browser data removes
them.
To provide its features, your browser makes requests to third-party services, which
receive the coordinates needed to answer them: