Europe Hiking – Wandering Welsh Girl

Whether you’re navigating the rugged trails of the Lake District, tackling the windswept coastal paths of Cornwall, or wandering through the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales, a reliable hiking app can be your best trail companion. With the right tools, you can plan your route, track your progress, and stay safe—even when mobile signal is patchy. In this post, we’ll explore the best hiking apps tailored for UK adventurers, highlighting features like offline maps, OS integration, weather updates, and user-friendly interfaces to help you make the most of your next outdoor escape. Navigation & Route Planning 1. OS Maps (Ordnance Survey) 🧭 Best for: Reliable offline mapping & detailed UK trail info💷 Cost: Free version available; premium ~£34.99/year📲 iOS / Android This is the gold standard of UK mapping. OS Maps gives you access to the full suite of Ordnance Survey Explorer and Landranger maps—ideal for navigating footpaths, bridleways, and open access land. Why it’s great: Access 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 maps Download maps for offline use Create and follow custom routes 3D route previews for elevation planning The free version includes the Locate Me feature which provides an accurate location service. This shows a 6 figure grid reference which can be given to Mountain Rescue in an emergency so they know exactly where to find you. Wandering Welsh Girl Tip: Download your route and area before you lose signal—especially in rural areas of the UK! Maps need internet to load so don't get caught out, download your map in advance! 2. Komoot 🧭 Best for: Route planning, discovery, and offline maps💷 Cost: Free with paid regional map bundles (~£3–£30 one-time)📲 iOS / Android Komoot is perfect for those who like to explore by foot or bike, and its sleek interface makes planning hikes easy. You can browse other users’ trails or plot your own, then sync to your device or smartwatch. Why it’s great: Suggested hikes with user reviews Turn-by-turn navigation Elevation profiles Offline navigation (with map region purchase) Best for: Coast path walkers and adventure planners. 3. AllTrails 🧭 Best for: User-generated trails and reviews💷 Cost: Free version or Pro (£29.99/year). Get 30% off AllTrails Plus or Peak using this link!📲 iOS / Android AllTrails is globally popular and includes a growing number of UK routes—especially in popular hiking areas like Snowdonia and the Lake District. Why it’s great: Filter hikes by length, elevation, and difficulty See route photos and reviews from real users Save offline maps with Pro version Wandering Welsh Girl Tip: Great for discovering family-friendly or dog-friendly hikes near you. 4. ViewRanger (now part of Outdooractive) 🧭 Best for: GPS navigation and offline trails💷 Cost: Free with optional Pro plans📲 iOS / Android ViewRanger used to be a standalone app and was loved by UK hikers. Now merged with Outdooractive, it’s still a solid option for offline route tracking and navigation, especially if you prefer a more traditional GPS feel. Features include: Offline maps and navigation GPX file import/export Trail search by location or type 🗺 Best Paper Maps for Hiking in Wales and the UK While apps are great, nothing beats the reliability and reassurance of a paper map—especially when batteries run low or the weather turns bad. Here are your best map options for UK hikes: Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps (1:25,000) Best for: Detailed navigation🧡 Recognisable by their orange covers📍 Shows: footpaths, contour lines, field boundaries, pubs, car parks, etc. Ideal for: Lowland areas/forestry's such as the Chilterns, Surrey Hills, Forest of Dean Coastal paths such as the Pembrokeshire Coast Mountainous areas including Brecon Beacons / Bannau Brycheiniog and the Peak District Ordnance Survey Landranger Maps (1:50,000) Best for: Wider-area planning🩷 Pink covers, less detail than Explorer maps but covers more ground. Snowdonia / Eryri Lake District Scottish Highlands Harvey Maps (1:40,000) Best for: Wider-area planning and navigating in mountainous terrain. ❤️ Red covers, less detail than Explorer maps but more detail than Landranger maps. Ideal for: Snowdonia / Eryri Lake District Scottish Highlands Snowdon / Yr Wyddfa Map | Conwy Valley / Dyffryn Conwy | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL 17 | Wales | Walks | Hiking | Maps | Adventure £8.99 -£3.21 £5.78 Buy On Amazon The English Lakes: South-Eastern Area Map | Windermere, Kendal & Silverdale | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL7 | England | Walks | Hiking | Maps | Adventure £8.99 -£1.82 £7.17 Buy On Amazon The Peak District: White Peak Area Map | Peak District National Park | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL 24 | England | Walks | Hiking | Maps | Adventure £8.99 -£3.22 £5.77 Buy On Amazon Bonus: 🧭 GPX Files for UK Walks Many hiking apps (like OS Maps, Komoot, and AllTrails) allow you to upload GPX files, which are great for: Following exact routes from blog posts or guidebooks Creating custom loops Sharing your route with friends Emergencies What3Words 🧭 Best for: Emergency location sharing💷 Cost: Free📲 iOS / Android What3Words is a location app used by Mountain Rescue and emergency services across the UK to locate those in need. It divides the world into 3m x 3m squares, each with a unique three-word address. Why it’s essential: Pinpoint your location in seconds—even without a visible address Great backup tool for emergencies Works offline once you load the map area First Aid by British Red Cross 🧭 Best for: Guidance for basic first aid💷 Cost: Free📲 iOS / Android Why it’s great: Simple, clear guides for handling minor injuries, insect bites, or emergencies until help arrives. Best feature: Fully functional offline—ideal if you’re out of signal range. Weather Met Office Weather Why it’s great: The most accurate, UK-specific weather app. You can check forecasts for specific trails or national parks. Best feature: Hour-by-hour rain and wind updates—crucial for dodging those surprise showers or avoiding exposed edges during high wind. 🧭 Best for: Weather forecasting💷 Cost: Free📲 iOS / Android Nature & Wildlife iNaturalist Why it’s great: Snap a photo of a plant, insect, or animal, and get an instant ID. Makes hikes more engaging, especially with kids. Best feature: Community-powered, so the accuracy improves over time. 🧭 Best for: Identifying flora and fauna💷 Cost: Free📲 iOS / Android Photography & Stargazing Apps Photopills Great for planning sunrise/sunset shots in scenic locations. 🧭 Best for: Planning photography hikes💷 Cost: £10📲 iOS / Android SkyView or Star Walk 2 🧭 Best for: Planning astro photography hikes💷 Cost: Free with ads. In app purchases📲 iOS / Android Turn your phone to the sky and identify stars and constellations—ideal for overnight hikes or dark-sky areas. If you like to pair landscape photography with your hiking as I do, you may also find this blog post about the best apps for photography quite useful! Final Thoughts on Hiking Apps Planning a hike in the UK? From the wild peaks of Snowdonia to the coastal trails of Cornwall, having the right apps on your phone can make all the difference. In this post, I round up the best hiking apps for UK adventures—not just for navigation, but also for weather forecasts, safety, plant and wildlife identification and more. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned walker, these tools will help you stay safe, make the most of your time outdoors, and deepen your connection to nature.