Please read me first

The Explore section represents a huge amount of work.

Over the years I have collected, checked, cleaned and organised a very large amount of mapping information for this website. Much of it has been assembled manually, with routes, outlines, places and other geographical information brought together so that it can be searched and viewed in one consistent way.

These are not simply links to somebody else's mapping pages. The collections, searches, categories and the way the information is presented have been put together specifically for Valley & Hill. The background mapping is provided by OpenStreetMap.

Hike Maps

A collection of walking routes that can be selected and displayed directly on the map. Each route can be viewed in context on the OpenStreetMap background, making it easy to see where the walk goes and how it relates to the surrounding area.

Hikes Near a Place

Search for a place and choose how far away to look. The page finds hikes whose routes pass within that distance, rather than simply checking where each walk starts.

Each result can be opened directly on the page, viewed fullscreen and downloaded as a GPX. The map coverage option also shows a compact set of OS Explorer, OS Landranger and HARVEY maps covering the route.

Outline Maps

A collection of GPX outlines covering Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty/National Landscapes, National Parks and Scottish National Scenic Areas. They provide a quick visual way to see the shape and extent of each area. I hope to add individual county outlines in the future.

Places Map

A detailed searchable collection of towns, villages, hills, woods, valleys, landmarks and smaller local features, together with useful outdoor information. A great deal of work has gone into adding the smaller places and features that can easily be missed by an ordinary map search.

Once on the Places Map, use the Show Places menu to choose the type of information you would like to display.

Centre Point

Planning a backpacking trip or wild-camping weekend with friends travelling from different parts of the country? Enter two or more UK postcodes and Centre Point calculates an approximate geographical centre between them. The map shows the starting locations and the calculated centre, helping everyone find a central area to meet.

The Show Camping Locations option displays nearby hills, moorland and other places that may be worth investigating for a potential overnight stop.

Important: These locations are geographical suggestions, not verified or approved wild-camping sites. A marker on the map does not mean that camping is permitted, safe or suitable there.

Before setting off, check access rights, land ownership, local byelaws and restrictions, and obtain the landowner's permission where required. Always assess the terrain, weather, access and potential hazards for yourself. Wild-camping rules differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Please respect wildlife, livestock and other visitors, leave no trace and take all rubbish home. Centre Point is a planning aid, not permission to camp.

Places Map categories

The table below gives a quick guide to the additional information available on the Places Map.

	Hills. Over 300mts. 11000+ listed!
	Parking. Includes laybys etc. This is my favourite.
	Campsite. Basic type campsites. Farmers fields etc.
	Wild Camping. Approximate locations where we have pitched a tent 😉
	Bothy. We have a few in England. Nice change from the tent.
	Bunkhouse. Includes barns etc. Best to contact them 😉
	Shops. Outdoors type shops listed here.
	Almost Wild. Places that welcome backpackers, at a price.
	Country Parks. Usually nice places to visit.
	Rescue. Rescue organisations throughout the UK.
	Heritage. Heritage sites in the UK.
	Battles. Old battle sites.
	Waterfalls. All shapes and sizes.
	Caves. From touristy to very remote.