See a Map of a GPX file from Find a Walk using “Where’s The Path”

You may view any of the walks in our Find a Walk page on an Ordnance Survey map on your computer screen by using one of the “Mapping with GPS Capabilities” links on our Useful Links page.

Each works in a different way. GPS Visualizerand Wandermapare both free and easy to use, but show you only a Google terrain or hybrid map rather than an OS map. Anquetis excellent if you buy their OS mapping. Similarly, Basecamp is useful for those who own a Garmin GPS unit with mapping on it. Ordnance Survey Getamap is useful if you buy their £18 annual subscription.

The following directions are for the Where’s The Path website at:

This site is free to use and does not require you to set up an account.

  • First you need to Save the gpx file you want to see on your own computer (or tablet or phone). Click on the walk you want from the Find a Walklistusing your RIGHTmouse button.
  • Then, in the box that appears, click your LEFT mouse button on "Save Link As" (or "Save Target As") to save the file to your own computer, choosing the folder in which you will store this gpx file.

(Note that you will need to do the followingSteps 1 through 3only once, as your browser should remember your settings for next time.)

To begin, click on the Where’s The Path link to open the website. Notice that the screen is split between two different types of map. You will change this to display only a single OS map.

Notice the Controls icon in the centre of your screen, and note that there are 6 “tabs” at the top, with the leftmost tab currently selected:

  1. Click on the second tab (“Right/Bottom, second map controls”). Then click on the top drop-down arrow beside “Satellite” and select “Hide” at from the bottom of the drop-down list.
  2. Now select “OS” from the second drop-down arrow.
  3. Now your controls should look like this:

    and your screen should display only a single OS map. From now on, whenever you open this website you should see these same settings.

  1. Now select the fifth tab from the left (“Work with Routes and Tracks”).

    Click on the “Import/export route” button in the middle of the bottom row.
  2. You will see the following dialogue box:
    Just beneath “Name” in the upper left, untick “Directions” and tick the box beside “As Track”.

    Next, change the option beside “Import” in the lower right to “File”.
  3. Now click on the “Browse” button on the bottom row.

  1. You will see a dialogue box where you should now select the gpx file you saved to your computer when we began this procedure.

    I have selected a file called bronwydd-10m.gpx in this example.
  2. Click on “Open” and the gpx file you selected will appear in the following dialogue box:

    Now click on the “Import” button in the lower right.
  3. You will see your gpx file data uploading to the website.

    When you see that the job is “Done” at the bottom of the list, click on the upper right button to close the dialogue box.
  4. There’s your selected route on the OS Landranger map!

  5. Hover over each of the buttons on the controls, and note that you have options to reverse the route, change its colour, and/or print it.

Of course, you can also use an old-fashioned marker or pencil to copy the route onto your own Ordnance Survey paper map.

Better still, you can also load the gpx file you have downloaded onto a GPS device. This will make it easier for you to follow the route once you are out in the countryside.

(For full instructions about using the Where’s The Path website, click on this link:

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