Great Britain is the ultimate adventure playground. Our little island is jam-packed with glorious adventures waiting to be had. And so is this, the ultimate adventure map of Britain. Featuring thousands of wild and beautiful locations, long-distance routes, eccentric events and randomly inspiring trivia, this map is joyously busy.
When I was introduced to the brand new Strumpshaw, Tingleton and Gigglesiwick’s Great British Adventure Map, produced in collaboration with the Ordnance Survey GetOutside campaign (of which I am a part), I knew I had to get my hands on one. The Ordnance Survey style double-sided map is absolutely jam packed full of location, activity and event inspiration to keep you exploring the Great British outdoors for years and years to come. It’s like a Great British bucket list in map form.
As mentioned on the inside cover, it is tempting to think that to have a “proper” adventure you must be a super-fit endurance athlete with excessive amounts of shiny new hear, or a hermit-like survival expert living off foraged food and water squeezed from dung. If I’ve mentioned this once here on Splodz Blogz I’ve mentioned it a thousand times – adventure is whatever you decide it is, it is a state of mind, and it is absolutely open to everyone, and you don’t have to travel far to find it.
And if you needed any more proof that you can have adventure at home, without the need for a career break or 10,000 mile road trip, well here it is. With thousands of places, activities and events to inspire you, you’ll be so busy with things to do you’ll never have an excuse not to get outside again!
Starting with the 1:1,000,000-scale map of Great Britain (1 inch to 16 miles), it’s very easy to find places close to your own home or indeed places close to your holiday cottage or campsite, that are well worth visiting. Yes there are probably some amazing places missing, but there are plenty here to get you going. For example, close to my home I can instantly see there are some sand dunes, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the World Egg Throwing Championships, and the smallest pub in Great Britain.
Around the edge of the map are a plethora of lists and tips from great beaches, long distance routes (and not just walks), and waterways. The Great British Top 50 includes the fifty areas in Great Britain you must visit, including Dartmoor and Snowdonia (two of my favourites!). And then there are lists and lists of things on the reverse of the map from great places to climb, kayak and swim, to some of the most noteworthy Great British journeys made by adventurers who wanted to explore some of the best our island has to offer. There’s also a calendar of events to keep you inspired throughout the year, and lots of space for your own additions and notes.
Oh and the best bit? The sense of humour… plenty of quotes and tit-bits to keep you amused as you plan your next adventure.
The Great British Adventure Map really is a great idea. Yea I know the fact it’s double sided means it won’t really work as a wall chart (unless you get two…!), and the text is so teeny tiny you might want a magnifying glass to be able to read all of it, but it is a superb place to start if you’re looking for inspiration to start your GB bucket list or to plan your next weekend away.
It would also make a really great gift for someone in your life who either just loves getting outside or who might need a little nudge to get out more often.
I particularly like the warning on the back – this map may cause an uncontrollable urge to get outside. Yes!
If you’d like to get your hands on a Great British Adventure Map to inspire your next Great British adventure, then stay tuned to Splodz Blogz as I have a competition coming thanks to Ordnance Survey… watch this space!
If you can’t wait for my competition, the Great British Adventure Map is available to purchase on the Ordnance Survey website priced at £19.00 each.