Image courtesy of OS Secret Stories
The Society has contributed content to a new smartphone app, launched by Ordnance Survey (OS), that aims to get more of us outdoors and enjoying the UK.
Like the Society’s Discovering Britain project, Secret Stories is a series of self-guided walks through a wide range of landscapes across the country. And, like Discovering Britain, these walks uncover some of the many intriguing geographical stories of our environment that would otherwise remain hidden.
We have been working in partnership with OS to load many of our Discovering Britain walks onto the new app, making them much more accessible and easier to follow when you’re out and about.
Once you’ve downloaded the Secret Stories app, you can browse a list of walks or use the map to find walks near your location.
Just some of the Discovering Britain walks now available on the Secret Stories app include:
Trading Town – Discover Bideford’s seafaring heritage
This north Devon town has a rich maritime history – it was once one of England’s great ports. In this walk you’ll discover how its success was built on its location, a great Elizabethan adventurer and some entrepreneurial merchants.
Liquid Asset – Explore the unique river at the heart of Winchester
The river Itchen is one of only 240 chalk streams in the world. In this walk you’ll discover how it helped Winchester to develop and become the capital of England before the Norman invasion of 1066.
Banglatown and the Bengali East End – Explore London’s thriving British Bengali community
Tower Hamlets is home to the UK’s largest Bengali community and there is evidence that a small number of Bengalis lived in London nearly 400 years ago. In this walk you’ll explore the community’s significant contribution to UK culture – from music and food to politics and architecture.
Walking on Water – Trace London’s underground water from Islington to Blackfriars
Water is a vital feature of most settlements, and London, built on the banks of the Thames is no exception. In this walk you’ll discover lost natural springs, visit former breweries and holy wells and walk on water without getting your feet wet.
The Secret Stories app is available to download for free in both the Google Play and Apple store and contains a range of free and paid-for walks starting at £2.99. The Society receives a share of royalties for the paid-for Discovering Britain walks. Secret Stories is in early development with tours currently in London, West Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset. And more tours across Great Britain are coming soon.
All the Discovering Britain walks are still available for free on our website www.discoveringbritain.org.