Discovering Britain
Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers)
1 Kensington Gore
London
SW7 2AR
United Kingdom
+44 (0)20 7591 3000
[email protected]
Discovering Britain
Discovering Britain has been created by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) to help people learn more about the geographical stories behind Britain’s rich and varied landscapes. We hope to bring these landscapes to life by helping you to uncover the stories behind them.
However much or little time you have, there is a self-led Discovering Britain activity to suit you. From our viewpoints and short trails to our longer walks, the stories that Britain’s landscape has to tell are waiting to be uncovered.
Geography
Have you have ever wondered why there are strange-shaped mounds in the middle of a flat field? Or so many areas of deep water in the Lake District or lots of castles around the coast of Wales? Or if you are curious about the name of the pub on your street corner, then geography can help you answer the question.
Geography explores the reasons why things are the way they are. It tells us stories about the world around us - about people, places and the environment and how they work together. So our Discovering Britain activities use geography to help us to explore, understand, and enjoy our landscapes.
Getting out and about
As with any outdoor activity please make sure you are prepared before heading out: check the weather, wear appropriate clothing and ensure you have some means of communication for emergencies. Please respect private property and the Countryside Code. See our Terms & Conditions for further details.
We make every effort to ensure that the content of our activities and the other information on this website are accurate and up-to-date at the time of production. It is inevitable that circumstances may change (weather conditions, access to routes and understandings of events and processes). Do get in touch with us to help us stay up to date by emailing [email protected].
How it works
The location of our activities is categorised by UK regions based on the official EU NUTS classification system.
We are licenced to use Ordnance Survey maps to display our walks in England, Wales and Scotland and use Google Maps for walks in Northern Ireland.
Our activities are now available on ViewRanger.
ViewRanger is a free GPS navigation app, which allows users to follow our routes from their mobile or tablet.
How to follow Discovering Britain routes on your smartphone:
1. Download the free ViewRanger App onto your smartphone from the Apple App Store or Google Play
2. Click this link on your smartphone to open Discovering Britain's routes in the ViewRanger app
3. Tap the route you want to follow, then hit the Download Route button, and you’re ready to go
4. When you reach the start of the walk, tap the Follow Route button and the app will start navigating for you
The Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is a leading world centre for geographers and geographical learning together with its application to today’s challenges. Founded in 1830, the Society has a long and distinguished history in geographical research, fieldwork and expeditions and sharing new knowledge with a wide range of audiences.
Membership of the Society is open to anyone who is interested in the world’s people, places and environments. As a member, you will be able to attend many different events and activities, receive a subscription to Geographical magazine and access a wide variety of resources. For more information about joining us, visit our website.