iWalk Cornwall is a digital walking guide providing circular walks with detailed directions and interesting local information based on over a decade of fieldwork and research.
Over 250 walks are available in all areas of Cornwall, classified by steepness and length and themes such as coastal walks and pub walks. New walks are also continually being added.
Both the app and walks are designed and developed in Cornwall and have a big local following. Routes are continually being checked and updated with help from the local community. iWalk Cornwall was Highly Commended in the Cornwall Tourism Awards, a finalist in the Cornwall Sustainability Awards and has received 2 community awards.
The app is free to download. A walk is purchased from within the app for £2.99 and which includes ongoing free updates and everything listed below:
- Detailed, triple-tested and CONTINUALLY maintained directions. We periodically re-walk EVERY route ourselves to update the directions. A group of volunteers also continually feed back on any changes to the routes.
- A GPS-accurate map of the route showing exactly where you are and which way you are facing at all times.
- Local information on the history, landscape and wildlife throughout the walk. We've researched over 3,000 topics. Each walk includes a minimum of 25 points of interest and most walks have significantly more. The points of interest in the walk also automatically adapt for the time of year so they are relevant to WHEN as well as WHERE you are.
- Information about the route that allows the app to accurately track distance travelled, estimate time left based on your walking speed and count down distance to the next direction point as you walk along. It also keeps an eye on daylight if you are walking in the evening.
- Smart off-route warnings, tailored from local knowledge to give you enough freedom to explore points of interest without "computer says no".
- Information about the dog-friendliness of stiles so you know in advance if you're likely to need to lift a large dog. Info about which beaches on the route have dog restrictions. There's also a nearest vet button for emergencies.
- Recommendations for footwear and seasonally-activated mud warnings for routes that get particularly muddy.
- Info on temporary footpath issues such as closures, diversions, fallen trees etc.
- The pubs on the route with links to the pub website for opening times, menus etc.
- Tide times at the nearest observation point to that walk for maximum accuracy.
- A walk overview including length and steepness grade to assist with walk planning. Descriptive information about the gradients on the route is also included - how far around the route the climbs are and if there are any particularly steep descents.
- Integration with driving satnav to direct you to the car park at the start of the walk. A range of satnav apps are supported including Waze as well as the built-in Google maps.
- Seasonal metadata to allow walks to be selected for the time of year - seasonal lists of walks (e.g. walks with cool shade) automatically appear in "Walks by type" at the relevant time of year.
- Countryside tips such as walking with livestock. There's also info about how to contribute wildlife sightings to help with scientific research.
- Information to help the Cornwall Council Countryside Access Team (who maintain the rights of way network) pinpoint issues and an easy mechanism to report these that even works without a phone signal so everyone can participate in making the paths better for each other.
- Ongoing free updates to all purchased walks. This means you can do a walk in different seasons to see different things and always have up-to-date information.
The "Lanhydrock Gardens" walk is included with the app for free so you can try it out, and there is a simulation mode so you can do so without driving there.
