What are you doing for Ordnance Survey’s #GetOutsideDay?

(Image credit: Ordnance Survey)

published 24 September 2022

Tomorrow, Sunday 25 September, is Ordnance Survey’s annual #GetOutsideDay, when Britain’s iconic national mapping agency urges everyone to simply get outdoors and explore a part of the countryside or coastline.

Open to everyone, you can choose to go on an epic adventure or simply get together with friends and family and enjoy a stroll through a local park or woodlands.

You might choose to put on your best walking shoes or hiking boots, and go out for a trek, or perhaps lace up some running shoes and take on a trails at a faster pace. Or, if water is your preferred environment, you can set off on a stand-up paddleboard and explore a section of coastline, or a river or lake.

But, whatever you’re planning to do, let the OS know about your pledge to get involved and you’ll be entered into a draw to win a bundle of outdoor kit worth £1,800.

Outdoor explorers in Britain enjoy access to the world’s best and most detailed cartography, thanks to a mapping agency that dates back over 230 years. Based in Southhampton, the Ordnance Survey was formed in 1791. Its name reflects the fact it was originally conceived by the military for defensive reasons, initially in response to the threats posed in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745 in Scotland, and the very real danger of invasion during the Napoleonic Wars.

Still a governmental agency, the OS produces printed and digital maps of Britain that highlight rights of way, public footpaths, bridleways, long distance footpaths and National Trails, National Parks, AONBs, Marine Reserves, mountains, pubs, castles and multiple other points of interest scattered across the country, all of which help outdoor explorers navigate their way around the country.

National #GetOutsideDay is an initiative that has been run for several years, which is designed to encourage people to plan an alfresco adventure, small or large. The website has a range of ideas and suggestions to inspire people, and the day even has it’s own bespoke weather forecast.

“We want to help more people to get outside more often so that they live longer, stay younger and enjoy life more,” the agency says. “It doesn’t matter where you go, what you do or who you’re with – everyone can get outside from their front door! So, save the date – Sunday 25 September and join us to celebrate National #GetOutsideDay 2022.”

The initiative is supported by leading names and brands in the outdoor industry, including Sport England, Garmin, Leki, Petzl, Osprey and Black Diamond.

Author of Caving, Canyoning, Coasteering…, a recently released book about all kinds of outdoor adventures around Britain, Pat Kinsella has been writing about outdoor pursuits and adventure sports for two decades. In pursuit of stories he’s canoed Canada’s Yukon River, climbed Mont Blanc and Kilimanjaro, skied and mountain biked across the Norwegian Alps, run ultras across the roof of Mauritius and through the hills of the Himalayas, and set short-lived speed records for trail-running Australia’s highest peaks and New Zealand’s nine Great Walks. A former editor of several Australian magazines he’s a longtime contributor to publications including Sidetracked, Outdoor, National Geographic Traveller, Trail Running, The Great Outdoors, Outdoor Fitness and Adventure Travel, and a regular writer for Lonely Planet (for whom he compiled, edited and co-wrote the Atlas of Adventure, a guide to outdoor pursuits around the globe). He’s authored guides to exploring the coastline and countryside of Devon and Dorset, and recently wrote a book about pub walks. Follow Pat's adventures on Strava and instagram.