Site stuff > Mapping & GPS files
Mapping and GPS files
We provide digital mapping files for each of our walks in the standard GPX and RXF formats. Walkingworld walks also come with a paper map and a step-by-step route guide with photographs, which you can print from the website. We strongly encourage you to print out and take these with you, even if you have loaded the walk into your GPS or mapping app.
The digital mapping files will import into a number of applications which will allow you to transfer them to your GPS or mapping app. The Walkingworld app has a GPX export function which becomes available to subscribers after downloading the walk. You can pick the app into which you want the GPX file to import.
Simple transfer programs
There are various simple and often ‘free to download’ utilities for managing waypoint data and exporting it to a GPS. GPSU and EasyGPS are two of the most popular. Such programs will generally import our GPX and RXF file formats, though they may create a waypoint set rather than a linked route.
SatMap
If you have a SatMap you should download the GPX file for the walk and use the transfer software provided by SatMap to export it to the device. If you download the GPX file and click the option to include the waymark instructions and pictures, the SatMap device will display these as you are walking. Download a PDF instruction sheet for this (note that this refers to the SatMap 10 but the process is exactly the same for the SatMap 12).
Other Issues
If you transfer more than one route at a time into your GPS the GPS will probably automatically renumber the waypoints. This can make them more difficult to find. We recommend keeping both your digital mapping application and GPS relatively 'clean' by deleting any routes and waypoints you are not immediately using. When you download our GPX and RXF files you have the option to add a prefix to the waypoints - if you are going to load several into your GPS add a different prefix (e.g. a letter) for each route.
The GPX files we provide can include the walk instructions for each waypoint in the 'Comments' field. Sometimes these will not export properly to your GPS. If so download the GPX without the instructions.
Finally please note that the digital mapping files are routes made up of a series of waypoints and exactly correspond to the waymarks in the printout guides and map. Note that when you follow the route on a GPS it will give you an ‘as the crow flies’ direction to the next waypoint - it will not follow the exact pathway on the ground – which is why you need the printed map and instructions as well.