Walkmates is a social walking platform that helps people find others to walk with across the UK — from short local strolls to full mountain hikes.

Yes. It’s completely free to sign up, create a profile, and join or organise walks. In the future, we'll add premium features to give you a little more.

Everyone who enjoys walking - from casual Sunday strollers to seasoned hillwalkers. Whether you want new hiking buddies, local routes, or motivation to get outdoors more often, you’ll fit right in.

Unlike route planners or step counters, Walkmates is built around people - not just paths. It connects walkers socially, supports group and solo experiences, and brings real-world companionship to outdoor adventures.

In short, on Walkmates you won't find 100,000 routes like you might on OS Maps App, but you'll be able to connect with real people.

Absolutely. Walkmates isn’t just for groups — it’s for anyone who loves to get outside. You can use it to discover new routes, complete Explorer Walks at your own pace, and even find Ghosts — little reminders that every path has a story.

Whether you’re walking solo or with others, Walkmates helps you feel part of something bigger.

Not at all. Walkmates has walks of all kinds, from lung busting summit hikes, to casual dog walks, and everything in between.

Walkmates can be whatever you want... so long as it's a walk!

You can. Walkmates is more than a directory or walks and walkers, it’s your tool for organising a walk. You’re able to list it, have people join, send reminders and notifications, check in and run your walk.

We’re still shaping how Walkmates supports walking groups, and we’d love to build it alongside real organisers like you. Our goal is to make it genuinely useful for both organisers and members.

Tell us a bit about your group using the contact form — we’d love to feature your walks and work together to make Walkmates the best home for walking communities across the UK.

Ghosts are things you’ll encounter on a walk. Sometimes they’re left behind by other walkers — little messages saying, “Hey, I was here too, not long ago.” . You can find them as you explore through the app. You can see them through the camera of your phone, and tap them to say "hi, I'm here too" to the person who left it behind.

Other ghosts are more informative. You might discover one in the ruins of a castle sharing its history, or high on a ridge where the ghost of a geologist explains the landscape below.

Ghosts are moments captured on the trail - small reminders that every path has stories to tell.

Anyone can place their own ghosts to be found.

If you have particular local or expert knowledge, you can suggest a permanent ghost that doesn't fade

Ghost fade over time until eventually they'll disappear altogether.

Yes. When you find a Ghost, you can tap it to leave a short reply or reaction — a wave, a comment, or even your own Ghost in return. It’s a quiet way to say “I walked this path too."

You'll receive a notification in the app. You'll know who found your ghost, and you can always strike up a conversation with them.

Yes, but some Ghosts are location-locked. You’ll need to be nearby to see them — that’s what makes discovering them feel special.

Others, like story or guide Ghosts, may appear on the map to everyone.

Absolutely. You can flag any Ghost that seems inappropriate, inaccurate, or misplaced. We review every report to keep Ghosts helpful, kind, and safe for everyone.

You do! But you should have it anyway 😃

Ghosts are all about location, so they work much better in the app than on the web.

Because they’re traces - echoes of people and stories left behind on the trail.

They’re not spooky, just human. Every Ghost is a whisper saying, someone was here before you.