GPX Route Maps

Map rows display interactive maps with walking routes loaded from GPX files. Routes are shown as coloured lines on the map, and visitors can zoom, pan, and toggle waypoints. The map below is an interactive map with a GPX route loaded of The Kent Coast Path, courtesy of Explore Kent.

When to Use Map Rows

Map rows are ideal for:

• Walking route pages showing the path on a map
• Long-distance paths with detailed route lines
• Any page where you want to display a geographic route

What a Map Row Displays

• An interactive map with one or more walking routes
• Routes shown as coloured lines with direction arrows
• Start and end point markers
• Optional waypoints from the GPX file
• Zoom and pan controls
• Choice of OpenStreetMap or Ordnance Survey map tiles

Adding a Map Row

1. Open the page in the CMS editor
2. Click Add Row (or the + button between existing rows)
3. Select Map from the row type dropdown
4. The row initialises with an empty map centered on the UK

Uploading a GPX Route

1. In the map row editor, click Add Route
2. Click Browse or drag-and-drop a GPX file
3. The route appears on the map immediately
4. Give the route a name in the Name field

Supported File Types

• GPX files (.gpx) - Standard GPS exchange format, uploaded directly
• ESRI/GeoJSON files (.zip, .geojson, .json) - Converted to GPX automatically during import

Styling Routes

Each route has its own styling options, accessed via the colour palette editor:

• Colour - Choose from 10 predefined colours to distinguish multiple routes
• Thickness - Set line width (4, 6, 8, or 10 pixels)
• Opacity - Adjust transparency from fully transparent to fully opaque
• Visibility - Toggle individual routes on or off

Map Configuration

Map Provider

• OpenStreetMap (OSM) - Free, detailed street and path maps (default)
• Ordnance Survey (OS) - Premium UK maps including the familiar 1:25,000 Leisure series (requires API key)

Map Settings

• Height - Set the map height in pixels (default: 500px)
• Map Center - Set the initial center point coordinates
• Zoom Level - Set the initial zoom level
• Auto-fit Bounds - When enabled, the map automatically zooms to fit all routes (recommended)

Display Options

• Show Controls - Toggle zoom/pan controls on the map
• Allow Controls Toggle - Let visitors show/hide controls
• Show Waypoints - Display waypoint markers from the GPX file
• Allow Waypoints Toggle - Let visitors show/hide waypoints

Using Location Markers

If the same page has a Location row, the map can automatically sync markers from it:

• Enable Use Location from Page in the map settings
• The map will show markers for the start (and end) location defined in the location row
• This keeps location data consistent between the location row and the map

Multiple Routes

You can add multiple routes to a single map:

• Click Add Route again to add another GPX file
• Each route can have its own colour and styling
• Use this for alternative routes or multi-stage walks
• The auto-fit bounds option will zoom to show all routes

Tips

• Auto-fit bounds is recommended for most pages — it ensures visitors see the full route without manual zooming
• For very large route files (over 5MB), the system will display a warning — consider simplifying the GPX
• Routes with many features (100+) automatically use viewport-based filtering for performance
• GPX files can be created from most walking/hiking apps (OS Maps, Komoot, AllTrails, etc.)
• The map text field above the map supports Markdown for adding route descriptions