With gatherings of up to six and two households now permitted to meet up outside, Ordnance Survey is launching the Secret Stories app to banish those lockdown blues and turn family walks into mini adventures.

The Secret Stories app is free to download and brings towns and cities to life, with each self-guided tour revealing a diverse and interesting mixture of folklore, celebrity, history and myth as you follow the route around.

Each Secret Stories tour varies, but can contain a mixture of audio clips, images, challenges, puzzles, teasers and directions to help you immerse yourself in each location as you move from story to story.

On Winchester's Saxon Bones and Suffragettes Tour, families will learn about Queen Emma, King Canute's wife, whose remains were discovered in the ancient city. Regarded as one of the most powerful queens in English history, her importance was such that she was the first queen whose portrait was painted by artists.

The first locations to feature walks are across Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire.

Further Secret Stories tours are planned across the rest of Great Britain throughout 2021.

Nick Giles, Managing Director for OS Leisure, said: “We know it can be difficult to find something for everyone to enjoy together outdoors which is why OS has created Secret Stories, to make a walk more fun and interesting for the whole family.

“Simply download the Secret Stories app, make your way to the location of your choice, and pick a ‘tour leader’ for the group.

“Then set off on a guided tour and learn about unique stories together, everything from mysterious deaths to scandalous romances, rogue kings and much more.”

Nick added: “We’re hoping that as we all emerge from lockdown, particularly with the restrictions we still have in place in Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset, Secret Stories will be the perfect way to get outside and have some fun while improving your local knowledge.”

Secret Stories is user-friendly for all ages with simple maps to follow and allows for complete flexibility as it does not require you to book onto a guided tour.

The app allows users to save tours and enjoy them as many times as they like.

Users can also add their own secret stories by using the app’s Community Stories option.

The Secret Stories app is available to download for free in both the Google Play and iTunes store.

Ordnance Survey is looking for content specialists interested in contributing tours for their local areas. For more information get in touch via feedback@secretstories.co.uk

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