Streetmap UK: What it was, why it vanished, and what to use now

UPDATE - 10th Feb 2026

Since first publishing this article, we have been in close contact with Kate and the team behind Streetmap UK as they have navigated the fallout from Storm Gerrit.

During Storm Gerrit, winds of around 100 mph in Cornwall brought down six telegraph poles that carried the fibre connection linking Streetmap’s servers to the internet. As a result, Streetmap UK was completely cut off from the web for several weeks, leaving Kate and the team in a deeply uncertain and stressful situation while they waited for Openreach to repair the line.

It has been a worrying and stressful period for them, and we have been keen to offer whatever support we can while they work to restore their service.

We are very pleased to say that Streetmap UK came back online on Friday evening, and Kate kindly got in touch straight away to let us know. This is genuinely good news for anyone who values Ordnance Survey mapping and the role Streetmap has played in making it accessible over the years.

We have also been really heartened by all the comments, messages and memories that readers have shared below this post. The affection for Streetmap UK is clear, and your kind words have meant a lot, both to us and to Kate.

We will continue to stay in touch with Streetmap and, where possible, look for ways to support them going forward.

Thank you again to everyone who has contributed to the conversation, you can read those comments under this blog post.

ORIGINAL NEW ARTICLE - 3rd Feb 2026

For many of us who walk, cycle, run or simply like to explore Britain, Streetmap UK was one of those quiet, dependable tools that just sat in the background of our outdoor lives.

Streetmap UK what was it?

At its heart, Streetmap UK was an online mapping website that allowed anyone to view detailed Ordnance Survey maps for free in their browser. Unlike a simple road map, it showed proper OS detail: footpaths, bridleways, contour lines, woodlands, field boundaries and all the little cartographic features that make British mapping so special.

What made Streetmap particularly useful was how easy it was to share locations. You could click on a point on the map, copy a link, and send it to a friend. That link would take them straight to the same spot on an OS map. For walkers arranging meet-ups, explaining a tricky junction, or sharing a favourite viewpoint, it was incredibly handy.

Streetmap also offered grid references and, crucially, postcode lookups. If you had a grid reference from a guidebook or a GPX file, you could paste it in and see exactly where it was. Equally, if you only had a postcode, Streetmap would place it on the OS map so you could understand the surrounding terrain. For anyone planning a day out in the hills, that combination was gold dust.

In many ways, Streetmap felt like a bridge between traditional paper mapping and the digital world. It respected Ordnance Survey’s cartography while making it accessible to everyone.

Streetmap UK a look back at its history

Streetmap UK launched in the late 1990s, at a time when online mapping was still in its infancy. Long before smartphones were common, it was one of the first platforms to make detailed British mapping available to ordinary people on the internet.

Back then, you did not have dozens of apps and subscription services. Streetmap was simple, fast and functional. You typed in a place name, postcode or grid reference, and you were presented with a clean, readable OS map.

Over the years, it became a staple tool for walkers, outdoor instructors, teachers, planners and anyone who valued accurate British mapping. Many people used it alongside paper maps rather than instead of them. It was the place you went to quickly check a route, confirm a location or print out a section of map before heading out.

What is interesting is how loyal its user base became. Unlike flashier mapping platforms, Streetmap never tried to be all things to all people. It stuck to what it did best: clear Ordnance Survey maps that you could trust.

For a long time, it felt like Streetmap would always be there.

Below is a video showing how we used to use Streetmap.co.uk to find a postcode for the starting point of your walk.

Streetmap UK when it vanished and why

Earlier this year, that sense of permanence came to an abrupt end. Streetmap UK simply disappeared.

One day the familiar site worked as normal, the next day it did not. Instead of a map, users were greeted with a defunct page or nothing at all. For many in the outdoor community, it felt like losing an old friend.

There was no grand announcement, no long farewell, and no clear explanation aimed at the public. That silence is part of what made the loss feel so sudden and frustrating.

While there has been no official public statement setting out a single definitive reason, the most likely explanation is a combination of licensing costs and commercial reality. Streetmap relied heavily on Ordnance Survey data, which is expensive to license at scale. As more commercial mapping platforms emerged, often backed by much larger tech companies, it became harder for a smaller, specialist service to compete.

It is also possible that changes in how mapping data is distributed and monetised made Streetmap’s original model less viable. Whatever the exact reasons, the result is the same. A much-loved resource for hikers, walkers and map enthusiasts is gone.

In my opinion, that is a genuine loss for the outdoor community. Streetmap was never flashy, but it was reliable, practical and wonderfully British in its focus.

What options are there going forward?

The good news is that while Streetmap UK has vanished, the need it filled has not. People still want easy access to OS mapping, grid references and route planning tools, especially for walking and outdoor adventures.

At GPS Training, we have been developing tools that, in many ways, pick up where Streetmap left off, while also offering modern features that go further.

GPS Training Grid Reference Finder

If you mainly used Streetmap to look up grid references, convert locations or share precise points on an OS map, then our GPS Training Grid Reference Finder is a strong alternative.

You can enter a postcode, place name or grid reference, and it will display that location clearly on an Ordnance Survey map. You can click anywhere on the map to get the grid reference, nearest postcode and other useful details.

Just like Streetmap, it is designed to be simple, practical and genuinely useful for walkers. You can find the UK Grid Reference Finder online here

GPS Training Free OS Route Planner

If you used Streetmap more for planning walks or visualising routes, then our GPS Training free OS Route Planner is worth a look.

This allows you to plot routes directly on OS mapping, measure distances, and get a much clearer sense of the terrain before you head out. You can build a route, adjust it, and then export it as a GPX file if you want to use it on a GPS device or smartphone app.

It is a natural next step from what Streetmap offered, taking that same respect for Ordnance Survey mapping but adding proper route planning functionality.

You can view the free OS planner online here.

A fond farewell to Streetmap UK

Streetmap UK may have disappeared, but its legacy lives on in the way so many of us now think about digital mapping.

It helped a whole generation of walkers become more confident with grid references, more curious about maps, and more adventurous in exploring the countryside.

While I still miss its familiar interface, I am grateful for what it gave us, and I am equally pleased that there are now tools available that continue that tradition of clear, accessible OS mapping for everyone.

If you used Streetmap UK in the past, it would be lovely to hear your memories of it. And if you are looking for a modern replacement, I genuinely think the GPS Training tools above are a great place to start.

Thank you for reading.