Mobile app challenge to test Londoners' knowledge of capital's walking routes

Legible London: There are more than 1,700 signs across London
Rowan Griffiths
Hatty Collier5 August 2017

Londoners can put their knowledge of the capital’s geography to the test this weekend with an innovative mobile app challenge using signposts across the city.

Transport for London has challenged individuals and groups to walk to as many locations as possible across the capital in three hours using Legible London signs – the capital’s familiar navigation system.

Anyone who wants to take part in the “Know London Walking” game on Saturday must download the free smartphone app, Sporteering, which contains a map of several Legible London locations around the city, and head to the start point outside Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank.

At each location, participants must scan a QR code on the side of the signpost to log their progress.

A QR code on one of the Legible London signs

Scanning the QR code on the Legible London sign outside Royal Festival Hall starts the clock and those taking part must plot the most effective route for visiting as many points as possible on the map before the time runs out.

The Legible London signs started popping up around the capital a decade ago and there are more than 1,700 across the capital with more being installed each year.

Challenge: Londoners are being invited to test their knowledge of walking routes in the capital
Michael Garnett

TfL organised the challenge to celebrate the navigation system’s 10th anniversary and 50 years of the British Orienteering organisation.

Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “The Legible London signs have been a wonderful way of encouraging Londoners and visitors to walk around our city.

Royal Festival Hall: The starting point for the challenge

“Walking is the best way of exploring everything that our great city offers and I hope this novel challenge will inspire even more people to get out and enjoy our streets.”

Jennie Taylor, of British Orienteering, said: “We are very excited about the Know London Walking activity, this urban navigation challenge based on the principles of orienteering.

“Our aim is to raise the profile of orienteering skills across the country and encourage people to get involved in orienteering related activities in a new and exciting way.”

The top three high-scorers will win a pair of tickets to see the new musical version of The Wind in the Willows at the London Palladium.

The Sporteering app can be downloaded for free on iPhone here and Android here.

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