Technical Difficulties
We’ve put together a guide to provide an overview of what you could expect at the different levels, but you may prefer to get used to the levels by trying routes. If in doubt, always err on the side of caution when picking a route! We want everyone to enjoy safe experiences outdoors, and these technical difficulty levels are there to help you do that.
There are many ways of grading routes, often blending ‘fitness’ and ‘technical difficulty’. With the variations in routes and individual ability, there isn’t one perfect system. We’ve used feedback from our users and drawn on different systems to deliver a helpful guide, but of course, four levels will never capture the variety of the 2 million + routes you can find in OS Maps so always use all the information available to assess a route.
Easy
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Moderate
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Difficult
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Severe
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Gradient | Generally flat | Moderate gradients | Steep ascents and descents | Very steep ascents and descents | ||||
Remoteness | Never far from the road or an access point | Route could be exited in around one hour | Route could be exited in a few hours | Upland or very remote areas far from any habitation; could take over half a day to exit the route | ||||
Path type | Generally accessible paths, surface usually paved or hardened | Narrower paths but mostly firm and stable surfaces, rocks and other obstacles may be present | Mountainous with steep, rocky sections requiring very good coordination; may involve crossing streams or marshes | Involves non-existent or unmarked trails and scrambles, technical equipment such as a rope may be required | ||||
Navigation | Well-marked paths, only basic navigation required | Paths generally well defined, signage or marking may also be present | Little signage, paths may be poorly defined; map and compass skills essential, particularly in poor weather | “Off-the-beaten-track”: extensive navigation experience using compass required |
Easy
Gradient | Generally flat |
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Remoteness | Never far from the road or an access point |
Path type | Generally accessible paths, surface usually paved or hardened |
Navigation | Well-marked paths, only basic navigation required |
Moderate
Gradient | Moderate gradients |
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Remoteness | Route could be exited in around one hour |
Path type | Narrower paths but mostly firm and stable surfaces, rocks and other obstacles may be present |
Navigation | Paths generally well defined, signage or marking may also be present |
Difficult
Gradient | Steep ascents and descents |
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Remoteness | Route could be exited in a few hours |
Path type | Mountainous with steep, rocky sections requiring very good coordination; may involve crossing streams or marshes |
Navigation | Little signage, paths may be poorly defined; map and compass skills essential, particularly in poor weather |
Severe
Gradient | Very steep ascents and descents |
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Remoteness | Upland or very remote areas far from any habitation; could take over half a day to exit the route |
Path type | Involves non-existent or unmarked trails and scrambles, technical equipment such as a rope may be required |
Navigation | “Off-the-beaten-track”: extensive navigation experience using compass required |
Easy
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Moderate
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Difficult
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Severe
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Gradient | Generally flat | Could include some steeper gradients, up to 10% | Steep descents with tight turns, up to 25% | Extremely steep ascents / descents, 25%+ | ||||
Remoteness | Through built-up areas, or popular recreation areas. | Away from build up areas, but never too far from civilisation | Countryside areas away from villages | Upland or remote areas, far from any habitation | ||||
Road type | Route uses virtually traffic-free roads or cycle lanes | Mainly low capacity roads with some short sections on busier single carriageway roads | May include some sections of busier dual-carriageway roads |
Easy
Gradient | Generally flat |
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Remoteness | Through built-up areas, or popular recreation areas. |
Road type | Route uses virtually traffic-free roads or cycle lanes |
Moderate
Gradient | Could include some steeper gradients, up to 10% |
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Remoteness | Away from build up areas, but never too far from civilisation |
Road type | Mainly low capacity roads with some short sections on busier single carriageway roads |
Difficult
Gradient | Steep descents with tight turns, up to 25% |
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Remoteness | Countryside areas away from villages |
Road type | May include some sections of busier dual-carriageway roads |
Severe
Gradient | Extremely steep ascents / descents, 25%+ |
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Remoteness | Upland or remote areas, far from any habitation |
Road type |
Easy
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Moderate
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Difficult
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Severe
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Gradient | Shallow climbs and descents | Moderate climbs, possibly including short sections of steeper climbs | A wide range of steeper, tougher climbs and descents of a challenging nature | Any rideable or usable gradient, including steep descents | ||||
Remoteness | Never far from the road or an access point | Route could be exited in around one hour | Route could be exited in a few hours | Upland or very remote areas far from any habitation; could take over half a day to exit the route | ||||
Path type | Rail-trails, towpaths, reservoir trails, estate or forestry tracks, traffic quiet roads; smooth with minimal loose surfaces | May include bridleways, byways, un-surfaced unclassified roads and lightly trafficked lanes; mostly stoned surfaces | Any usable trail, likely to include singletrack and other technical sections | Technical trails, with unforgiving terrain, severe climbs and descents | ||||
Hazards | Generally very low risk but may include short, more difficult sections | Some loose surfaces, ruts, potholes or tree roots | Unavoidable berms, boardwalks, large stones, moderate steps and drop-offs; cambers, water crossings and 'North Shore' may be present | Unavoidable obstacles with large steps and drop-offs; prolonged steep, loose and rocky surfaces; can include exposed open hill sections and some man-made structures |
Easy
Gradient | Shallow climbs and descents |
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Remoteness | Never far from the road or an access point |
Path type | Rail-trails, towpaths, reservoir trails, estate or forestry tracks, traffic quiet roads; smooth with minimal loose surfaces |
Hazards | Generally very low risk but may include short, more difficult sections |
Moderate
Gradient | Moderate climbs, possibly including short sections of steeper climbs |
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Remoteness | Route could be exited in around one hour |
Path type | May include bridleways, byways, un-surfaced unclassified roads and lightly trafficked lanes; mostly stoned surfaces |
Hazards | Some loose surfaces, ruts, potholes or tree roots |
Difficult
Gradient | A wide range of steeper, tougher climbs and descents of a challenging nature |
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Remoteness | Route could be exited in a few hours |
Path type | Any usable trail, likely to include singletrack and other technical sections |
Hazards | Unavoidable berms, boardwalks, large stones, moderate steps and drop-offs; cambers, water crossings and 'North Shore' may be present |
Severe
Gradient | Any rideable or usable gradient, including steep descents |
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Remoteness | Upland or very remote areas far from any habitation; could take over half a day to exit the route |
Path type | Technical trails, with unforgiving terrain, severe climbs and descents |
Hazards | Unavoidable obstacles with large steps and drop-offs; prolonged steep, loose and rocky surfaces; can include exposed open hill sections and some man-made structures |
Easy
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Moderate
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Difficult
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Severe
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Gradient | Generally flat | Moderate gradients | Steep ascents and descents | Very steep ascents and descents | ||||
Remoteness | Never far from the road or an access point | Route could be exited in an hour | Route could be exited in a few hours | Upland or very remote areas far from any habitation; could take over half a day to exit the route | ||||
Path type | Route uses virtually traffic-free roads, bridleways, byways or forestry tracks; wide enough to accommodate two way usage (likely to be multi-use and encounters with other users including cyclists, walkers and runners to be expected) | May include sections on some slightly busier roads and sections of single tracks | May include crossings of busy roads, and more frequent single track sections | May include sections of non-existent, narrow, unmarked trails | ||||
Obstacles | Relatively obstacle free | May include shallow fords, equine suitable bridges and gates that require opening and closing | May include river crossings and more variable surface, rocks and tree roots or stumps |
Easy
Gradient | Generally flat |
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Remoteness | Never far from the road or an access point |
Path type | Route uses virtually traffic-free roads, bridleways, byways or forestry tracks; wide enough to accommodate two way usage (likely to be multi-use and encounters with other users including cyclists, walkers and runners to be expected) |
Obstacles | Relatively obstacle free |
Moderate
Gradient | Moderate gradients |
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Remoteness | Route could be exited in an hour |
Path type | May include sections on some slightly busier roads and sections of single tracks |
Obstacles | May include shallow fords, equine suitable bridges and gates that require opening and closing |
Difficult
Gradient | Steep ascents and descents |
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Remoteness | Route could be exited in a few hours |
Path type | May include crossings of busy roads, and more frequent single track sections |
Obstacles | May include river crossings and more variable surface, rocks and tree roots or stumps |
Severe
Gradient | Very steep ascents and descents |
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Remoteness | Upland or very remote areas far from any habitation; could take over half a day to exit the route |
Path type | May include sections of non-existent, narrow, unmarked trails |
Obstacles |
Easy
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Moderate
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Difficult
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Severe
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River grade | Ungraded, easy Grade 1 | Grade 1 and easy Grade 2 | Harder Grade 2 and Grade 3 | Grade 4+ |
Easy
River grade | Ungraded, easy Grade 1 |
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Moderate
River grade | Grade 1 and easy Grade 2 |
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Difficult
River grade | Harder Grade 2 and Grade 3 |
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Severe
River grade | Grade 4+ |
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