ON the back of the popularity of an award-winning trail guide, walks along the River Tyne will feature on forthcoming Ordnance Survey (OS) maps.

River Tyne Trail: Sources to Sea was compiled by authors Peter Donaghy and the late John Laidler in 2015 after Daft as a Brush Patient Care founder Brian Burnie created walks from the sources of the River Tyne to the North Sea.

The guide book, which won a silver award in the 2018 Great Outdoors Magazine’s Book of the Year Awards, has proved so popular that the routes have received official recognition from OS and will be designated on future maps of the area.

This will raise the awareness of the walks, with the maps also available to a digital audience.

Mr Burnie, who is currently more than halfway through an ambitious 7,000-mile walk around the coast of Great Britain and Ireland to spread the work of Daft as a Brush with the aim of creating create 1,000,000 free cancer patient journeys nationwide, said: “I’m thrilled our River Tyne Trail is is now included in OS mapping.

“The trail boasts spectacular scenery, rolling hills, sweeping views, friendly towns and a cultural heritage of its own. It’s easy to experience short sections of the trail that can be built on over time. I believe walking is part of the journey to recovery, and this book is dedicated to all those who have been affected by cancer.”

David Wilson, in his role as OS’s #GetOutside champion, has planned every mile of Mr Burnie’s charity trek, and was delighted to have successfully applied for the inclusion of the River Tyne Trail on the maps.

He said: “The trail is a welcome addition to our local walking trails and now sits proudly on the map alongside national trails such as Hadrian’s Wall Path. The quality of this route is enhanced by the excellent guide book, and the recent silver award is proof of this.”

Nick Giles, managing director of Ordnance Survey Leisure, said the decision to include the trails complemented the organisation’s passion for discovering and sharing new routes. He said: “Getting outside is not only free but one of the best ways to enjoy better physical and mental health, and here at OS we’re passionate about giving people new options to do just that.”