Privacy Policy

1 Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

• Usage Data. When you browse the site we automatically collect standard server log data, including your IP address, browser type, pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring URLs. This is collected via Google Analytics (see Section 4).
• Newsletter Sign-up. If you subscribe to trail updates via the footer form, we collect your email address. We use it only to send you relevant updates about trails and local outdoor news. You can unsubscribe at any time.
• Map Interactions. When you use the interactive trail map, your approximate location may be requested by your browser to centre the map. This is processed locally in your browser and is never sent to our servers.
• Admin Accounts. If you have an administrator account, we store your name, email address, and a securely hashed password. This information is used solely to authenticate your access to the admin panel.

2 How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and improve the Trail Finder platform and interactive map.
• Send trail update newsletters to subscribers who have opted in.
• Understand how visitors use the site so we can improve the experience and add new trails.
• Authenticate administrators who manage trail, facility, and media content.
• Comply with legal obligations where applicable.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

3 Trail Content & User-Submitted Media

Trail descriptions, GPX route files, photos, and highlight information are managed by our administrative team. Photos uploaded to trails or facilities are stored on our servers and displayed publicly as part of the trail listing. If you believe any content infringes on your rights, please contact us using the details in Section 8.

GPS coordinates derived from GPX files are stored to render trail routes on the interactive map. No personal identifiers are extracted from GPX data — only geographic coordinates and elevation information are retained.

4 Cookies & Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand site traffic and usage patterns. Google Analytics uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to collect anonymised data about how visitors interact with the site. This data is processed by Google in accordance with their Privacy Policy.

We also use session cookies to keep administrator accounts logged in. These cookies are essential for the admin panel to function and are not used for tracking.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some functionality of the site.

5 Third-Party Services

Our site integrates with the following third-party services:

Each of these services operates under its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review them if you have concerns about data processed by those providers.

6 Data Retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy:

• Newsletter subscribers: until you unsubscribe.
• Admin accounts: for the duration of the account's active status. Deleted accounts are permanently removed from our database.
• Analytics data: subject to Google Analytics' retention settings (typically 26 months).

7 Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: request that we delete your personal data, subject to any legal obligations to retain it.
• Unsubscribe: opt out of newsletter emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email we send.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

8 Children's Privacy

Our site is intended for general audiences and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

9 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10 Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the data we hold, please reach out to us: