GPX files allow you to follow a route on your phone or handled GPS! I explain below how to go about this.

Viewing GPX files on your phone:

To view a GPX file on your phone from the England Hikes website. First, go on the bottom of a hike webpage that you're interested in and click the "Download GPX file!" button. A zip file will download (which is a compressed container for the GPX file). You will need to have a navigation app on your phone such as Komoot, AllTrails or Strava. (I use komoot) You will need to unzip the .zip file then import the GPX file onto your app. You don't need to pay to add a GPX file into Komoot, which is an app / website that I'd highly recommend.

Viewing GPX files on your Garmin / Handheld GPS:

Garmin's are the most common type of handheld GPS, and I have a garmin eTrex 32x, previously a garmin eTrex 30. I prefer them to my phone because I feel they are more reliable. If you're going on an adventure a long way from home or where you can't get help easily then they are ideal. They have better battery lives than most mobiles. They run on double A batteries which you can find in a lot of shops and one good pair of double A's tends to last a days hiking which not all phones do and if they run out of charger you can just bring spares or buy some more.

Firstly you will need to download a program called Basecamp onto your computer, and plug your Garmin GPS into your computer. Then routes can be added in the form of GPX files, which are overlayed onto your existing map - which you will need to download as well - which can either be paid for (e.g. the maps from Ordnance Survey or any opensource maps). Download a GPX file in the same way from the bottom of a webpage via the "Download GPX file!" button. Then drag the file onto Basecamp then drag it onto your GPS which Basecamp will recognise and will load in the program.

Hope that helps!