From a web page to a real app

A name and a face

The project started life as “Clean Route”. It worked as a description, but nobody would love it. It became OtterWay, and with it came Scout: a calm, curious otter who explores on land and keeps you company on every walk.

From a web pilot to a proper app

I started with a simple one-page web pilot to prove the idea. By the end of the week it was clear that walkers need a real app, so OtterWay is now being built for iPhone and Android, with secure accounts behind it. This website stays separate, so it can keep you posted.

Honest about our data

• Safety comes from walker ratings and reports, plus data on well-lit streets.
• Air quality comes from area-wide forecasts, like a weather app.
• We dropped crime data. We couldn’t do it properly, so we won’t pretend to.
• City air monitor networks come later, as funding allows.

Routes that learn

Every rating you give feeds a learning layer. Streets are split into small sections, and a score is only shared once several walkers agree. It’s anonymised, and you can switch it off. Over time this is what will make OtterWay’s routes better than anyone else’s.

Free stays free

Explorer is free and always will be. Pathfinder, with extras like Scout’s wardrobe, arrives once we reach 1,000 walkers a day. Local businesses will be able to add a few vetted map pins, with no gambling, vapes, tobacco, alcohol or predatory lenders, ever.

Update, 23 October: plans have moved on. OtterWay is now free for everyone from day one, and Scout’s collectables unlock as you walk. Pathfinder is an optional upgrade for ad-free walks and extras, instead of waiting for 1,000 walkers a day.