Merestone shows the environmental designations of Ireland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, and of Switzerland from version 2.3, on a fast native map for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, using official public data. The UK statutory core and a starter selection in other countries are free; each country's available licensed layers are a one-off unlock, or a subscription covers them all.
Need help or found a bug? Email leonfigueira@gmail.com, or use Send feedback in the app's Settings. Send feedback opens an email to me with your app version, device model, OS version, language, and which countries you have unlocked, so I can reproduce the problem. You see it before you send it.
A layer says it's waiting for zoom. Dense national layers hold back until you zoom in, so the map stays fast. The pill at the bottom tells you how many are waiting - tap Show anyway to force them at any zoom.
How big is "Download everything"? The Offline maps screen quotes the figure for whatever you are about to download, per layer and per country, before it starts - that is the number to trust, because it moves as layers are added. Everything in every country is far more than anyone wants; one country is a small fraction of it. Use Wi-Fi, expect a few sittings, and download just the layers you need if you would rather.
Which countries are covered? Open the app's country selector and Layers panel for the current catalogue on your platform. Available layers vary with each publisher's licence and services. A restricted layer is identified in the app with its reason and a link to the publisher; absence from the map does not prove that a designation or constraint is absent on the ground.
Do I need an account? No. From version 2.3 you can sign in to an optional Merestone account (Settings, Merestone account) with a code sent to your email. It unlocks in the app what you bought on merestonemaps.com, and can link your App Store purchases so they work on the website too. You can delete it, and everything it holds, from the same place.
How do I get the Watch app? Open the Watch app on your iPhone, scroll to Available Apps, and install Merestone. On your wrist it shows the habitat you're standing in, or the nearest designations with distances and grid references.
My location isn't showing on the Mac. Allow it in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services, then click the location button again.
Is this the same data as the government sites? Yes - Merestone streams from the same official services, live. It's an independent app, not affiliated with Defra, Natural England or the MAGIC service, and boundaries should always be verified against official sources before professional reliance.
Merestone needs no account and has no tracking; signing in is optional. See the Privacy Policy.
Merestone is made by Leon Figueira.