Your privacy matters to this site. This page explains what information PackedTrails collects, why we collect it, how it’s used, and what your rights are. It’s written to be as plain and readable as possible — not buried in legal language.
Who We Are
PackedTrails is a hiking and outdoor adventure blog operated by Sophie. The website is located at packedtrails.com. For any privacy-related questions, you can contact us at contact@packedtrails.com.
What Information We Collect
Information you provide directly
When you contact us through the contact form, subscribe to our newsletter, or leave a comment, we collect the information you submit — typically your name and email address. This information is used only to respond to your message or send you the content you signed up for.
Information collected automatically
Like most websites, PackedTrails uses analytics tools that automatically collect certain technical information when you visit, including:
- Your IP address (anonymised where possible)
- Browser type and version
- Device type and operating system
- Pages visited and time spent on the site
- Referring website or search query
This data is collected and processed by Google Analytics. It is aggregated and used only to understand how readers use the site so we can improve it. We do not sell or share this data with third parties for advertising purposes.
Cookies
PackedTrails uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — for the following purposes:
- Essential cookies: required for basic site functionality
- Analytics cookies: used by Google Analytics to understand site usage
- Preference cookies: to remember your settings and preferences
When you first visit the site, you will be asked to accept or decline non-essential cookies. You can also disable cookies at any time through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect some site functionality.
For more detail on how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Policy.
Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services that may collect data independently under their own privacy policies:
- Google Analytics — website traffic analysis (privacy policy: policies.google.com/privacy)
- Amazon Associates and other affiliate programs — for monetisation purposes
- Email marketing platform (e.g. Mailchimp) — for newsletter delivery
Each of these services has their own privacy policy that governs how they use your data. We encourage you to review those policies separately.
Affiliate Links and Advertising
PackedTrails participates in affiliate marketing programmes. Some links on this site are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through that link — at no extra cost to you. This does not influence our content or recommendations. Please see our Affiliate Disclosure for full details.
We do not currently run display advertising, but if we do in the future this Privacy Policy will be updated accordingly.
How We Use Your Information
- To respond to your messages and enquiries
- To send newsletters you have subscribed to (you can unsubscribe at any time)
- To improve the website and content based on aggregate analytics data
- To comply with legal obligations
How Long We Keep Your Data
We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected. Newsletter subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe. Contact form submissions are retained for up to 12 months unless an ongoing relationship requires longer retention.
Your Rights (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- The right to access the data we hold about you
- The right to correct inaccurate data
- The right to request deletion of your data
- The right to restrict or object to processing
- The right to data portability
- The right to withdraw consent at any time
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at contact@packedtrails.com. We will respond within 30 days.
Children’s Privacy
PackedTrails is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us immediately.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the date at the top of this page. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact
For any privacy-related questions or to exercise your data rights, please contact us at contact@packedtrails.com.