A mapping solution that allows html links

I think your looking for something along these lines https://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/brendanlarkin/two_thumbs_up/1101929640/tpod.html not sure how the service is accomplishing this but it may be something worth looking into.

thanks jeff, that looks good. I had a look into google maps, but wrote it off as too hard to bother setting up, just want an easy solution

Ok, maybe give https://www.zeesource.net/maps/home.do a try. You can create a map with their service, add place markers and all that jazz, then add a Google Gadget to your website which contains your map.

https://www.google.com/ig/directory?synd=open&num=24&url=https://www.zeesource.net/maps/gadget/zeemap.xml

wow, just what I am after

thanks jeffr0

added a map page https://www.overlander.tv/map/ zeemap provides the goods

Cool overlander, looks like that solution does pretty much what you wanted.