TOP 5 UK BEST HIKING HOLIDAYS
Why take a normal holiday when you can have an epic vacation? We’ve put together a list of UK’s absolute best hiking holidays to choose for your next vacation! On these four to twenty-day adventures, you can walk from one village to the next so you can travel light and only need to carry a daypack. There are companies that can transport your luggage for you or even plan the entire holiday for you. All you have to do is show up and walk! It also helps to know that none of these paths are technical so you don’t need any technical skills but just be reasonably fit and able to walk most of the day. Here are our favourite Top 5.
@heftiba.jpg Hadrian Wall
Hadrian’s Wall
Average walk 9 days for about 85 miles (135km) with a moderate difficulty rating. Combine history with your hiking holiday on this famous route from Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway alongside much of the remaining former Roman barrier – including Northern Europe’s largest surviving Roman monument (and a UNESCO world heritage site). You’ll see turrets and forts, and multiples of the milecastles (mini forts that were built about every mile along the barrier). Plenty of museums and Visitor’s Centres to quench your thirst for history. Go April to October go the best experience.
@anniespratt.jpg South West Coastal Path
South West Coast Path.
This is a more strenuous hike that’s moderate to strenuous difficulty rating and can also be broken into two sections. The first section is Padstow to St. Ives and averages about five days. You walk south from the irresistible Padstow along pristine sandy beaches or above furious ocean waves crashing to create caves against the cliffs on this Atlantic Coast hike nestled between charming fishing villages and landscapes. You can rest your tired feet during a break in a secluded cove en route to St. Ives, Cornwall’s most famous holiday town. Enjoy fresh caught fish nightly on this approximately 60-mile hike, which is about 100 kilometres.
The second section, St. Ives to Penzance, which averages about four days of hiking, moderate to strenuous difficulty rating. You continue south on the southwest coast path along the sandy beaches and cliffs on this remote and rugged section of about 40 miles, which is 65 kilometres. You’ll have lots of opportunities to see wildlife, especially birds as you continue to Land’s End, Britain’s western most point.
Visit Manchester
Pennine Way.
This hike is sixteen to twenty days depending on your pace and is in moderate to strenuous difficulty rating. You walk this path from south to north normally and end up by the Scottish border. You’ll be crossing Hadrian’s Wall and the two trails form a cross formation if you’re looking at a map, and ending up in Northern England. You’re going to be hiking through some stunning moors and through three national parks: The Peak district, the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland on the UK’s first national trail. There are some gorgeous rivers and waterfalls as well as some Roman ruins that you’ll see when you’re at the historic Roman Hadrian’s Wall country. These breathtaking hills, dales and moorlands coupled with history make this one the UK’s most endeared long-distance trails.
@danielmorris.jpg Pembrokeshire Coastal Path
Pembrokeshire Coast Path
This is a long path and it’s a hard path but it can be broken into three sections if you don’t want to do the whole thing. The full length will take you almost two weeks. It’s pretty strenuous in certain sections. Experienced hikers can do the entire path. The rest of us should probably just pick a section to walk along the cliffs of the Western Peninsula of Wales. You can be on the lookout in season for the comical puffins and the leisurely seals as you hug this rugged coastline.
You’ll visit sleepy fishing villages and enjoy the catch of the day each night and enjoy the quiet seclusion with the crash of the waves below disturbing your thoughts. This hike could be broken into three sections. Number one is the south section from Amroth to Pembroke. It’s about six days of moderate to strenuous difficulty and it’s the most popular section. Then you’ve got the central section from Pembroke to St. David’s, which is about six days and also moderate to strenuous. Note that this section in the middle goes through some industrial areas.
@j0hnmark.jpg Pembrokeshire Coastal Path
Lastly the most difficult and remote north section from St. David’s to Dogmael’s. That’s about five days hiking of strenuous difficulty rating. The entire trail is about 300 kilometres or 185 miles. It’s got a couple of twenty-plus mile days, which is 32 kilometres and all of the days are over eleven miles or eighteen kilometres. This is not a baby hike for somebody to be trying out for the first time. If you do so, start with the south section and do that only on this first trip. Don’t do the north section until you know if you’re a strong enough hiker. If you’re a strong hiker and you’re looking for some rugged remote coastline, this is the path for you.
@siggemayn.jpg West Highland Way
West Highland Way.
This path on average is about seven days walking. It’s moderate with a couple of difficult areas that aren’t even that overly difficult. You’ve got one fourteen-mile day that has a lot of stepping up and down on rocks. That was a little bit more challenging than most of the days. Also you’ve got the Devils Staircase, which is scarier more in sound than in actuality. It’s a steep hill that has a lot of carved out stepping stones out of rock. Some say that the name itself was named by the builders who had to carve out the steps.
Planning your adventure on the West Highland Way pay special attention to the section between Tyndrum to Kingshouse. It’s about a twenty-mile section that you have to decide if you’re going to do twenty miles all in one day. Or do you want to do a short day of about seven miles and then do the other thirteen the next day because it’s very remote. Once you start, you’ve got to go. If the weather’s bad, you still have got to go. When you’re doing this trip, pay close attention to that section and know your body before you plan to see whether or not you feel you can do twenty miles or not in a day. It’s not that the section is difficult. It’s long and it is very remote.
@krisijanis.jpg West Highland Way
The West Highland Way isn’t Scotland’s most popular long-distance trail without reason. It has gorgeous Loch Lomond that you’re walking along most of the time. Some scenic rivers, peaceful pastures, the remote Rannoch Moore, plus some quaint villages each night that ensure a satisfying hike to the highlands. This trail starts in Milngavie and finishes in Fort William where you can pick up the great Glen Way. Plan to spend an extra day in Fort William to climb Ben Nevis if you can, also it’s a cute little town and it’s considered the outdoor capital of Scotland. I have such fond memories of my West Highland Way hike and I hope that you will truly consider it. I’ve made some lifelong friends along the path and I think you will too. It’s a great walking holiday.
These suggestions are from Kit Parks, who is a specialised in combing the planet to find the best multi-day active travel experiences for fit folks like yourself. She shares his findings with you on her website, a twice a month podcast (also called Active Travel Adventures) and a monthly email newsletter. Check it out here.