Hiking in the UK is a popular way to access the stunning scenery of a small island whose rich history is visible throughout its wild, dramatic landscapes. The diversity of its natural beauty makes the UK a great place to find a wide and varied choice of hikes and here we recommend 20 of the most breathtaking for you to enjoy.
Hikes in the UK: Hadrian’s Wall Path
Length: 84 miles ^ Start / Finish: Wallsend / Bowness-on-Solway
Stretching across northern England and running beside the UK’s most famous Roman monument and UNESCO World Heritage site, the full six-day hike takes in beautiful countryside and ancient settlements along with vibrant cities.
Relatively easy to navigate and requiring only a reasonable level of fitness, the best time to enjoy the hike is between May and October, but as one of the best hiking trails in the UK, it can get busy in the summer months.
West Highland Way
Length: 96 miles ^ Start / Finish: Milngavie / Fort William
The hike takes you to heights of up to 550 metres and rewards you with a variety of jaw-dropping Highland scenery that features tranquil lochs, sweeping glens, and dramatic mountains and views up to Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the UK.
Leave yourself a week to comfortably complete the route in full, but shorter sections can be completed individually if time is tight. The famously unpredictable Scottish weather can change quickly and avoid June to August when the dreaded midges are most active.
Lizard Peninsula
Length: 7 miles ^ Start & Finish: Kynance Cove
Located at the southern tip of the UK mainland, this challenging hike follows undulating high cliffs and gives access to some of the best beaches in the UK, as well as notable local landmarks including the Lizard Lighthouse, Lions Den, and the Victorian lifeboat station at Polpeor Cove.
The area is a haven for nature lovers with rare flora and fauna particularly vibrant in the spring and summer which makes this a popular UK hike during those seasons.
South Downs Way
Length: 100 miles ^ Start / Finish: Winchester / Eastbourne
Taking in world-famous landscapes such as Seven Sisters, Devil’s Dyke, and Old Winchester Hill, this is among the best hiking trails in the UK. Travelling east from Winchester, you meander through picturesque countryside and villages until reaching the famous chalk cliffs near Eastbourne.
Running along a chalk ridge allows easy drainage, making it pleasant to walk all year round. Allow up to eight days to walk it in full and you’ll find plenty of enticing watering holes offering accommodation along the way to break up your journey.
UK Hiking: Mam Tor – The Peak District
Length: 3 miles ^ Start & Finish: Mam Nick car park
Many say walking in the Peak District is the best hiking experience in the UK. Many circular walks take in the summit of Mam Tor and stunning views of the Edale Valley, Kinder Scout, and the Derwent Moors, but we’ve selected the shortest and one of the most popular.
The walk to the summit features a stone footpath and although there are some steps, steep climbs, and stiles to navigate, most will find it a pleasant climb that can be completed within two hours. Mam Tor is a popular spot, so get there early to secure a car parking space.
Scafell Pike, Lake District
Length: 9 miles ^ Start & Finish: Seathwaite
Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England and the Corridor route up from Seathwaite delivers you from the northeast, allowing you to enjoy the stunning views in relative solitude before merging with the crowds ascending via the more popular and shorter route from Wasdale.
The climb requires a good degree of fitness and there will be sections where the path is steep and the terrain challenging, but it will all be worth it when you reach the top and enjoy the far-reaching views from the highest point in England.
The Miner’s Track, Snowdonia
Length 8 miles ^ Start & Finish: Pen-y-Pas
Despite enduring some of the heaviest rainfall in Britain, Snowdonia is hard to beat for the best hiking in the UK. The Miner’s Track is our favourite route to the top and will allow you to get up and down in less than six hours.
Starting with a gentle hike from Pen-y-Pass, the climb becomes more challenging after leaving the lake at Glaslyn and the final section can get busy in peak periods, but all the effort and bustle will be worth the views that await you at the summit.
Jurassic Coast
Length: 95 miles ^ Start / Finish: Exmouth / Swanage
Designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for the Outstanding Universal Value of the rocks, fossils, and landforms found along its length, the Jurassic Coast delivers 95 miles of stunning coastline that lays bare 185 million years of the earth’s history.
The route is noted for its striking rock formations, rich fossil sites, and iconic British landmarks that include Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove. The terrain varies along the way making some sections easier than others and if walked in full you should allow nine days.
Helvellyn, Lake District
Length: 9 miles ^ Start & Finish: Glenridding
We recommend the Striding Edge route to scale England’s third-highest mountain, a favorite of Wordsworth, Wainwright, and seasoned hikers for generations. The trail follows Mires Beck up from Glenridding, onto Striding Edge and takes in the Helvellyn summit before you retrace your steps back down.
The summit is as flat as a billiard table and accessed via Striding Edge ridge. The final section offers you the chance to test your climbing skills on a grade 1 scramble if you’re up to it, but there’s also a path for an easier route to the top.
Hiking in the UK – The Quiraing, Isle of Skye
Length: 4.5 miles ^ Start & Finish: Staffin or Uig
Be sure to have your camera ready to capture some of Scotland’s most breathtaking scenery. Located in the wilds of northern Skye, Quiraing was formed by a huge landslip that created a diverse landscape of high cliffs, hidden plateaus and rocky peaks.
It’s a challenging hike that should take around two hours, but it does take you close to high cliffs and so shouldn’t be tackled in high winds or when visibility is poor.
Causeway Coast Way, N. Ireland
Length: 32 miles ^ Start / Finish: Ballycastle / Portstewart
Wide bays, sandy beaches, and dramatic cliffs all await you on this relatively easy coastal hike. The trail passes through the Causeway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and several Areas of Special Scientific Interest and features the Giant’s Causeway, a geological wonder, and World Heritage Site.
The route is easy to follow, and three days will be enough for you to complete it at a relaxed pace with plenty of time to enjoy the magnificent views.
Coast to Coast Walk
Length: 182 miles ^ Start / Finish: St Bees, Cumbria / Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire
Devised by famous fellwalker Arthur Wainwright, this popular trek takes in some of the best hiking in the UK as it travels through three very different, but equally striking, national parks: the Lakes, the Yorkshire Dales, and the North York Moors.
The full hike takes up to 15 days at a reasonable pace and travelling from west to east keeps the prevailing wind and rain at your back and the setting sun out of your eyes.
Best hikes in the UK: Cotswold Way
Length: 102 miles ^ Start / Finish: Chipping Campden / Bath
Allow up to nine days to drink in one of the UK’s most beautiful areas and home to some of its best hikes. Rolling hills, amazing views, and honey-coloured villages feature heavily on this hike that starts in the north of the Cotswolds and finishes in the UNESCO listed city of Bath.
The route is well signposted and can be walked in all seasons, but make sure to book your accommodation in advance, as the Cotswolds are a magnet for tourists all year round.
Find stays in Chipping Campden
Southern Upland Way, Scotland
Length: 214 miles ^ Start / Finish: Portpatrick / Cockburnspath
Britain’s first official coast-to-coast long-distance path remains a mystery to most and as such offers a real chance to find solitude. The route provides a mixture of easy and challenging hiking across varied landscapes that are home to a fascinating combination of wild nature and human history.
Due to its remoteness, prolonged stretches of exposed terrain, and changeable weather conditions, only attempt the full hike if you’re fit, have the right kit, and have up to 16 days to spare.
Westray West Coast, Orkney
Length: 6 miles ^ Start / Finish: East Kirbest / Noup Head
The west of the island is an incredible stretch of coastline featuring high cliffs, spectacular rock formations and an RSPB reserve that makes it a haven for twitchers. Anchored at one end by the beautiful lighthouse perched high at Noup Head, the trail takes in stunning cliff scenery and beautiful sandy bays and should take you no more than five hours.
Due to its size and location, the weather on Westray can sometimes be wild, so take every precaution when preparing for and enjoying this wonderful hike.
Thames Path
Length: 184 miles ^ Start / Finish: Kemble / Charlton
Following the River Thames from its source in the Cotswolds to the Thames Barrier in London, this well-known UK hike gently meanders through stunning countryside, beautiful villages, and historic cities, offering you a choice of sights to see and landscapes to experience.
If you don’t have 14 days to walk the full trail, it can be enjoyed in short sections over an afternoon or weekend, with clear signage throughout to keep you on track.
Cheddar Gorge
Length: 4 miles ^ Start & Finish: National Trust Information Centre
England’s largest gorge cuts through the landscape for 3 miles at depths of up to 122 metres, creating an exhilarating circular trail that offers rough terrain, steep climbs, rare plants and wildlife, and spectacular views of the surrounding Mendip Hills.
Rated as moderate, the trail is accessible all year round but take care and follow the signed footpaths at the top and bottom of the gorge to avoid any sheer drops or small falling rocks.
Kintyre Way
Length: 100 miles ^ Start / Finish: Tarbert / Machrihanish
Traversing the length of the beautifully unspoiled Kintyre peninsula this hike reveals hidden coves, deserted beaches, dense woodland, castles, fishing villages, and a wealth of local wildlife against the backdrop of striking landscapes and the wild Atlantic coast.
The full route will take up to seven days, but there are defined sections varying from 9 to 20 miles allowing you to break it down and choose a stretch with easier terrain to experience the breathtaking scenery.
Wessex Ridgeway
Length: 137 miles ^ Start / Finish: Marlborough / Lyme Regis
Trek along part of this prehistoric trade route, passing through ancient sites at West Kennet Long Barrow and Avebury Stone Circle and enjoying sweeping views of three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty at the Wessex Downs, Cranborne Chase, and Dorset.
Most of the route follows the ridge-top and is moderate, but it can be rather steep in parts, especially up and down the chalk valleys. The terrain is mixed but a stout pair of walking boots will be able to take on all-comers.
Pembrokeshire Coastal Path
Length: 186 miles ^ Start / Finish: St Dogmaels / Amroth
This trail captivates with stunning marine vistas, striking rock formations, beautiful sandy beaches, and clifftop paths rich with a variety of flowers and wildlife. Add picturesque villages, Iron Age forts, and industrial archaeological remains and you’ve got one of the best UK hikes.
Some of the terrain will test your fitness, but individual sections are less strenuous and can be enjoyed at your leisure. It’s recommended you allow 12 days to complete the full 186 miles and always expect the unexpected when it comes to the weather.
