Best hiking in Great Britain?

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lorrpb
lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, we are thinking about a trip to Great Britain. Where are the best areas for hiking, i.e. lots of 5-10 mile day hikes? Thanks for your input!

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  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
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    The whole of GB has many many good hiking areas. My personal favourite is Scotland I wholly recommend Walking highlands for that https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk
    A helpful site http://www.macsadventure.com/walking-holidays/9-great-phone-apps-for-walkers-and-hikers/ Disclaimer I do my long distance hikes through them

    Also http://www.ramblingclubs.com ramblingclubs.com

    And of course the ramblers ramblers.org.uk
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
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    Peak District, Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors. I love living in the States, but sometimes I don't half miss the English countryside.
  • thegeordielass
    thegeordielass Posts: 208 Member
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    I go to the Lake District every year. It's stunning - look any direction for a brilliant view - and has loads of hikes. There's gentle ones of varying lengths around the lakes (my sister and I are planning Derwent Water this year - about 10 miles around the lake) and mountain ones including one up to the highest peak in England. Some er... "interesting" roads too which can be exciting (ha!) but come with gorgeous views! I'd advise against end of July/August if possible if you go there (actually, most places will be similar) as prices rocket due to it being school holidays (and it usually rains).
    http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/home (about the Lakes)
    https://www.walklakes.co.uk/ (Has instructions and photos of lots of the walks)
  • Smiler106
    Smiler106 Posts: 124 Member
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    I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Wales yet! Snowdonia gets my vote! Completely stunning lots of options for walking, and very close to a lot of beautiful coastline in Gwynedd & Anglesey!
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
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    In Scotland near Glasgow, we hiked from Balloch to Helenburgh. Train to and from. Beautiful. https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/balloch-helensburgh.shtml




  • thegeordielass
    thegeordielass Posts: 208 Member
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    I should actually mention Northumberland too as I live there! No mountains but lots of hills to walk around, Hadrian's Wall, loads of castles and a stunning coastline.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Thanks for all the tips and links!
  • stuart3727
    stuart3727 Posts: 6 Member
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    West Highland Way in Scotland. My wife and I hiked it last summer. Great vacation, having 7 days of warm, sunny weather in the Scottish highlands didn't hurt either.
  • cheriej2042
    cheriej2042 Posts: 241 Member
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    I have hiked the Wainright Coast to Coast you can do all 190 miles or parts of it. I'm hiking Hadrians Wall which is 85 miles across Northern England then going up to Scotland - Inverness and Isle of Skye to hike. West Highland Way is supposed to be great but didn't have time this year.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    Hi, we are thinking about a trip to Great Britain. Where are the best areas for hiking, i.e. lots of 5-10 mile day hikes? Thanks for your input!

    A lot depends what motivates you, and what else you want to do while you're here. Each of the areas mentioned above have quite different characters, and expectations of your ability and kit.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Ooh, how exciting. I can't recommend any walks even though I go over to the UK almost yearly, family visits.

    I do love the variation that has been offered and will throw in looking at Cornwall for some wonderful walks both costal and moorland.

    Even though to us in North America it looks like a small country that should be easy to travel, no matter if you decide to drive or use a rail pass, it may take you longer to get from A to B than you anticipate.

    Think about where you want to go, and what things are important for you to see.

    If it is purely a walking holiday, no wanting to see Stonehenge, Oxford, any of the great galleries, stately homes, or museums, London, Edinburgh, etc, look at the variety of walking experiences.

    I will be in the Folkstone and Edinburgh areas in late August if you want me to find out anything while I am there let me know. Oh and will likely be doing a detour and visiting Snowdonia with some friends.

    I am so excited for you.

    Cheers, h.

    ps: my sister who lives in Scotland declared, on one of her first visits, that the PNW was like Scotland only bigger. :)
  • Madwife2009
    Madwife2009 Posts: 1,369 Member
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    Also The Ridgeway, apparently it's Britain's oldest "road" (not a modern road though!). It's about 90 miles long and cuts through southern England, taking in typical English features - white chalk horses, iron age forts (which are often little more than hills!). It starts in Wiltshire, at Avebury (stone circles although I believe that they've just discovered a stone "square" as well) which is way better than Stonehenge as you can get up close and personal to the stones (and there's no charge).

    More info:

    http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ridgeway

    Where ever you go, I am sure that you'll enjoy it. We have some gorgeous areas in the UK, many of which have already been suggested, although the Brecon Beacons in Wales are pretty good as well.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,403 Member
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    I'm all for Scotland and North Wales, having lived in both :p Snowdonia is nice, especially if you're interested in mining heritage (I think they just opened a new long distance hike, the slate trail or something like it) and Anglesey is great if you're into geology. But Scotland is just fantastic!
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
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    TmacMMM wrote: »
    In Scotland near Glasgow, we hiked from Balloch to Helenburgh. Train to and from. Beautiful. https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/balloch-helensburgh.shtml



    I'm going to be doing that next fall! I'm so excited. I'll be staying in Balloch and plan on hiking through the Trossachs National Park.
  • Sairzie
    Sairzie Posts: 122 Member
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    The South Downs Way is one of my personal favourites...I happen to not live far from a stretch of it! South of England, particularly the Sussex areas give you great costal views whilst having some scenic and rather hilly walking! You can also detour onto the historic and more adventurous Monarch's Way.

    In addition if you're holidaying in that part of the world then the beaches in Sussex are lovely, it's easy to get to from London, the pubs along the way are typical quaint English affairs and you benefit from the glorious sunny South Coast of Britain!

    Source: no I don't work for the tourist board...just love where I live!
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
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    MsHarryWinston wrote: »
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    In Scotland near Glasgow, we hiked from Balloch to Helenburgh. Train to and from. Beautiful. https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/balloch-helensburgh.shtml



    I'm going to be doing that next fall! I'm so excited. I'll be staying in Balloch and plan on hiking through the Trossachs National Park.

    @MsHarryWinston -- Nice! Bring rain gear. ;)
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Will do! I figure the weather won't be too different from BC, Canada + the unpredictable Vancouver rain. So I'll just layer like mad!
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    @MsHarryWinston, don't be too sure especially coming from K.

    I am in Victoria and it hasn't mattered what time of year I have been to Scotland, the Borders just south of Edinburgh so not too far from where you will be, it has been wetter and colder.
    I go often, and I think have experienced every month, this year it is aug/sept, and I need rain gear, wooly jumpers, and weatherproof shoes.
    Coming from BC I know you have the gear, just be sure to take it. The Indian summer that we tend to get through to mid October doesn't happen there.

    I am excited for you taking the trip though, Scotland is a beautiful country.

    Cheers, h.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited July 2017
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    middlehaitch wrote: »
    @MsHarryWinston, don't be too sure especially coming from K.

    I am in Victoria and it hasn't mattered what time of year I have been to Scotland, the Borders just south of Edinburgh so not too far from where you will be, it has been wetter and colder.
    I go often, and I think have experienced every month, this year it is aug/sept, and I need rain gear, wooly jumpers, and weatherproof shoes.
    Coming from BC I know you have the gear, just be sure to take it. The Indian summer that we tend to get through to mid October doesn't happen there.

    I am excited for you taking the trip though, Scotland is a beautiful country.

    Cheers, h.

    Oh yeah, I just meant it's not a huge temperature difference from here. So if I dress for BC cold and wet weather I should be fine. So as long as I bring my layers and gear it's not like it will be a crazy temperature shock, like when I visit family in the Caribbean or when I was up north in Nunavut in the middle of winter lol. But yeah, I know it will be colder/more wet than the BC Interior in October. Sorry for the confusion.
  • francesmill
    francesmill Posts: 1 Member
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    For easy hikes and walks (alongside some longer self-guided routes like the Cotswolds Way or Ridgeway) I would recommend https://activeenglandtours.com/walk-the-cotswolds/ for walks throughout the Cotswolds and into Cornwall

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