Why take a normal holiday when you can have an epic vacation? We’ve put together a list of ten of the UK’s absolute best hiking holidays to choose for your next vacation! On these 4 – 24 day adventures, you walk from one charming and historic village to the next on historical old walking paths.  When you arrive at your cozy inn, your bags will be waiting for you.  After you clean up, you can explore the town and enjoy a fun and friendly meal surrounded by locals.  It’s a fantastic way to explore the UK and enjoy an authentic holiday!!!
I love that you only need to carry a daypack because a company transports your luggage for you or even plan the entire holiday for you, like my affiliate One Foot Abroad, so all you have to do is train and then show up and walk! Â [Email me for an exclusive discount One Foot Abroad Promo Code]
None of these paths are technical so you don’t need any technical skills but just be reasonably fit and able to walk for much of the day, day after day.Â
Read on and listen to the podcast below for complete descriptions to get a better idea.
Walking holidays are challenging in that you have to walk a good chunk of the day, but I find them restful and restorative, even if my feet are tired at the end of the day. I feel a “good” kind of tired and sore (and frankly, proud of myself). Â I’m always excited to get up and hike the next morning!
How often do you have a chance to slow down and simply ponder???
Unlike traditional vacations, on a ‘walking holiday’ you are daily interacting with locals as they go about their day. Â Maybe you meet someone out walking their dog, and you walk along together. Â Once I chatted up some ranchers trying to corral an errant sheep, and we all had a good laugh.
I have made life long friends along these paths because you have time to CHAT and get to know each other! Â
What I like about a ‘Walking Holiday’ is that you get to meet people from around the world each day. PLUS, because it is slow travel, you have the time to actually savor the views, villages and people you meet.
It’s become my favorite way to travel (and it’s usually pretty easy on the wallet, too, since you are your own ‘guide’ – but if you go with One Foot Abroad, you’ll have them available if you ever need any assistance).  Email me for a OFA discount promo code.
Absolute Best Ten Hiking Holidays in the UK : Affordable and Beautiful Walking Vacations
Many of these walks can be done year ’round, but the preferred time is listed.
ENGLAND:Â
Coast to Coast St. Bees to Robin’s Hood Bay
Average walk 15 days with moderate to strenuous difficulty rating. One of the world’s most popular hikes, walk east to west from St. Bees to Robin’s Hood Bay through rolling hills and mountains, quaint farmsteads and the brooding moors of North Yorkshire. Stay overnight in charming villages like the ever-popular Grasmere as you hike through the stunning English Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. At just under 200 miles (320 km), this exhilarating hike will challenge you and be worth every bead of sweat. March – September.  We covered the first half of the Coast to Coast path on Episode 148.  Check it out HERE. Â
Listen to my Coast to Coast adventure below and see pics here:
Cotswold Way Chipping Camden to Bath
Average walk 9 days for about 100 miles (160km) with a moderate difficulty rating. Runs from delightful Chipping Camden to Bath. This path exemplifies what you think of when you imagine traditional British countryside with charming thatched roof cottages, country gardens, English pubs and picturesque landscape. Almost the entire trail is within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It meanders through enchanting villages before ending in the UNESCO world heritage city of Bath. If this hike is too long for you, consider doing either the north or south sections (see below). April – October. Â I walked the Costwold Way and you can see my pics and listen to my two part podcast HERE. Â
One Foot Abroad Costwold Way Self-guided Tour details
Cotswold Way The North Section Chipping Camden to PainswickÂ
Average walk 4 days with a moderate difficulty rating. Hike through quintessential English countryside on quiet lanes from Chipping Camden to Painswick through the delightful villages of Broadway, Stanton and Chipping Camden. You can end each invigorating day’s hike in a typical British pub. About 45 miles (70km) of ever dazzling sights of some of England’s best scenery. April – October.
Cotswold Way The South Section Painswick to BathÂ
Average walk 5 days with a moderate difficulty rating. Considered to be some of England’s finest landscape, this enchanting hike from Painswick finishes in the UNESCO world heritage city of Bath. Stop for tea in some of the picturesque villages along the way. About 55 miles (90km) of spectacular scenery. April – October.
Listen to Part I of my Cotswold Way adventure below and see pics here:
Listen to Part II of my Cotswold Way adventure below and see the pics here:
Thames Path from the Source to the SeaÂ
Average walk 15 days for the roughly 185 mile (300 km) path from the source of the Thames River near Kemble through the stunning Cotswold area (see Cotswold Way above) all the way to the Thames Barrier in London. Starting in grasslands and woodlands, you reach the urban epicenter passing some of the UK’s most iconic landmarks, from Abingdon’s County Hall to Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Perhaps stay an extra day in Oxford or Dorchester. This path offers the spectrum from quaint country villages to historic London to get a full taste of Britain. Moderate with a few strenuous parts. If this walk is too long, consider doing one of the sections:
West Thames Path Section : Kemble to Pangbarne
Average walk 8 days for about 90 miles (140 km) through the Cotswold area. Pass through charming villages like Lechlade, Abingdon, Dorchester and Oxford as you watch the river slowly grow to navigable size. Moderate with a few strenuous parts. April – October
East Thames Path Section : Pangbarne to London (Thames Barrier)
Average walk 7 days for about 100 miles (160 km). You watch the scenery go from country grasslands and woodlands to more urban and industrial once you pass Windsor. After Teddington, you can explore the historic waterfront, switching your path between the North and South sides of the river, crossing as desired as you make your way to London. Moderate with a few strenuous parts. April – October
Hadrian’s Wall Newcastle to Bowness-on-SolwayÂ
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 plus a fantastic Visitor’s Centers will quench your thirst for history. April – October.
South West Coast Path : Padstow to St. IvesÂ
Average 5 days hiking with a moderate to strenuous difficulty rating. Walk south from 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. 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 (100 km). March – October.
South West Coast Path : St. Ives to PenzanceÂ
Average 4 days hiking with a moderate to strenuous difficulty rating. Continue south on the South West Coast path along the sandy beaches and cliffs on this remote and rugged section of about 40 miles (65 km). Many opportunities to see wildlife, especially birds. Continue to Land’s End, Britain’s westernmost point. March – October.
Pennine Way : Edale to Kirk Yetholm on the Scottish border
Average 20 days hiking with a moderate to strenuous difficulty rating. Hike through stunning moors and through three national parks: the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland on the UK’s first national trail. Gorgeous rivers and waterfalls, such as High Force await you, as do Roman ruins when in historic Roman Hadrien’s Wall country. The breathtaking hills, dales and moorlands coupled with history make this one of the UK’s most endeared long distance trails. April – September.
St. Cuthbert’s Way : Melrose to Lindisfarne
Average 5 days walking with an easy to moderate difficulty rating. Perfect for history – especially religious history – lovers. This classic pilgrimage path leads to Holy Island through Northumberland and the Borders of Scotland along many places associated with the medieval St. Cuthbert. Take a self-reflecting walk of approximately 60 miles (100 km) through dramatic woodland, farmland, and moorlands along the way, and then finish by crossing the tidal causeway to the medieval monastery on Holy Island. April – September.
Check out One Foor Abroad’s Ridge Way Self-guided Tour
Ridge Way : Britain’s Oldest Path
A ten day, 86 mile/138 kmday walk through history! Â Walk in the footsteps of a 4000 year path through ancient forests and beside medieval fort and barrow remnants. Â Enjoy the Oxfordshire countryside on this peaceful and contemplative walk. Â April – October
SCOTLAND
Great Glen Way
Average 6 days walking with an easy to moderate difficulty rating. Be on the lookout for the monster as you walk along the famous Loch Ness! This gentle path starts in engaging Fort William, base of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis (worth a climb if the weather behaves!) and wanders along moody lakes and panoramic moors, canals and forests of the Scottish Highlands on its way to Inverness. About 80 miles (130km). April – October.
West Highland Way
Average 7 days hiking with a moderate difficulty rating. The West Highland Way isn’t Scotland’s most popular long distance trail without reason: gorgeous Loch Lomond, scenic rivers, peaceful pastures, remote Ranooch Moor, plus quaint villages ensure a satisfying hike through the Highlands. The trail starts in Milngavie and finishes in Fort William, Scotland’s Outdoor Capital (you can continue your hike on the Great Glen Way (above)). About 100 miles (155km). March – October. [Click for more details and to listen to the podcast on this path.]
Check out my own West Highland Way adventure below and see pics here:
Listen to another perspective here:
WALESÂ
Pembrokeshire Coast PathÂ
Full length average 13-14 days hiking with a strenuous difficulty rating. Experienced hikers can take on the entire path; the rest can pick a section to walk along the cliffs of the western peninsula of Wales. Be on the lookout for comical puffins and leisurely seals as you hug this rugged coastline. Visit sleepy fishing villages and enjoy the catch of the day each night. Enjoy quiet seclusion with just the crash of the waves below disturbing your thoughts. This hike can be broken out into three sections if you don’t want to do the whole thing.
South section from Amroth to Pembroke (about 6 days moderate to strenuous difficulty rating and the most popular section), the Central section from Pembroke to St. Davids (about 6 days and a moderate to strenuous difficulty rating. Note that this section goes through some industrial areas), and the most difficult and remote.
North section from St. Davids to Dogmaels (about 5 days with a strenuous difficulty rating). About 185 miles total (300 km) with a couple of 20+ mile (32 km+) days and all days over 11 miles (18 km). March – October.
One Foot Abroad’s Ridge Way Self-guided Tour details
I recommend booking your UK Walking Holiday with my affiliate, One Foot Abroad. Tell them what you want, and they will take care of all the logistics for you: booking you into quaint inns, moving your luggage daily, and providing maps and 24/7 assistance, if needed.  EMAIL ME for an exclusive One Foot Abroad discount Promo Code.
*****Remember to allow a couple of days to get to/from walking start and end points, and for any rest days or special sightseeing days*****
One Foot Abroad
I recommend letting my affiliate, One Foot Abroad (OFA), make all your UK long distance walk arrangements for you, so all you have to do is train and walk! Â
They offer exciting active walking, hiking and cycling adventures all over Europe!
Be sure to EMAIL ME for your exclusive ATA One Foot Abroad discount Promo Code.
Here’s a great resource on some of the trails listed, ie, the one’s that are the UK’s National Trails.
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The UK’s 10 Best Walking Holidays
In our last episode, we went to Patagonia, which is a challenging adventure. Not all of you are up for that kind of adventure at this point. I thought what I do is call down the national trails in the United Kingdom to the ten very best walking holiday. It’s a different kind of adventure. You’re not ruggedly climbing mountains per se. You’re literally walking from one cute little village to the next through scenic countryside. It’s a very doable adventure for the entire family even. It’s great for soloists because you get to meet lots of people along the trail. It’s great for couples and friends that want to bond and reconnect. For the families themselves, it gets you a chance to get to know each other in a different light than you might see at home. Walking holidays is a wonderful way to share some time with the people that you love and to meet new friends from around the world. I’m going to share with you what I consider to be the ten best walking holidays in the United Kingdom. We’re going to go to England, Scotland and Wales.
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Pennine Way: Edale To Kirk Yetholm On The Scottish Border
I’m super excited to share with you these walking holidays. Most of the trails I’ve included are part of the UK’s national trail system, which was created back in 1965 with the Pennine Way, which made our list. These trails were chosen for their charm and natural beauty. Because you’re walking, you get to see them up close and personal in a way that you can’t do when you’re driving. If you don’t speak anything but English, you don’t have to worry because that’s what they speak. That ticks one worry off the list. Also it’s very budget friendly. It could even be a super cheap vacation if you backpack it because you could actually camp along most of the trails. That’s an option.
Another more popular option is to use a self-guided tour company. What the self-guided tour companies do is they plan the itinerary. You might give them how many days that you want to do it. They usually offer a few different options. They make all the accommodation arrangements, which is helpful in case there are some changes in the path like what happened to me in Scotland where one of the main places to stay was closed down for renovation and you’re in the middle of nowhere. That was the only place to stay. Once I got there, they made arrangements to transport me about ten miles away to this charming town that I want to go back to and explore one day, and spend the night and then picked me up in the morning and took me back to the trail.
If I’d been making my own arrangements, I had to go through some incredible logistical hoops to do what they arranged for me. Because they had other travelers to combine us, it was much more economical for them to have a van come pick us up. I would have had to hire a private driver. It was remote. I doubt there were cabs. If I wasn’t driven, I’d have to hike an extra twenty miles. That can come in handy because they do have the local on the ground knowledge. In addition, one super nice feature is they also transport your luggage. All you need to carry is a day pack. If you’re backpacking, of course you’ve got to bring all your gear. Alternately there are some companies that will transport the luggage for you. I have found that when you add up those fees, it’s not that much more if you’re not camping to go ahead and use the self-guided tour companies because it gets pretty close and they save you so much time and aggravation of trying to plan the adventure.
It’s also nice to have an on the ground contact 24/7 available to answer any questions or help you in case of an emergency of any kind. They also include some maps and some tips. Anyhow, when I do this kind of thing, that’s the way that I’d do it nowadays. Unless I’m going into the back country, I will backpack. When the opportunity is there for me to have someone else do all the planning and move my luggage, I’m taking that option. The best time to go is going to be between March and October. If you download the free travel planner for this episode, it will show you the exact months for each of the different hiking trails that we’re talking about. Generally speaking, the best time to go is going to be May and also early September. If you have that opportunity, you avoid the crowds. There will still be people out in the trails that you could meet and hang out with throughout the day while you’re walking, but it won’t be as crowded. Also, you’ll avoid some bugs that may come out in the summertime.
You’re going to have a greater risk of colder weather if the earlier and the later you go in the shoulder seasons. I prepare for cold even in the summertime in the UK because when I was in Scotland, it was freezing on two of the days. I was very glad to have my thermals. Also, I ended up buying some waterproof gloves on that Scotland trip that I take with me now everywhere I go where there’s any possibility of being cold. You don’t need any special kind of technical skills for this, but you should be in decent enough shape that you can walk all day. This is something I’d say anybody from ages twelve and up can do.
If you do decide to use a self-guided touring company, you don’t have a guide with you, you are your own guide. They will make the arrangements, plan the itinerary, make the accommodations, do the luggage transfer and give you some maps to help you get there safe and sound. The trails themselves are very well-marked. On the national trails in England and Wales, the emblem is an acorn symbol, so when you come to an intersection, you’ll see a little acorn carved usually into a post.
These exhilarating hikes will challenge you and be worth every bead of sweat. Share on X
In Scotland on the West Highland Way, the symbol on their path was of a thistle. The paths are usually pretty clearly a path. The only time I can recall on the West Highland Way getting a little bit confused as I was busy chatting when I was still in town and therefore still on pavement and I missed V in the road and I took the left fort when I should have gone to the right. I realized it within a hundred feet. If you do get a little confused at intersection, here are some tips. If I find that I’m not sure, what I do is I take some sticks and stones. I’ll make a little arrow in the path indicating which way I entered the decision path that I chose. If I decide that I’ve gone the wrong way and I backtrack back to that intersection, I know to go the other direction. I’ll know which way I came from. That’s a good little tip to make sure that you don’t get too lost. Another tip, particularly if you’re unsure about an intersection, is before you take the turn that you’re going to take is turn around and look and see what the scenery looks like behind you. You’d be shocked at how often it’s totally different than what you see when you’re looking forward. If you do end up backtracking, you’ll recognize that intersection and not walk past it. Also, look for your little arrow in the path.
Let me describe a typical day if you’re using the self-guided tour companies. You wake up usually not too early. If you’re going to take advantage of the free breakfast, lot of times that doesn’t start until 7:00 or 8:00. You have your free breakfast, you load up your stuff, pack up your suitcase and you deposit it wherever they tell you that they’re going to pick up the luggage. Sometimes it’s in a little shed, sometimes it’s just at the door of the BnB or wherever it is that you’re staying. It has a little luggage tag on it. Off you go and you walk and you stop whenever you want and you have lunch where you want. If you’re heading into a remote area, you would grab something to eat to take with you, so you’ll have something to nibble on along the way.
You walk for several hours, take breaks whenever you want to and mosey into whatever the village is. I usually would get there sometime in the mid-day depending on how fast I was walking, how often I stopped. Then you get cleaned up, your luggage is there waiting for you and then you enjoy the little town, stroll around the town, check out the local hotspots, pubs, little museums or whatever it is that you’d like to do. The next day you wake up and you head off to the next village. You’re generally out in the countryside not by roads, so it’s very quiet and peaceful and very scenic obviously or they wouldn’t have chosen these areas to be their national trails.
Now that I’ve given you a brief overview of what to expect, now let’s look at the walking paths themselves. I’ve organized this list by breaking out between England, Scotland and Wales and within those areas alphabetically for you. Remember you can get all the details with the free travel planner at ActiveTravelAdventures.com.
Coast To Coast
To begin in England, we’ll start with the Coast to Coast trail. This is one of the world’s most popular hikes. You walk east to west from St. Bees to Robinson Bay through rolling hills and mountains, quaint farmsteads and the brooding moors in North Yorkshire. You stay overnight in charming little villages like the ever-popular Grasmere as you hike through the stunning English Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. At just under 200 miles, which is about 320 kilometers, this exhilarating hike will challenge you and be worth every bead of sweat. This is one of the more challenging ones on the list. On average, it will take you about fifteen days and I would rate this a moderate to occasionally strenuous difficulty rating.
Cotswold Way
Number two on our list for England is the Cotswold Way, which is actually going to be my next long-distance hike in the UK, still on schedule but next on the list. This one can actually be broken into two sections. The north section goes from Chipping Campden to Painswick or the south section goes from Painswick to Bath. If you don’t have time to do the entire walk, which is about nine days, you can break it up roughly half and half. If you did the entire trail, it runs about 100 miles, which is about 160 kilometers and it’s only a moderate difficulty rating. It runs from the delightful Chipping Campden all the way to Bath. This path exemplifies what you think of whenever you’re imagining traditional British countryside with a charming thatched roof cottage, the country gardens, the English pubs in the little picturesque landscape. This is the Cotswold Way. This is why this is next on my list.
Almost the entire trails within the Cotswold area of outstanding natural beauty, it meanders through enchanting little villages before ending in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath. If this hike is too long for you, you can break it up into two ways: North and South sections. The North section takes you about four days and it’s moderately difficult. You hike through traditional English countryside and quite little lanes from Chipping Campden all the way to Painswick through delightful villages like Broadway, Stanton and Chipping Campden. You can end each day in a typical British pub and this trip is going to be about 45 miles or 70 kilometers. The South section takes about five days, moderately difficult. This section is considered to be some of England’s finest landscape. You have an enchanting hike from Painswick that finishes in Bath. Take a tea break in some of the picturesque villages along the way. This walk is about 55 miles, 90 kilometers of spectacular scenery.
Thames Path From The Source To The Sea
Path number three in England is the River Thames Path from the Source to the Sea. The average walk takes about fourteen or fifteen days and it’s roughly 185 miles, which is around 300 kilometers. You’re pretty much going from the source of the River Thames near Campbell to the stunning Cotswold area, which is the path that I’m going to be taking on my next trip, all the way down to the Thames barrier in London. You’re going to be going from the countryside all the way to London. You’re going to be starting in the grasslands and woodlands, and then you’re going to reach the urban epicenter. You’re going to be passing some of the UKs iconic landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey at the end. Plan on staying an extra day maybe in Oxford or Dorchester.
This path offers the spectrum from quaint country villages to historic London, and it will give you a full taste of Britain. On average, it’s going to take you about fourteen or fifteen days to walk this path. However, there are some great places that you may want to consider taking an extra day as a layover and work that into your trip. This path is moderate with a couple of strenuous parts and if you think that this is too long of a walk for you, consider breaking into either one of the two sections, the west or the east. You can do the West Thames Path from Kemble to Pangbourne, or you can do the East Thames Path from Pangbourne into London.
The West Thames Path is an average walk of about seven or eight days for about 90 miles, which is 140 kilometers and it goes to the Cotswold area. You pass through some charming villages such as Dorchester and Oxford as you watch the river slowly grow to navigable size. It’s moderate with a couple of strenuous areas. On the east section, the average walk is going to be six or seven days for about 100 miles, which is 160 kilometers. You’re going to watch the scenery go from the country grassland and get more urban and industrial as you get past Windsor. After Teddington, you can explore the historic waterfront and you could switch your path between the north and the south sides of the river crossing whenever you desire at the different bridges along the way. This would be a truly cool way to reenter London for your trip back home.
Hadrian’s Wall
Fourth on the list for England is Hadrian’s Wall. This is an opportunity to 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. The average walk is going to be about nine days for about 85 miles, which is 135 kilometers. You’re going to see turrets and forts and multiples of the milecastles. These are little mini forts that were built about every mile along the barrier. There are plenty of museums and visitor centers to quench your thirst for history, so you get a great chance to get some exercise and learn a lot about the history. This is a superb choice for the history buff.
South West Coast Path
Number five on our list is also a national trail, the 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 kilometers.
Multiple companies offer self-guided tours of these walks and hiking holidays. Share on X
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 kilometers. You’ll have lots of opportunities to see wildlife, especially birds as you continue to Land’s End, Britain’s western most point.
Next up at number six is 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.
St. Cuthbert’s Way: Melrose To Lind
Before we move on to Scotland and Wales, we’ve got one more in England, St. Cuthbert’s Way from Melrose to Lindisfarne. This is a shorter walk of about five days and it’s easy to moderate difficulty rating. It’s perfect for history, especially religious history buffs. This classic pilgrimage path leads to Holy Island through Northumberland and the borders of Scotland along many places associated with the medieval St. Cuthbert for whom this path is named. Consider taking this self-reflecting walk of approximately 60 miles or 100 kilometers through the dramatic woodland, farmland and moorlands along the way. Then finish by crossing the tidal causeway to the medieval monastery on Holy Island. Be sure to check the tide tables before you cross the causeway. You don’t want to get wet.
Great Glen Way
Let’s head up to Scotland where we’ve got two paths for you to consider. First up is the trail of Great Glen Way, which averages four to six days depending on your pace, on an easy to moderately difficult trail. Be on the lookout for Nessie The Monster as you walk alongside the famous Loch Ness. This gentle path starts engaging in Fort William, which is the base of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, which in itself is worth the climb. It wanders along the moody lakes and the panoramic moors, the canals and the forest of the Scottish Highlands on its way to Inverness. It’s about 80 miles or 130 kilometers. This trail also ties in with the trail that I did, the West Highland Way. If you’re motivated, you can do both in approximately two weeks.
West Highland Way
Number nine in our list and number two in Scotland is the West Highland Way. This path 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. It was probably particularly challenging for me because I had hurt my knee on that trip. 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. I didn’t find it overly difficult, but there is a steep hill.
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. If you’ve read to my episode on the West Highland Way, you’ll see I was doing the twenty-mile a day and I had to make a choice when I got to the seven miles if I was going to do that thirteen miles across absolutely nowhere in one of the worst weather days I’ve ever hiked in. I did make the decision to take the bus from that town, Bridge of Orchy to Kingshouse area rather than go out in that weather because of my knee. 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.
One of the nice things about using the company I used to plan my West Highland Way trip was I did get backup plans in case I needed to do something like take the bus to skip a section for whatever reason. 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 we just talked about. 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.
Pembrokeshire Coast Path
Last and certainly not least, we’re heading to Wales for number ten on our list. That is the 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.
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 kilometers or 185 miles. It’s got a couple of twenty-plus mile days, which is 32 kilometers and all of the days are over eleven miles or eighteen kilometers. 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.
That rounds out the top ten of what I consider to be the best walking holidays in the UK. We’ve got north to south, east to west and all over the most gorgeous scenery the United Kingdom has to offer. If you’ve never done adventure trip before, these walking holidays is a great way to get your feet wet in a truly fun way to interact with the locals and get a real taste and flavor of a country. Plus they’re speaking English, you won’t have the language barrier to deal with. You only have one currency to deal with, the British pound. The people are lovely, welcoming and it’s a great way to truly immerse yourself in a new culture and get some great exercise along the way. You’ll be tired at the end of the day but a good, happy tired. Your fetal heart will be fine the next morning and you’ll be ready to go all over again. I would guarantee you, if you do one of these trips, as soon as you get home, you’ll be planning your next active adventure.
I want to remind you that I have started an Active Travel Adventures Facebook group that you can reach either directly on Facebook or going to . Please join the group and participate and tell us about your adventures and how about joining and committing to an adventure now. I don’t care which one it is, but pick a date and pick a place. If I can help it anyway, feel free to email me. I’m happy to help any way I can. You can email me at Kit@ActiveTravelAdventures.com.
I am super pumped about our next interview. We’re going down to Peru to hike Machu Picchu, one of the bucket list items of every person, every hiker I’ve ever known. I’ve got a special guest. Remember Linda from Mont Blanc, episode number seven? Her husband, Harry, is going to be our guest on this episode telling is about their adventure in Peru and climbing Machu Picchu. They also kayaked and they biked. It was a trip of a lifetime. I can’t wait for you to read it. Until next time, make sure you subscribe to the podcast. Until then, adventure on.
Important Links:
- Active Travel Adventures Facebook group
- ActiveTravelAdventures.com/facebook
- Kit@ActiveTravelAdventures.com
- Episode number seven – previous episode
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