The Most Famous Hiking Routes in the UK
Read on to discover the hiking routes which, with good reason, are well known and beloved.
Choose the perfect holiday letting
UK Hiking Holidays
From the South Downs Way in the southern tip of England, to the Great Glen Way in the northeast of Scotland, there are fantastic hiking holidays in the UK for newbies and seasoned hikers alike. As long as you don't mind a bit of drizzle, that is.
Hiking Holidays in the United Kingdom: Top Holiday Lettings
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The West Highland Way
This is a 154 km long footpath in Scotland, which runs from the town of Milngavie just north of Glasgow to Fort William, deep in the Scottish Highlands. The route takes you through some of Scotland's most stunning natural landscapes, and normally takes 6-7 days to complete, making it the ideal choice for a week-long holiday. There is a variety of accommodation options along the trail to suit every kind of hiker, whether you're looking for a spot to pitch a tent, or prefer a B&B and a cooked breakfast in the morning.
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The South Downs Way
This trail is one of 16 National Trails in England and Wales, and covers 160 km from Winchester, Hampshire to Eastbourne, East Sussex. There's plenty to see along the way, including some of England's finest countryside, classic English pubs, and quaint traditional villages. The trail runs entirely within South Downs National Park, which is the newest National Park in England, having only opened in 2011. The South Downs Way runs along a chalk ridge too, so the path drains and dries out quickly, meaning the trail is walkable during any time of the year.
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The Cumbria Way
The Cumbria Way is a hiking trail that runs through the county of Cumbria in North West England. The 120 km route crosses through the heart of the Lake District National Park, and usually takes walkers around 5 days to complete from start to finish. Hill-averse hikers will be pleased to know that the path is mostly low-level, making it a great choice for novices looking for an introduction to long-distance walking. The views from valley floors are stunning too, so don't forget to bring your camera.
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The Great Glen Way
The Great Glen Way is a long-distance trail that stretches from coast to coast in Scotland, from the town of Fort William in the southwest, across the Scottish Highlands, to Inverness in the northeast. The trail covers 125 km from beginning to end and is a pleasingly straightforward route, with plenty of low-level sections for hikers looking for a relaxing amble. There are spectacular views along the way, and the route even runs past the world-famous Loch Ness. Campsites are available across the Great Glen, and you're even allowed to bring your dog along for the ride too!
Best Places to Stay for Hiking Holidays in the United Kingdom
Where are the best spots for a summer getaway? From the rugged cliffs of North Wales to the soft sands of Cornwall, the UK is rich with extraordinary nature reserves, national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs).
Countryside destinations are in the travel spotlight this summer as British travellers are booking last-minute and socially-distanced holidays to enjoy a responsible break from the views of their own garden.
To help plan your next socially-distanced getaway, HomeToGo has researched the top outdoor destinations in the UK by compiling weather, price, availability, and walking trail data -- giving you the information needed to plan an unforgettable trip.
Pack up the car, or better yet the 4x4, and get ready to hit the road for a local outdoor adventure!
Enlightening Facts
Dorset is one of the sunniest regions in the UK. The south coast typically gets 227 hours of sunshine in August, an average of over seven hours per day.
The UK is currently building the world's longest coastal path. When it's complete, the England Coast Trail will be 2800 miles long!
The UK's National Parks and AONBs account for over 18,000 square miles of land, roughly the same area as Switzerland!
Searches for holiday lettings in rural areas have gone up by 148% (vs June 2019), as more families and individuals head to the countryside.
Top 14 Outdoor Destinations in the UK
Rank
Destination
Price
Availability
Weather
Walking Trails
Total
1
Kent
8.1
9.9
9.3
7.9
35.2
2
Peak District
8.6
10
6.3
8.6
33.5
3
Suffolk
10
8.8
8.1
5.6
32.5
4
North Yorkshire
8.4
6.4
6.8
9.3
30.9
5
Somerset
9.1
7.8
7.7
6
30.6
6
Norfolk
9.8
6.8
7.9
5.5
30
7
Dorset
6.7
6.9
10
5.9
29.5
8
Pembrokeshire
8.6
8
7.6
5.2
29.4
9
New Forest
6.8
7.6
8.7
5.4
28.5
10
North Wales
8.5
7.7
6.2
5
27.4
11
Devon
7.8
6.7
5.9
6.9
27.3
12
Cornwall
6.8
5
8.6
6.3
26.7
13
Lake District
5.6
5.7
5
10
26.3
14
Cotswolds
5
7.7
7.3
6.2
26.2
Mapped: Find Your Perfect Outdoor Getaway
Exploring the UK’s Top Outdoor Destinations
14. Cotswolds
From rolling hills and sweeping meadows to manor houses and countryside homes, transport yourself back in time by visiting the golden-coloured towns and villages of the Cotswolds.
Price Per Night: £162.89
Booking Rate: 76%
Days of Rain: 10
Walking Trails: 138
Natural Areas Nearby: Cotswolds AONB
13. Lake District
Home to England's largest natural lake, Windermere, and the country's highest mountain, Scafell Pike, both history buffs and nature lovers will fall in love with this area's spectacular scenery, wildlife, history, and culture.
Price Per Night: £157.43
Booking Rate: 84%
Days of Rain: 14.4
Walking Trails: 548
Natural Areas Nearby: Lake District National Park
12. Cornwall
Cornwall is a favourite amongst families -- known for its spectacular beaches, beautiful harbour villages, coastal trails, narrow streets, and quiet pubs.
Price Per Night: £146.51
Booking Rate: 87%
Days of Rain: 11.2
Walking Trails: 153
Natural Areas Nearby: Cornwall, Tamar Valley
11. Devon
Bring your hiking shoes to explore the South West Coast Path, which boasts 630 miles of trails with beautiful views at every turn. This area is also known for its spectacular gardens and historical countryside manors.
Price Per Night: £136.50
Booking Rate: 80%
Days of Rain: 11
Walking Trails: 198
Natural Areas Nearby: East Devon, North Devon Coast, South Devon
10. North Wales
Discover medieval castles, rugged landscapes, sandy beaches, and colonies of guillemots, puffins, and other types of seabirds.
Price Per Night: £130.13
Booking Rate: 76%
Days of Rain: 13
Walking Trails: 44
Natural Areas Nearby: Anglesey, Clwydian Range, Llyn Peninsula
9. New Forest
Get lost in ancient woodlands and wild open heathlands that stretch all the way to the coast. Once a royal hunting ground, the New Forest National Park is now a place where the best shots are taken by photographers.
Price Per Night: £146.51
Booking Rate: 77%
Days of Rain: 8
Walking Trails: 74
Natural Areas Nearby: New Forest National Park
Britain's most extraordinary coastal National Park, hikers will be rewarded with views of rugged cliffs, sea cave formations, golden-sand beaches and beautiful islands.
Price Per Night: £129.22
Booking Rate: 74%
Days of Rain: 11
Walking Trails: 60
Natural Areas Nearby: Gower Peninsula
7. Dorset
Golden sand beaches, seaside cottages, historic villages, and an ancient coastline Dorset exudes traditional English charm and is a top destination for those in need of some sunshine.
Price Per Night: £147.42
Booking Rate: 79%
Days of Rain: 7.5
Walking Trails: 117
Natural Areas Nearby: Blackdown Hills, Cranborne Chase, Dorset, Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site
6. Norfolk
Remarkable architecture, lush garden estates, vast beach fronts and bird-filled marshes.
Price Per Night: £118.30
Booking Rate: 87%
Days of Rain: 8.9
Walking Trails: 81
Natural Areas Nearby: Norfolk Coast
5. Somerset
Home to historic World Heritage Sites and three areas of outstanding natural beauty, visitors will be enchanted by everything Somerset has to offer.
Price Per Night: £124.67
Booking Rate: 75%
Days of Rain: 9
Walking Trails: 121
Natural Areas Nearby: Blackdown Hills, Mendip Hills, Quantocks
Here you can find two national parks and three nearby AONBs. This area is packed with exceptional walking trails and magnificent landscapes.
Price Per Night: £131.04
Booking Rate: 82%
Days of Rain: 10
Walking Trails: 389
Natural Areas Nearby: Forest of Bowland, Howardian Hills, Nidderdale, Tamar Valley, North York Moors National Park, Yorkshire Dales
3. Suffolk
Suffolk is a popular destination for family holidays, nature lovers and beach-goers alike. With an average of just 9 days of rain for August and some of the most affordable cottages in this ranking, this destination is a beach bargain.
Price Per Night: £116.48
Booking Rate: 71%
Days of Rain: 9
Walking Trails: 92
Natural Areas Nearby: Suffolk Coast and Heaths
Home to Britain's first national park, this district is known for its breath-taking beauty, moors and dales, rivers, springs, market towns and historic homes.
Price Per Night: £129.22
Booking Rate: 67%
Days of Rain: 12
Walking Trails: 336
Natural Areas Nearby: Peak District National Park
1. Kent
Called the ‘Garden of England’ for its beautiful scenery, Kent gets an average of 24 sunny days in August - perfect for a countryside walk followed by a cosy evening in by the fire
Price Per Night: £133.77
Booking Rate: 67%
Days of Rain: 7
Walking Trails: 276
Natural Areas Nearby: High Weald, Kent Downs
How We Produced This Guide
This list is made up of the 14 most searched holiday destinations in the UK which either are or contain National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We gave scores based on four factors: Price, current availability for August, average sunshine for August, and the number of walking trails in the area.
After collecting data on each of these factors, we assigned each data point a representative numerical value between 5 and 10. Thus, the hypothetical perfect score would be 40. We used the following equations to calculate scores for each factor:
Score (i) = 5((i-min)/(max-min))+5
Price is based on HomeToGo’s own accommodation data for holiday rentals in the area (check in period between August 1st - September 30th, 2020).
Availability scores are based on HomeToGo's monthly booking rate data for the month of August 2020.
Weather scores are based on the average hours of sunlight for the month of August in each area. Averages were collected from the Met Office climate data and based on the monthly averages between 1981-2010.
Walking trail scores are based on the number of reported trails in the area. These numbers are based on crowdsourced data collected from a leading trail map and navigation website.
Please note that this is a forecast and prices and availability may change between now and time of booking.
Information about Hiking Holidays in the UK
| 💳 Highest rates | in August |
|---|---|
| 🥳 Busiest month | November |
| 🛏️ Popular accommodation types | Apartment rental and Cottage |
| 🌡️ Warmest weather | July and August |
| 🥶 Coldest weather | February and January |
| 🌧️ Rainiest months | 21 rainy days in August and July |
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of holiday homes are available for Hiking Holidays in the UK?
To find an apartment and complete the planning for Hiking Holidays in the UK, browse our top-notch selection of available Apartment rental and Cottage.
Hiking Holidays in the UK: what's the average price for the accommodation?
Holiday apartments are currently available within the average price range of £127 - £223 and discounts of as much as 71%!
Can I find holiday homes for Hiking Holidays in the UK that can host a family or large group?
On average 4 guests, can stay in Apartment rental in the United Kingdom, with apartments also available for larger and smaller groups.
Hiking Holidays in the United Kingdom: Top Destinations
Hiking Holidays: Top destinations and popular places to stay
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