The UK is an excellent place to start learning to hike whether it is walks on your doorstep or you are from abroad. The country offers a wide range of landscapes from the ruggedness of Scotland to the manicured hills of the Cotswolds with varying levels of hiking to suit everyone.
Why Choose the UK To Start Your Hiking Journey?
If you live in the UK it makes sense to start your hiking journey here. Maybe you tried some guided walks whilst on holiday and that’s given you the confidence to step out into the beautiful British countryside or you simply want to give it a go. Rightly so!
Never underestimate the force of nature but as a country goes many of the walks in the UK are excellent for beginners. There are many popular ones that are well signposted, with excellent paths and never too far away from a cafe. These hikes are varying lengths and perfect to test and adjust to your ability and kit.
For example, there are many hikes that pass through villages and towns or loop back to them, meaning if you are not feeling it for any reason you are never too far away from food, water and public transport whilst you build up your confidence.
There is also less consideration of dangerous wildlife. The UK only has adders as a poisonous snake and these are really very shy, otherwise the only other concern is the local cattle and taking a wide birth will get you through any fields safely.
Hiking communities are popping up all over the place. Check online and you will likely find some excellent recommendations, tips and tricks and can gauge how well a path is prior to booting up. Or you can even join a ramblers group. All should help you match the beautiful walk to how you’re feeling that day.
How To Find A Route
Finding a route that meets your needs can be a challenge, especially when starting out. Fortunately, there is a growing community of people enjoying the countryside in the UK who helpfully plot routes and leave detailed reviews so you know exactly what you are getting yourself in for.
1. Use Hiking Apps
To find routes for myself I usually start with alltrails. You can go online although I find the app easier to work with and you can search for places nearby or anywhere you want to go, even if it isn’t in the UK.
The may feature for viewing trails I find particularly useful as it shows where the hiking hotspots are and that helps me decide where to base myself for trips.
Many routes leading away from towns and villages tend to have the best marked and maintained trails perfect for those starting out. Also you know you are pretty close to help should you need it which is a nice reassurance starting out. If the weather turns simply head back and pop into a cafe to dry off.
Another useful feature of seeing it as a map is that you know you can get to the start points. There are so many hikes in the UK that you can get to using public transport. No need to drive hours into the middle of nowhere for a random car park.
You can also filter by distance, difficulty, ratings and by keywords such as dog and child friendly. Although I would give some of the higher rated hikes a look at as some may be perfect but not have the keywords mentioned. I would also recommend reading the reviews because you will get excellent advice on whether the trail is obvious to follow, if the path is super muddy and any other useful tips that may help you make the best out of your hike.
Alltrails does currently offer everything I have talked about for free but to be able to download the map then you need to pay the subscription fee. So always best to copy your route onto a paper version before you set off as you may loose signal on the hike.
Another app that I use to help me plan hikes is OS maps app which is also online. This is now my preferred hiking app. Similarly to alltrails you can access a map and see what routes other people have done.
For the free version you can view maps and routes down to road level but if you already have OS maps lying around at home you can download digital versions of the paper maps you own onto the app. The maps this applies to advertise this on the front cover and the code will be a scratch off on the inside of the cover.
I find this one better because firstly you can overlay the route onto a real topographical map. You can visually see the contour lines, see the distance with the kilometre squares and any other useful land features such as streams, forest and marshy areas on the premium option. You can also see the other footpaths so if a route is too long for you then you can see where you can make a route shorter by taking a different path,
Even on the free version you can make your own route and the premium will allow the snap to path option (which is useful but not necessary). The app will then calculate distance and elevation gain for you to provide an estimated time. Although best to start with the pre-made routes as you will get reviews of whether it was full of beautiful views over the hills or a long trudge through bog for not a lot.
Just something to consider when using the estimated time for your route is that it is based off a programmed concept not to your personal ability or terrain on the day. Some people will walk these faster and others slower and non of these times include any breaks or factors such as how heavy your backpack is or whether the ground is boggy.
Over time you will get more used to what you pace is and how it relates to the time estimates given. Do not get caught up on being slower or ruin your hike trying to beat the time, it is just computer programming based upon generalised rules.
2. Books, Magazines and Blogs
Other ways to gain inspiration is through books, magazines or blogs. There are hundreds of books which include routes for whatever suits you and to get a good idea of what to expect, whether this is walks with dogs or pub walks there are loads of ideas both for specific areas or UK wide. If you are local to where you want to walk or just arrived pop into the tourist information and they are bound to have options and sometimes even leaflets or information boards of routes.
Some areas are lucky enough to have local magazines published which often are available in good local cafes. So grab a brew and sit down and flick through the pages. Often there are local walks and where to eat afterwards for a well earned treat.
Often course you can do this from your own home by simply popping a search into google. If there is a visit here site there is usually a list of short and long hikes in the area, often with GPX downloads. This means that if you have an app such as OS maps you can open the route on that map and be good to go.
Otherwise match the route descriptions and any maps given to the one you are going to have with you. Don’t discount national trails, they may be long but often you can do sections or there will be inspiration to make circular routes off the main trail. These trails are often well marked and easy to follow especially when near main towns and villages.
3. Topographical Maps
Lastly you can always get out the good old fashioned map. You want a topographical map for hiking as you need to know all the details from elevation to whether there is a footbridge across that stream. OS maps cover the whole of the UK and is the best known if not only brand of topographical maps in the UK. You can get other versions of them for smaller areas or specific routes but I will be surprised if they didn’t use OS maps as their base.
When I am planning a long distance route or a new route I prefer to have the huge map out on front of me. I really helps you plan as you can see the whole of the route rather than scanning across on your phone and missing alternative footpaths. Once your on the trail go online if you have the online subscription and print off just the map part you need.
First thing to note about your map is that in most of the UK you do not have the right to roam therefore have to stick to public footpaths and bridleways. The only exceptions are where it is open access (pale orange) on your map or in Scotland. Although if you are starting off I would develop your navigational skills on paths before venturing off into the moorland.
Firstly when I see a map is I look for points of interest. This could be a star for tourist interest but if it is named with force at the end it is usually a waterfall. Other features would be a trig point as summits normally give a good view or a craggy edge or a dale are usually interesting to walk in or above. This isn’t a guarantee it will be the best walk you will do and sometimes walks I expect nothing from have pleasantly surprised me.
Once I have picked out a few must sees I will look at what right of way lead there. If I have a choice between a footpath and a bridleway I will normally choose the bridleway as in my experience these tend to be wider more obvious paths compared to footpaths which have a habit of disappearing.
Personally I prefer circular routes if I am not walking to a place, but you can walk back on yourself or continue to walk to the next town and get public transport back. If it is a small hamlet in the middle of nowhere be cautious of relying on public transport or taxis but larger, busier places it can be easily done.
Just as there are things worth investigating on the map, there are also areas to avoid. First check the contour lines. Close together means steep and depending on where the numbers are that’s up or down. Both have their own challenges. Climbing hills and mountains have huge rewards for views but ensure that they are within your ability and see if there is an easier route up!
I would also see where the path crosses any streams. If it says ford, then you are getting your feet wet. Sometimes they are small enough to jump, but again are you comfortable doing so. Others will have FB written by them and that’s a foot bridge in varying degrees of repair.
Also beware of marshy areas. You can tell by there being little reed like lines on the map and normally between lot of streams but not always. They can also occur on top of hills so don’t let that fool you. Also where the path runs alongside a busy road. Thats usually not a nice walk.
The downside of map planning is that you need to work out all the distances and elevations yourself unless you take your planned route and input it back on an app. This is usually done using Naismith rule which is often now simplified to 15 minutes per kilometre on flat ground. You then need to add 10 minutes for every 100m elevation. There are other variations of this rule and experience will allow you to adjust to your pace and ability with heavy backpacks or challenging terrain. This then gives you an estimated time and route for you to let others know where you are going and when you should be home.
Another downside is that you don’t get the photos and reviews of previous hikers but this also means you can plan a much quieter route which is wonderful in itself. The best way to plan a route is to use a combination of all three methods. Use others for inspiration and advice and tweak it to make it perfect for you.
How Fit Do I Need To Be To Start Hiking
The good news is that being out in the country is becoming more and more accessible to everyone. On Alltrails for example you can even filter hikes for wheelchair or pram friendly and pave routes if you’re worried about poor trails or uneven terrain.
These routes are usually well used with good accurate reviews ensuring you know exactly what to expect. These style of hikes are perfect to get you started into hiking, they often have other routes heading off from this path if you do find it easy and want to challenge yourself further.
I would recommend anyone starting off hiking to stick to an easy rated hike but if you really don’t know where to start then track what you are already doing walking wise. Get a fitness app such as Strava or your smartwatch and record how many kilometres you walk when you go into town or walk the dog. You then know you can do that distance easily on easy ground. So choose a hike that is around that distance or slightly further and rated easy for a starting point.
Walking on tarmac or on the flat is considerably easier than climbing up a hill with uneven steps, rocks and tuffs and grass and heather. Then having to jump steams and clamber over styles. You do not have to be super fit to do all this but some training does pay off.
Don’t jump into a 20km long hike with multiple summits across open moorland and stone walls straight of even if you are someone who considers themselves really fit. If you are good with your cardio then you will find it easier to hike but there are a lot of little body interactions that can cause people to get injured that isn’t normally trained on a regular gym session.
Not many people specifically train ankle and foot strength but it helps with the uneven terrain to prevent you rolling your ankle. These tiny muscles fatigue quick and boots do help support but it’s better to build these up with regular shorter hikes than throwing yourself into a trek if you don’t regularly hike.
Another thing that needs building up is tolerance of carrying your daypack. Good rucksacks can make a world of difference but it is unlikely for beginners hiking you will have a backpack with a hip belt to help share the load.
On long hikes you need more things to carry and if you are not used to the weight it can cause your shoulders to ache. Again this is a tolerance you can build up by getting out there or adding a heavier backpack to a trip around town.
Final point is your balance and proprioception. Chances are you won’t want to look down all the time at where your feet are so knowing where you are stepping will reduce your chances of rolling an angle or a trip. You need ability in your hold body to climb over styles too. Balance comes in useful to help keep you upright when you undoubtedly get fatigued or lose contention and need to correct your misstep.
As with most activities you can start at any fitness level by adjusting your routes length and difficulty level to meet where you are. The more you do it the more confidence you will get and win win your fitness will improve. One of the many benefits of hiking. And don’t get too hung up on being unfit or doing easy hikes. Some of my favourite hikes have been short and sweet with nice easy paths. Some days you want to challenge yourself. Others you just want to simply enjoy the countryside without pushing yourself to your limit which is usually type 2 fun!
What Should I Wear To Start Hiking In The UK?
The good news is that you can start hiking with what you got. Walking a short easy hike around your local country park or canal or river you will be find in whatever you find comfortable. Just ensure you have a good pair of trainers that have good grip and that your trousers don’t chaff as you walk (or prevent it with underwear or anti blister sticks).
For longer trips pop on what you would wear to go on a run with. Moisture wicking leggings and top. Where you can avoid cotton, including jeans as these stay wet for ages which not only feel horrible can make you dangerous cold if you are out for long periods in exposed to the weather.
Layers are your best friend. You will be cold to start off with then quickly warm up. Avoid taking big and bulky coats as you wont be able to get your temperature right and then have to carry a the heavy thing.
Also it being the UK always, even if sun is forecast pack a waterproof coat. I have worn shorts before on a boiling hot day onto to put my coat on as it decided to be rainbow weather and hit me with heavy intermittent showers.
Once you start tacking more difficult terrain such as muddy and rocky underfoot I would recommend inventing in a good pair of hiking boots or trail runners. I mostly hike in boots as they offer more ankle protection and therefore more of an all rounder but many hikes would be find in trail runners.
Maybe people don’t have specific hiking gear because it usually is very expensive but if you want a more in depth article on what to wear when you are starting out and I have a full article on No Hiking Clothes? What To Wear Instead.
What Should I Bring On A Hike In the UK?
Many people end up overpacking when they go on a hike and this can lead to a heavy pack, however what you need is very dependant on where you are going and for how long and in what weather conditions.
For a short day walk, say a few hour max I would bring a backpack with at least 1L of water, some snacks or lunch if I am going over lunch time, a waterproof coat and sunglasses in every season and map and compass (unless its a country park). If it is summer I would also bring suncream, more water and consider a sun hat. In winter, I would bring an additional fleece layer, hat and gloves. Although take a look at the weather forecast, including wind chill. A lot of wind will make it cold regardless to what the thermometer says.
When I am going to more remote places or for full day hikes I also take a survival bag just in case, first aid kit, waterproof trousers and of course more food and water. I usually use my hydration bladder of 1.5L plus an additional water bottle and more food. Food is morale and you will be using more energy than normal make the most of those high calorie snacks without the guilt.
How Do I Navigate In The UK?
The easiest way to start navigating if to download OS maps, you may need to pay the subscription but you can pay monthly or for the year and if you have the location turned on on your phone you can use it just like google maps but on the topographical map. You can see the contours, the footpaths and exactly where you are in real time, however, it should not be your only way to navigate.
Signal and phone battery will fail at some point so having a back up is essential. This is the good old trusty map and compass. Even with my phone I have chosen to utilise my compass.
So how do you use a paper map? Firstly you will need to orientate it. You can do this in two ways. You can either get out your compass and see where it is pointing. The needle will be labelled and red is usually north. The top of your map will also be north.
You can then look around and match what is around you to where it is on the map. For example, start with the big things such as buildings, shape of hillsides and then narrow down with forks in trail, boundary lines till you can pin point where you are.
Your compass is also really useful for ‘walking on a bearing’. This is particularly useful in low visibility. So you could simply look at your map and assume you are heading north east but over distance that will give you a massive margin of error so is only good if you know you are going to hit a road that cuts across for example. If everything else fails it is still handy to know.
Bearings split north, south, east west into a 360 degree circle. North being 0° or 360° so top of the circle. The East is 90°, South 180° and west 270° and everything inbetween. To get this number you need to lie your compass on your map. It is possible to do this on your phone map too but it’s just a bit fiddly.
You want your compass direction of travel arrow to point in the direction you want to walk in, then line up the lines on your compass bezel by rotating it. This way your lines on your bezel should be pointing to the top and bottom of your map (along the eastings) regardless where your arrow on your base plate is pointing.
You can then read the number which is marked by the tail end of your direction of travel arrow. You need to remember this number or make a note on a route card. Do a sanity check on it too. A common mistake is to have the direction of travel arrow pointing backwards. If you know you are travelling roughly north but get a bearing that is close to 180° you know you have done this. Same for east and west.
To then use this map bearing you have worked out you need to set your compass to the bearing number as marked but the tail end of the direction of travel arrow otherwise know as the bearing line. You then need your red needle marking north to be in the red shed type diagram on your rotating bezel. Your direction of travel arrow will now point you where you need to head. Pick a point on that line such as tree then walk towards it. Once you hit your mark get your compass out and repeat.
What Do I Do If Something Goes Wrong?
Most of the time you will be absolutely fine hiking. You see a lot of people getting into trouble on the news but that is small minority of the thousands of people who enjoy successful hikes or get home safely even if it didn’t go as planned. The single most important rule for hiking is letting someone you trust know where you are going. Easiest way I do this is I text a friend a screenshot of my route on OS maps. It has the route and estimated time and a follow up text when I have set off.
If I suspect no signal I will do this the day before when I do have some and an estimated start time. When I am at high points or stopped off for a coffee I will let them know where I am along that route and I will text the time in case of delayed sending.
The most important thing is being prepared. Bring the survival bag jut in case, bring your map and compass even if you plan to navigate on your phone. If you estimate you will be back within an hour or two of sundown bring a head torch just in case. Same for an extra layer and waterproof.
The UK is lucky is that there are many charities working alongside emergency services that will help should you need it. To call for help where phone signal is patchy head to a high point if it safe to do so or head to a nearby building to use their landline. Even roads may have passers by that will be willing to help you out. Use your emergency layers and shelter to keep the injured person comfortable and tend to any injuries that you can and feel comfortable to do so.
In the event where you may find yourself lost, and this is super common just retrace your steps till you find somewhere you do recognise. This could be a road crossing or back to a village. Don’t panic as you are never truly lost till you have no idea where you are. Even if it means you make another route or turn around entirely you know you will be back to a safe place soon enough.
The same applies if the terrain or weather is more than you have prepared for. This may be more than you have ever done or that you simple are not up for the challenge that day. There is no shame is turning back or choosing an alternative route (so long as you let someone know the new route) if anything feels wrong. It’s better to enjoy a short walk than to push yourself into the dangerous realm of being lost overtired or too exposed to the weather and that can easily become dangerous.
Can I Bring My Dog?
In the UK dogs are allowed on all public trails and national parks which is amazing for your furry friend. You should not have an issue with any well behaved dog although there will be many areas where you should not take your dog off lead.
Lots of hikes pass through farmers fields which may contain livestock right to shoot any dog which they’re believe to be bothering their livelihood. Even the best behaved dogs can bolt unnecessarily and therefore it’s better to keep a dog on lead and not have to acccept any misunderstandings from the farmer.
Another factor to bear in mind is how you are going to get your dog over any styles you may come across especially if they are large. Small dogs can be picked up and some dogs may be agile enough to leap over but that depends on your dog and that can change over time. Also any dog that pulls will be annoying for long period of time. Even mild pulling on muddy area can cause you to slip over and that’s wont be as funny to you as it would to the onlookers.
Lastly you need to ensure you are carrying extra water and snacks for your dog. You may think they can drink from sources on route but they are not guaranteed nor always safe. Lakes that contain blue green algae are toxic to dogs and can make your pooch very ill if they drink from it. Other sources may contain parasites or diseases spread from other dogs or animals.
Also be sure that you are also able to deal with an injury your dog may sustain.? This may be from monitoring how much running around your dog does in case it shows signs of heat illness even if you think it is cold. Or can you carry your dog should it cut its pad back to car to get it to a vets?
Walking and hiking with your dog is an amazing experience but it does take a little more thought and preparations to do it successfully. Like with all things dogs also need training to so build up together and you will find what works for you. This way you will enjoy many hours of hiking which is enriching for the both of you.
How Do I Progress In My Hiking?
There are lots of ways to work on the basic hiking. You can increase distance or difficulty. Start bagging mountains and hilltops or complete through trails such as the Cumbrian way even in one week long hiking hit or in sections.
Once you get into hiking it is likely you will have passed some hikes you couldn’t fit in or doubted your ability to start with and saved them for later for inspiration. You can also start to go abroad and test your comfort level out within the safety of a guide or complete courses here in the uk such as a winter mountaineers package. Maybe you will even start to explore scrambles on routes.
Once you really get into it you can even start working towards qualifications and awards which you will need a good skill level and in cases such as mountain leader you can safely take groups out.
A lot of time I just choose hikes based on somewhere I want to go that I have seen on instagram that looks beautiful or through recommendations and gradually over time I have increased with distances and am pretty confident on a range of terrains.
Other days I simply just want a easy walk but what I want to develop most is to challenge my navigational skills so I am beginning to choose less well marked routes or set trails but that is once you are confidence using a map and compass. But as you can see there are loads of ways to improve and progress even if just seeng beautiful scenery isn’t enough.
What If I Find Hiking Boring?
In a lifecycle is full of distractions getting your brain used to the tranquil birdsong and sitting with its own thoughts can be challenging and even boring at first. In a way its similar to mediation or yoga, it can take a while to reap the benefits and I would caution about using distractions or checking your phone when you first start out and get into bad habits as such.
Also some parts of some hikes are simply boring. You might be on a busy trail just trodding on to where you want to be. Accepting this can help. Keep trying different walks, give it time to settle down into the walk. Sometimes it takes me a few miles for my brain to calm down and accept it. Especially when I am busy or have things to do.
If all that fails then there are some things you can do to help keep you focused on a hike and I have a whole blog article on keeping you entertained which you can read here. But you are not limited to just walking when you head out of a hike. You could choose to listen to a podcast, birdwatch or even taken up some creative pursuits such as treasure rubbing or even take a sketch book along.
Even the most experience hikers find stages boring. For myself it’s long tedious uphills with no view, getting lost or hiking near busy roads. In short hikes you can usually avoid these but if you start increasing distances especially on through trails you will find stages that simply are not as pretty as what you have already passed and the daily slog can be repetitive and even more so when your cold and wet. But even if it’s type 2 fun, you never regret it.
Conclusion
The UK is gifted with amazing countryside that is really easy for anyone to enjoy. The large hiking community here also makes it super easy for anyone to get started with a wonderful community sharing there own tips, charities working to maintain accessible trails for all and reviews to ensure that you aren’t going to disappointed int eh route you take. A little bit of preparation like you are reading this article will set you up to success wherever the trail takes you. Happy Hiking!
