Do you want to go hiking this weekend?
If the answer is yes, then our free guide to hiking in the UK, with Helly Hansen, must be your first port of call. No matter where you are in the country, you will find an amazing hike to get you on the trails this weekend.
It is packed full of routes that speak for themselves, but if you really want to know why they’re our favourite hikes, we’ve picked out the most unmissable features of each one for you below.
From the weird to the wonderful, we hope the unique aspects of these hikes will inspire you to explore our wonderful country.
Download the free guide to hiking in the UK to find out how you can experience them for yourselves.
The Skye Trail, Isle of Skye, Scotland
A highlight of this week-long walk is the view of the Old Man of Storr. It might be the most photographed place on the Isle of Skye but there’s good reason for it.
This striking basalt rock formation towers above the Sound of Rassay and keeps watch over the mystical Trotternish Ridge.
Legend has it that a giant once resided on the ridge. When he was laid to rest, the earth began to cover his body until just his fingers poked up above the surface. This is what we now know as the ‘Old Man’. Other legends include faeries and demons, and even little goblin-like creatures known as brownies.
The Old Man of Storr is a must see for avid hikers in the British Isles, not only for its beauty, but for the legends that surround it. Where did it come from? That’s for you to decide.
Find out how to visit the Old Man of Storr with our guide to hiking in the UK.
Three Peaks Challenge, Yorkshire Dales, England
The Yorkshire Three Peaks is a unique walk because it’s also a time challenge. And who doesn’t love a challenge?
The little sister of the better-known Three Peaks Challenge, (the 24hr race to climb the three highest peaks in England, Scotland, and Wales), this route takes you up the three tallest mountains in the Yorkshire Dales in just 12 hours.
The fastest that the challenge has been completed is 2 hours, 29 minutes and 53 seconds. However, the course has been lengthened since this time was set in 1983, so we’d recommend delaying your dinner plans slightly longer than record-holder Jeff Norman did.
Check out our guide to hiking in the UK for the full route and our tips and tricks to beat the clock.
Helvellyn, Lake District, England
The Lake District isn’t always appreciated for being a daredevil’s paradise, but the Striding Edge section of the Helvellyn route will certainly get your blood pumping.
The 950m ridge walk has sheer drops on either side and leads you straight up to the summit. It is a grade one ridge walk and therefore doesn’t require any technical climbing, but it’s not for the faint of heart.
There is another path for those who aren’t big fans of heights that runs parallel to the ridge, only a few metres further down.
Find out about both routes in our guide to hiking.
Three Lochs Way, Scottish Highlands, Scotland
As the name suggests, the Three Lochs Way takes you past three of the most beautiful lochs in Scotland- Loch Lomond, Gareloch, and Loch Long.
What we find especially exciting about this route, however, are the dramatic changes in scenery. The trail runs over the Highland Boundary Fault, the place that the Scottish Highlands officially begin.
You can feel the terrain change beneath your feet as the rugged wilderness sprawls out before your eyes. It is a wonderfully unique experience that you will only be able to have in Scotland.
The trail is also steeped in history, from the ancient to the modern, so take a look at our guide to hiking for the full breadth of experiences available.
Skomer National Nature Reserve, Skomer Island, Wales
There are two very special things about this Welsh hike.
The first, as you’d expect, is the wildlife. Teeming with all sorts of flora and fauna, the island is a nature lovers paradise. You’ll come across voles, rabbits, lizards, frogs, and, the stars of the show, puffins.
These adorable residents hang around the dramatic cliff faces of the coast, but there are amazing colourful birds dotting the skies all over the island.
The second, is that you feel like a VIP. To preserve the wonderful nature that sprawls across the island, only 250 visitors are allowed per day, and only between April and September.
As the boat pulls away from Martin’s Haven, you will feel privilege to a secret garden full of beauty and surprise that is hard to find anywhere but Skomer.
To get your ticket for this exclusive trip grab our guide to hiking for more info.
Winsford Hill and Tarr Steps, Exmoor, England
This walk is one for the history lovers among us.
About half-way through your hike, you will be transported back to the Bronze Age as you stumble upon the strange Wambarrows jutting out of Winsford Hill.
These unassuming stone structures are relics from the bronze age, and they are yet to be fully understood, which will add a nice touch of mystery to your hike.
As you head down to the River Barle, you will walk thousands of years into the future until you find the Tarr Steps, a clapper bridge dating back from the middle ages. A pristine example of early engineering, it also makes for a wonderful photo spot.
Set against the greenery of the riverbank, it’s an unbeatable and serene section of a wonderful walk.
You can find all the details inside our guide to hiking in the UK.
Get on the Trails
Hopefully we’ve convinced you why these are our favourite hikes in the UK. If you want to try them for yourself then you’ll find all the information you need in our free Guide to Hiking in the UK with Helly Hansen.
Download it here now.