6 Best Long Distance Hiking Trails in the UK for walking in 7-8 Days
Here are 6 of Britain’s finest long distance hiking trails between 80 to 120 miles that can be walked in approximately one week.
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Long Distance Hiking Trails in the UK
Almost any distance between 80 and 120 miles can be walked in 7 to 8 days, and if you plan your route such that you stop at a pub or B&B each night, you’ll have the extra luxury of warm food and a proper bed to sleep in.
There are plenty of long-distance footpaths of around 100 miles that can be nicely slotted into a week, and they are scattered over every area of the UK.
Included are West Highland Way, The Cleveland Way, The Cotswold Way, The Dales Way, The Ridgeway National Trail and The South Downs Way.
1. West Highland Way (96 miles)
The West Highland Way runs for 96 miles from Milngavie on the outskirts of Glasgow to Fort William, which lies under Ben Nevis.
The walk is mostly flat, however it winds through several high mountain ranges, through countryside parks, along a good part of Loch Lomond, and across open moorland.
Despite the fact that you may find yourself in hidden glens and amongst barren moors where the path appears lonely and remote, you are rarely far from a road and an exit point if you need one.
Accommodation: Good
Services: Baggage transfer companies
2. The Cleveland Way (110 miles)
The Cleveland Way runs for 110 miles from Helmsley to Filey in North Yorkshire.
The trail is a two-part walk that skirts the perimeter of the North York Moors National Park:
The first portion favors high moorland terrain and stays near the Cleveland Hills and North York Moors’ cliff edges. When the Way reaches Saltburn-on-Sea, the trail heads southerly and follows the coast.
The Cleveland Way is very well marked, and the paths and tracks are good and easy to follow.
Accommodation: Good (Plan carefully to make sure it is close enough to the end of each day’s section.)
Services: There are baggage transfer services available.
3. The Dales Way (80 miles)
The Dales Way is an 80-mile route that travels from the south-east to the north-west through northern England, passing through the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District.
The Dales Way is primarily a valley route that follows the River Wharfe to Cam Houses (490m), where it crosses a high, remote watershed before continuing along Dentdale, past the Howgill Fells, and along the Mint and Kent river valleys to Lake Windermere.
It’s a lovely walk with some challenging sections that fits ideally into a 5-day or 6-day vacation.
Accomodation: Fairly Good
Services: The walk is serviced by baggage transfer services
4. The South Downs Way (102 miles)
From Winchester to Eastbourne, the South Downs Way is a 102-mile roller-coaster route through the beautiful South Downs National Park.
The walk remains at a high elevation for much of its route, but descends to valleys at convenient overnight stopping points. The trail follows mostly bridleways and passes over chalk ground and short cropped turf using good wide tracks.
In the final section, you’ll walk along the stunning coastal terrain of the Seven Sisters and past Beachy Head into Eastbourne.
In many parts, this is a remote route. That’s why there are water stations along the way to replenish your supply.
Accommodation: Good
Services: Baggage transfer services available
5. The Cotswold Way (102 miles)
The Cotswold Way is 102 miles long and follows the Cotswold ridge and escarpment edge for its length. The most popular way to do the walk is from north to south, starting at Chipping Campden and finishing at Bath.
The route passes through magnificent landscapes and is mostly within the Cotswold Area of outstanding natural beauty.
As the trail rises and descends from the higher escarpment ground, there are many ups and downs. The walk’s highest point is on Cleeve Hill 330 meters above Cheltenham.
The Cotswold Way is claimed to be the best marked long-distance trail in England!
Accommodation: Many accommodation options
Services: Baggage transfer services
6. The Ridgeway National Trail (87 miles)
The walk runs for 87 miles, following the line of the oldest road in Britain, from Overton Hill, near Avebury World Heritage Site in Wiltshire, to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire.
The walk is divided into two sections: one that crosses the Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the actual Ridgeway path, and another that crosses the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (from Streatley to Ivinghoe Beacon) on a variety of historic and modern paths and tracks.
The way passes close to many Iron Age and Bronze Age sites, such as the famous Wayland’s Smithy.
Accommodation: Good, but needs to be carefully planned on some sections
Services: Baggage transfer companies more expensive
Final thoughts & Tips
Research the route
Trails of similar distance can vary a lot in ascent, terrain, and severity. Be realistic and don’t overestimate what you can walk in a day.
Get a dedicated map for the specific trail
Use a guidebook
You will learn lots of other information. Not only instructions about the route itself.
Accommodation
Consider Pubs as they offer you a drink and an evening meal as well as a bed. Many B&Bs don’t offer evening meals. Also, check if they can offer you a packed lunch for the next day.
Baggage transfer services
Cost from £70 to £150 a week, but you have clean clothes for the evening and plenty of changes of socks and walking gear for the next days.
