Long Distance Walks in the UK

Whether you're fundraising for a charity or you're an experienced rambler who fancies the challenge of thru hiking, aiming to complete one of these multi day hikes will be immensely rewarding in both views along the way and the accomplishment of hitting the finish line.

Many long distance walks in the UK are officially recognised trails, known as a National Trail. They're traditionally named a 'way', and many of the older trails were once medieval travelling or trade routes.

Naturally, each route varies in difficulty however as a general rule walkers typically aim to walk either 12 miles a day or do 7-8 hours worth of walking when thru hiking.

With that in mind, it's important to figure out your sleeping arrangements in advance, whether that's booking accommodation at milestones along the way or investing in some good camping equipment.

Camping is popular on multi day hikes, but if you're planning on doing a long one like Coast to Coast, cafes and pubs are your friend. Camp meals are alright - but nothing beats a pub meal at the end of a long day spent walking.

In order to find out which long distance walks were most popular, we delved into Google search data with a seed list of national trails and multi day hikes. Read on to discover which 10 thru hikes are the most popular.

Distance: 285km

Duration: 14+ Days

The historical trail of Offa's Dyke runs right along the border between England & Wales. Along the way you'll see breath-taking landscapes of the Brecon Beacons and nearby AONB's as you walk the border thought to have divided the Kingdom of Mercia.

Distance: 117km

Duration: 3-4 Days

Based in Scotland, this route begins in Fort William and ends in Inverness, offering views of Ben Nevis and lengthy canals along the way.

Of all the popular thru-hikes in this list, the Great Glen Way offers an easier starting point for new ramblers. It's doable in a few days, as opposed to the more challenging West Highland Way.

Distance: 318km

Duration: 7+ Days

10 Islands, 6 causeways, 2 ferries. This journey through the Outer Hebrides should be on any multi-day hiker's bucket list. You can do the trip as you please, the route is great for bikepackers and wild campers thanks to the rules on camping under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Distance: 376km

Duration: 14+ Days

A gruelling route with spectacular views, the Cape Wrath Trail will take you right through the Scottish Highlands all the way to Fort William. The trail's very remote, so you'll need to pack efficiently and come prepared. Being in Scotland, you'll also be able to wild camp along the way, but you'll also be fending off midges and be wary areas of the highlands can get quite boggy.

Distance: 175km

Duration: 6 Days

This is a fantastic journey around the North York Moors and is best enjoyed on a warm week in late August to September when the heather is in bloom. The route can get quite steep, particularly at the start, so be prepared for a challenge.

Distance: 1,014km

Duration: 30+ Days

This route takes you along the south west coast of England, and you'd be mad to attempt the entirety of the South West Coast Path in one go. It's the longest national trail in the UK.

Offering vast views of the English Channel, the more reasonable way to enjoy this trail would be choosing a combination of smaller connecting routes to do over multiple walking holidays, unless you live nearby.

Distance: 160km

Duration: 6-7 Days

A favourite walk in the south of England for many, the South Downs Way is one of the more convenient thru hikes, as each section passes through various towns/villages with places to stock up on snacks, have a nice warm meal or sleep overnight. If you enjoy the English countryside, you'll love the South Downs Way, just be prepared for a challenge.

Distance: 418km

Duration: 15 Days

The Pennine Way isn't for the feint hearted. It's brutal in both length and terrain, taking you over many peaks as you wander through the Pennines. Despite being a popular route, it's not recommended for beginners.

The route starts in Edale and begins straight away with Kinder Scout (which we recently visited on one of our company walks and found to be quite boggy).

Distance: 298km

Duration: Roughly 12 Days

Along the Coast to Coast trail, you'll journey through the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors in the footsteps of Alfred Wainwright. Whilst not an officially recognised national trail, it's the second most popular long distance hike in our list.

Which coast you start this route from is up to you, however the consensus is that the Lake District portion of the route is the most difficult, so weigh up whether you want to get the hard part over with early, or save the best views until last as a reward for the final stretch of the trail. There's also a little tradition for this route, where walkers dip their boots in the water at the start and finish of the journey at St Bees beach & Robin Hood's Bay.

Distance: 154km

Duration: 7 Days

So, out of all of the trails, The West Highland Way is the most popular long distance walk in the UK. This comes as no surprise either, Google search data aside, even a quick look at Instagram shows a stark difference in the amount of posts between the WHW and other hikes in our line-up.

This trail goes right through the heart of the Scottish Highlands, offering worthy views for those that are willing to brave the distance (and clouds of midges).

Whilst a challenging journey, as the West Highland Way is in Scotland, there's the added bonus of being able to legally wild camp under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. (though there are campsites and accommodation along the way, depending on how far you want to travel each day).

One of our colleagues Steph W did half of the WHW over a long weekend and wrote about her experience, which you can read over on her West Highland Way walking guide.

Due to the unpredictable nature of the British weather, your choice of outdoor clothing should be a high priority when planning a multi-day hike.

A quality waterproof jacket is one of the key pieces of outdoor gear. It's going to keep you protected from both wind and rain, whilst letting out some of the heat your body will produce as you walk.

When used in a layering system, you'll be able to stack up a base layer, a mid layer such as a fleece or gilet, with the jacket as your outer protective shell. This'll work to keep you nice and toasty, and you'll thank yourself as you trek along the more exposed sections of a trail.

Based on the weather you'll want to choose suitable legwear. Whether it's shorts, walking trousers or waterproof trousers, if you want something versatile, the best option is to get yourself some water resistant zip-off trousers and pack a pair of waterproof overtrousers in your rucksack. That way you're covered for all likely eventualities.

For long distance hiking, our recommendation would be to opt for a pair of walking boots instead of walking shoes. You're very likely to encounter boggy areas, especially on more popular and exposed routes, so the extra height and protection from boots will lessen the chance of mud or water getting inside your footwear and they'll provide a good level of waterproof protection on your feet.