Hill Walking Vacation - Where To Go ‘Hiking’ For The Best UK Spots

If you’re looking for a wholesome physical activity to undertake during your next trip to the UK, consider undertaking a hill walking vacation.

Hill walking, one Great Britain’s most popular activities, is simply the sport of climbing mountains and hills on foot, whether competitively, or for one’s own pleasure. These ascents are typically undertaken without the aid of equipment other than the small backpack, the compass, the map, and the walking stick.

Outside of the United Kingdom, this simple activity is called “hiking” or “mountaineering.” The intimate term, “hill walking,” reflects Great Britain’s unique love of the sport. The practice of ascending hills for pleasure seems is so much a part of life in Great Britain, that it needs no special name.

Indeed, perhaps part of the sport’s popularity stems from how accessible it is. Experienced hill walkers can challenge themselves with long, grueling ascents, or with attempts to walk up multiple peaks over the course of a single day. At the same time, novices can follow scenic trails of easy-to-moderate difficulty at their own pace, and simply enjoy the sensation of being in the great outdoors.

Hikes or “Hill Walks”

On the other hand, perhaps the sports popularity in the UK stems from how many stunning hills and picturesque mountainous peaks the country boasts. Some of the best hikes or “hill walks” in the world are to be found in England, Scotland, and Ireland.

The country of Ireland, in particular, boasts some beautiful hill walking sites. Ireland is famous for its green hills, and some of the best are found around the town of Glendalough (an hour’s drive from Dublin). The small town of Glendalough lies in a low valley with a great deal of rural character. The valley is surrounded by the Wicklow Hills, and there are two lakes within walking distance of the town. Glendalough’s proximity to Dublin attracts many weekend tourists. There are lots of easy, leisurely trails leading into the hills.

Another popular area for hill walking in Ireland is around the Ring of Kerry, a long, circular trail located in the southwest of the country. The trail in question begins in the town of Killarney and then connects to a series of the villages with picturesque names like Kenmare, Waterville, and Sneem.

The Ring of Kerry itself, which can get congested with tourists during peak times, traverses relatively flat terrain. However, a nigh-infinite amount of charming, out-of-the-way hill walking trails extend away from the Ring of Kerry. For example, the vista of Ladies View, one of the attractions along the Ring, offers an unforgettable prospect of hills, valleys, and lakes. It is as those these spectacular natural features were deliberately placed there, in order to tempt the adventurous hill walker to explore them. A word of caution: make sure that your walks don’t take you onto private property. Unlike England, Scotland, or Wales, Ireland hasn’t yet passed any public rights of way laws.

Scotland is another great destination for UK hill walking vacations. Scottish hillwalking has an old tradition, especially in the Scottish Highlands. Many hill walking enthusiasts in Scotland compete to see how many “Munros,” “Grahams,” and “Corbetts” they can ascend. Munros, Corbetts, and Grahams are names for different types of mountain peaks. Munros are mountains over 3,000 feet in height; Corbetts are mountains between 2,500 and 3,000 feet in height; and Grahams are mountains between 2,000 and 2,500 feet in height. Scotland, especially in the north, is densely packed with mountains. As a result, the country features 284 Munros, 221 Corbetts, plus an unknown number of Grahams.

Some of the best places for Scottish hill walking are located in the rugged Cairngorm mountain range in the eastern Highlands. The range features at a total of 13 Munros famous Munros, six of which are the tallest mountains mountains in Scotland. The range also contains innumerable natural parks dotted with trails. Amidst these stern heights, you’ll find some of the most challenging walks in Scotland. Even the foothills of the Cairngorms can offer a significant hill walking challenge, as in the case of the 10-mile-long Lairig Ghru. Even Queen Victoria was moved by the sight of these brooding, glacier-formed mountain peaks.

Hiking Checklist - How and What To Pack For Your Family Hiking Trip

If adventure and thrill are your idea of a perfect holiday, a family hiking trip is just the right choice for you. Across the world, there are scores of destinations where you can take your family for a real enjoyable hiking trip, apart from teaching your children a few important things about nature and wildlife in the process.

However, to ensure that your trip goes hassle-free and that you do not end up dumbstruck for something which you might require urgently, it is important that you have a hiking checklist and pack your belongings with diligence and care, right from toiletries to medicines and clothes.

Here are a few major tips to help you get efficient in packing for your forthcoming family hiking trip.

What To Pack For Your Family Hiking Trip

• Medical Supplies

Hiking is a fairly adventurous activity that involves quite an amount of potential dangers. Apart from the basic cuts and bruises, there is a high possibility of development of allergies and rashes, snake and insect bites and even the risk of being encountered with poisonous plants such as the Poison Oak and Poison Ivy in your family adventure trip.

Here are the few important safety items and medicines for family hiking trip that you must pack to ensure that you are well prepared to handle any such situations:

1. Keep a well-stocked first aid kit. Read up on the internet or consult your family healthcare provider for any special medicines to be kept for the place you plan to visit.

2. Know the medical history of your family. If there are any specific ailments or problems any of you suffers from, keep those medicines handy. For instance, you must keep medicines for asthma, general allergies, flu or painkillers if you or any of your family members often needs them. Also remember to keep in sufficient supply of a good insect repellent.

3. Keep the contact numbers of your health care provider and immediate family members and friends handy, so that they can be contacted in case of any emergencies.

• Food and Water

Gather knowledge about the area you intend to visit. Make sure you keep enough of dry food items to help you snack on or even for your meals, especially if you are traveling with small children to some remote areas. Find out if there is a facility of clean drinking water. Otherwise, take enough supply of water with you to last at least for a few days.

It is also important to pack in a few tidbits to nibble on during your hiking trip for all that extra energy.

• Recreational Items

Though you might be already on a vacation, but hiking can make you feel stressed out and tired. Make sure you pack in a few items for recreations such as a radio, a Frisbee or even a pack of cards. This will enable you to enjoy yourselves and take a well-needed break on the trip.

• Clothes and Accessories

Make sure you carry enough supply of weather-specific clothes such as long-sleeved t-shirts, thermal wear and enough woolens, in accordance with the place you intend to visit. As accessories, carry a pair of good sunglasses, caps and sunscreen lotion for adequate sun protection for the entire family. Waterproof clothing and an extra pair shoes are also necessary.

Make sure you keep an extra pair of utility items which are of critical use to you. For instance, if you or anyone in your family wears glasses, make sure you keep an extra pair to handle any emergency. Also, keep in all your essential documents in order at a safe place in your baggage.

How To Pack For Your Family Hiking Trip

Apart from the list in question, it is also important o know how to pack your belongings. Make sure you pack your backpack in a manner that will not make it too heavy for you to carry. Also, with clothes, it is always advisable to roll them and keep them to save space. Pack your belongings with the layering method to save yourself more space. Also ensure that you keep all the important things you might need during your family hiking trip right at the top so that you don’t have to rummage through in desperation when you actually need them.

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