The UK may be known to some as the country where it always rains, but it plays home to some of the breathtaking landscapes in Europe. The UK isn’t just good for a night out, taking long walks and hikes can show you the beauty of this side of the world. Of course, there is a high chance that you may get wet in the unpredictable rain, but when you reach the peak of your journey and take it all in the rain won’t matter. If you love to travel and view the countryside then this summer is the perfect time to try some of these routes out.
A common misconception is that walking and hiking is just for the older generation, but there are plenty of family friendly trails which can provide exciting adventure for all ages and personality types within the family. A trail that will boost excitement levels to the maximum is based in East Sussex; the Tracking Winnie the Pooh trail is a manageable 1-4miles long and has paths which twist their way in all directions through heather, gorse and pine clumps offering views of secret valleys and downs. The trail is inside Ashdown Forest and served as one of Henry VIII’s hunting grounds in the middle ages but King Henry is not the only celebrity to have found the beauty in Ashdown Forest alluring as it also serves as the setting for the Winnie the Pooh stories. It is packed full of walks with stories to entice children and exits along the way so the trip can be cut short if needed, or made longer if everyone just can’t get enough. Taking into account the size of some of the available pathways some of the routes are even doable with a pram.
The West Highland Way in Scotland offers unique views and experiences that cannot be found at many other places in the world. It is an awe-inspiring trek through Scotland which is a huge 96 miles long. This amazing route is for people who really enjoy the satisfaction of admiring the world below you, this is a trip best taken as a walking holiday or broken up into 13 shorter sections to be completed as and when. Camping is welcomes throughout this route which means that attaching your roof box to the car roof and heading to get lost amongst nature for a long weekend is easier than ever. It is a rites-of-passage track that winds beautifully from city to suburbs through to the forests of Loch Lomond and deeper it goes.
Further north is the Leeds and Liverpool canal, it is the longest watercourse of its kind in northern England. The canal’s bank is cluttered with old factories and mills leaving a taste of the canal’s industrial history behind. The most well known of these factories is on the route in Saltaire; a huge textile mill that belonged with Victorian philanthropist Titus Salt, it now sits as a designated Unesco world heritage site and serves its purpose as a gallery dedicated to David Hockney. Along the pathway there are many old factories and buildings to take your fancy in addition to cafes to stop off at on the way. As soon as you have had enough of the route you are able to hop on one of the regular trains between Saltaire and Skipton.
On Northumberland’s coast sits the ruined Dunstanburgh Castle giving it a special quiet atmosphere all of its own with its rich history of intruders from the east. The walk is 5.5 miles long and is a simples there and back trip starting in Craster goes past the Castle, past Greymare Rock which is an interesting limestone rock created by volcanic activity and then onto the beach of Embleton Bay, remembering to watch out for seals on the way. A well rounded day out for the children to enjoy and there are a few friendly pubs available for a stop off along the way in Embleton village.
Embarking on a walk or hike with the family can take a lot of planning and can be extremely time consuming, but the views you are able to see along the way and the memories made will stay with you for life. The summer holidays are the perfect time to get out of the house and experience nature first hand, whilst being one of the best free activities you can do with the children.