The most breathtaking mountain hikes in the UK, from Mam Tor to Ben Nevis
The best mountain hikes in the UK, from the Scottish Highlands to the Peak District
On Sunday 10 May prime minister Boris Johnson eased some lockdown restrictions in an address to the nation - this included removing the once-per-day limit on exercise and saying people could now drive to other destinations.
So why not make the most of the new freedom and plan a scenic walk?
The UK may not be the world’s loftiest country, but our peaks reward those who climb them with some cracking views. Get high with our pick of the UK’s best mountain walks.
Mam Tor, Peak District, England
Length: 8 miles
Start and finish in Castleton for a crash course in Peak District geology, walking from red-brown gritstone to pale shale and limestone along the Great Ridge. Lose Hill kicks off the ridge walk, which reaches as far as Mam Tor (at 517m/1696ft) and provides views over Edale and Hope Valley, before you descend through Cave Dale for fine views of Peveril Castle.
Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England
Length: 4 miles
Britain’s answer to the Grand Canyon, spectacular Cheddar Gorge is three miles (4.8km) long and 400ft (122m) deep. A loop walk from the National Trust information centre gets you up onto its cliffs for a view out to the Somerset levels and Bridgwater Bay as well as down into the gorge itself.
Fleetwith Pike, Lake District, England
Length: 5.5 miles
An imposing peak that broods above Buttermere, Fleetwith Pike rises from the water’s edge to a summit that provides a glorious view along a string of lakes to the sea. Loop on from here across the crags to Innominate Tarn, where Alfred Wainwright’s ashes are scattered, and Hay Stacks before scrambling down through Scarth Gap for views back to the Pike on your return to the water’s edge.
Snowdon Ranger, Wales
Length: 8 miles
Of the official routes up Wales’ highest mountain, the Snowdon Ranger is one of the quieter, and is thought to be the oldest. The path is excellent and easy to follow, mostly meandering upwards, though with a couple of steeper sections, including the final ascent up steps to reach the 1,085m (3559ft) summit. You’ll enjoy wonderful mountain views all the way – and can opt for the Snowdon Mountain Railway to descend.
Slieve Donard, Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland
Length: 5.8 miles
Northern Ireland’s highest peak can be climbed from sea level, at Newcastle beach – so you’ll feel you’ve really earned the views from its 850-metre summit, across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man and Great Britain beyond. It’s a well-defined route up, following the stone-built Mourne Wall.
Mynydd Ddu, Brecon Beacons, Wales
Length: 7.5 miles
The wildest and most westerly of the Brecon Beacons’ uplands, Mynydd Ddu, or Black Mountain, is a corker – its escarpments of striated sandstone reaching up to a wedge-shaped summit which towers above the moorland and is frequently snow-capped in winter. Loop west to east along the ridge path from the summit of Bannau Sir Gaer to Fan Brycheiniog and you’ll see the two glacial lakes of Llyn y Fan Fach and Llyn y Fan Fawr – and probably a red kite or two.
Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland
Length: 2.75 miles
At Edinburgh’s heart is a volcano, and an easy climb to 251m (823ft), at the summit of Arthur’s Seat. The path up is easy enough, though you may need to scramble to reach the summit. The view is out across Edinburgh, extending along the Forth to the Forth Railway Bridge, and in tourist season there’s often even a bagpiper up here.
Schiehallion, Perthshire, Scotland
Length: 6.25 miles
Schiehallion is one of Scotland’s best-known and most-loved munros (mountains over 3,000ft, or 914m). It’s an easier climb than most, with a well-made path much of the way and cairns to guide you through the boulder field. The summit affords glorious views, across Rannoch Moor to Glencoe.
Ben Nevis, near Fort William, Scotland
Length: 10.5 miles
Though not to be taken lightly, the climb up Britain’s highest peak is strenuous but straightforward. You’ll need hillwalking experience and the right gear, but the mountain path is decent and on a clear day easy to follow. At the summit (1345m, 4413ft) you’ll be able to see a vast swathe of the Highlands, and peer down over the sheer cliffs of the north face.