Walking in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Walking is claimed to be the most popular outdoor recreational activity in the United Kingdom
. The country has a comprehensive network of rights of way, which permit easy access to the countryside as well as wilderness areas.
In the United Kingdom, "walking" is the usual term for what in other countries is called hiking
; walking in the countryside is also called rambling, and walking in mountainous areas is called hillwalking
.
Fellwalking is particularly used to refer to hill or mountain walks in northern Great Britain
, such as the Lake District
and Yorkshire Dales
in Northern England
, as fell
is the preferred term for both features in those parts of England.
In England
and Wales
the public has a legally protected right to "pass and repass" (i.e. walk) on footpaths, bridleways and other routes which have the status of a public right of way. Footpaths typically pass over private land, but if they are public rights of way they are public highways with the same protection in law as other highways, such as trunk road
s. Public rights of way originated in common law
, but are now regulated by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
. These rights have occasionally resulted in conflicts between walkers and landowners. The rights and obligations of farmers who cultivate crops in fields crossed by public footpaths are now specified in the law. Walkers can also use permissive paths, where the public does not have a legal right to walk, but where the landowner has granted permission for them to walk.
had a far-reaching impact. The 1949 Countryside Act
created the concept of designated open Country
, where access agreements were negotiated with landowners. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 gave walkers a conditional right to access most areas of uncultivated land.
the public have the right to use any defined route over which the public has been able to pass unhindered for at least 20 years. However, local authorities are not required to maintain and signpost public rights of way as they are in England and Wales.
formalised and extended this right, by creating a general presumption of access to all land. Recent court cases have seen the rights that walkers seek to protect limited. The most noteworthy case, Ann Gloag
v Perth and Kinross Council
and the Ramblers Association, saw an area around her home - defined as the curtilage
- placed off limits to walkers.
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Long-distance paths are created by linking public footpaths, other rights of way and sometimes permissive paths to form a continuous walking route, usually linear but sometimes circular. They are usually waymarked. Guidebooks have been published to most long-distance paths, and the most popular paths have attracted local industries providing accommodation and other support services. Fifteen paths in England and Wales have the status of National Trails
, which attract government financial support. Four paths in Scotland have the similar status of Long Distance Routes
.The first long-distance path was the Pennine Way
, first proposed by Tom Stephenson
in 1935 and finally opened in 1965. Other paths include The Ridgeway
and Offa's Dyke Path
.
The paths are generally well signposted, although map reading is vital, and the use of a compass
is often needed on high moorland
such as that encountered on the Pennine Way. There is usually enough rough ground for camping
on an extended trip to complete a given route. However, the paths are often distant from shops or settlements, so supplies of food and drink must be carried for sustenance. Water supply on The Ridgeway, for example, is difficult on the high downland
, although various taps have been provided at some spots.
while hillwalking
refers to the relatively easier routes.
Some summits require climbing skills, and many hillwalkers will become proficient in scrambling
, an activity involving use of the hands for extra support on the crags. Protection using a rope is usually not adopted unless the exposure is very severe, or the weather deteriorates. In Britain, the term "mountaineering" tends to be reserved for high mountain ranges such as the Alps
, or for serious domestic hillwalking, typically in winter, with additional equipment such as ice axe and crampons, or for routes requiring rock-climbing skills such as the traverse of the Cuillin
ridge. The British Mountaineering Council
provides more information on this topic. Popular locations for hillwalking include the Lake District
, the Peak District
, the Yorkshire Dales
, Snowdonia
, the Brecon Beacons
and Black Mountains, Wales
, Dartmoor
and the Scottish Highlands
, including the Cairngorms
, the largest National Park
in the UK. The mountains in Britain may seem modest in height, with Ben Nevis
at 4409 feet (1,343.9 m) the highest, but the unpredictably wide range of weather conditions and often difficult terrain can make walking in many areas challenging.
Peak bagging
provides a focus for the activities of many hillwalkers. The first of the many hill lists
compiled for this purpose was the Munro
s – mountains in Scotland over 3000 feet (914.4 m) – which remains one of the most popular.
and the Three Peaks Challenge
in Yorkshire.
, a general practitioner, started the concept of "health walk" for his patients—regular, brisk walks undertaken for the purpose of improving an individual's health. This led to the formation of the Walking for Health Initiative (WfH, formerly known as 'Walking the way to Health' or WHI) by Natural England
and the British Heart Foundation
. WfH trains volunteers to lead free health walks from community venues such as libraries and GP surgeries. The scheme has trained over 35,000 volunteers and there are now over 500 Walking for Health schemes across the UK, with thousands of people walking every week. In 2008 the Ramblers
launched their flagship Get Walking Keep Walking project, which was funded by the Big Lottery
and Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust. Unlike regular health walks, the Get Walking Keep Walking model uses targeted outreach programmes based around a 12-week walking plan to encourage regular independent walking. In the same year, a new organisation called Walk England was formed, with aid from the National Lottery and the Department for Transport
, to provide support to health, transport and environmental professionals who are working to encourage walking.
. In Wales the comparable body is the Countryside Council for Wales
, and in Scotland Scottish Natural Heritage
. The Ramblers
(Britain’s Walking Charity) promotes the interests of walkers in Great Britain and provides information for its members and others. Local Ramblers volunteers organise hundreds of group-led walks every week, all across Britain. These are primarily for members; non-members are welcomed as guests for two or three walks. The Get Walking Keep Walking project provides free led walks for residents in certain areas, information and resources to those new to walking.
The interests of hillwalkers are promoted by the British Mountaineering Council
, and the Long Distance Walkers Association
assists users of long-distance trails and challenge walkers. Organisations which provide overnight accommodation for walkers include the Youth Hostels Association in England and Wales, the Scottish Youth Hostels Association
, and the Mountain Bothies Association
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The country has a comprehensive network of rights of way, which permit easy access to the countryside as well as wilderness areas.
In the United Kingdom, "walking" is the usual term for what in other countries is called hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
; walking in the countryside is also called rambling, and walking in mountainous areas is called hillwalking
Hillwalking
In the British Isles, the terms hillwalking or fellwalking are commonly used to describe the recreational outdoor activity of walking on hills and mountains, often with the intention of visiting their summits...
.
Fellwalking is particularly used to refer to hill or mountain walks in northern Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, such as the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
and Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
in Northern England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
, as fell
Fell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
is the preferred term for both features in those parts of England.
Footpaths
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
the public has a legally protected right to "pass and repass" (i.e. walk) on footpaths, bridleways and other routes which have the status of a public right of way. Footpaths typically pass over private land, but if they are public rights of way they are public highways with the same protection in law as other highways, such as trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
s. Public rights of way originated in common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
, but are now regulated by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 is a UK Act of Parliament which came into force on 30 November 2000.As of September 2007, not all sections of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act have yet come into force...
. These rights have occasionally resulted in conflicts between walkers and landowners. The rights and obligations of farmers who cultivate crops in fields crossed by public footpaths are now specified in the law. Walkers can also use permissive paths, where the public does not have a legal right to walk, but where the landowner has granted permission for them to walk.
Right to roam
Walkers long campaigned for the right to roam, that is access to privately owned uncultivated land. In 1932 the mass trespass of Kinder ScoutMass trespass of Kinder Scout
thumb|left|North flank of Kinder ScoutThe mass trespass of Kinder Scout was a notable act of willful trespass by ramblers. It was undertaken at Kinder Scout, Derbyshire, in the Peak District of England, on 24 April 1932, to highlight that walkers in England and Wales were denied access to areas of...
had a far-reaching impact. The 1949 Countryside Act
National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949
The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the National Parks Commission which later became the Countryside Commission and then the Countryside Agency, which became Natural England when it merged with English Nature in...
created the concept of designated open Country
Open Country
Open Country is a designation used for some UK access land.It was first defined under the 1949 National Parks Act , and was land over which an appropriate access agreement had been made...
, where access agreements were negotiated with landowners. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 gave walkers a conditional right to access most areas of uncultivated land.
Footpaths
In ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
the public have the right to use any defined route over which the public has been able to pass unhindered for at least 20 years. However, local authorities are not required to maintain and signpost public rights of way as they are in England and Wales.
Right to roam
In Scotland the public have traditionally been allowed unhindered access to open countryside. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003
The Land Reform Act 2003 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament. It created a framework for responsible access to land and inland water, formalising the tradition in Scotland of unhindered access to open countryside, provided that care was taken not to cause damage or interfere with activities...
formalised and extended this right, by creating a general presumption of access to all land. Recent court cases have seen the rights that walkers seek to protect limited. The most noteworthy case, Ann Gloag
Ann Gloag
Ann Gloag, OBE , is a Scottish business woman and charity campaigner.-Biography:Educated at Caledonian Road Primary School and Perth High School, she qualified as a nurse and during a 20 year career worked as a burns unit sister.-Stagecoach:Gloag founded bus company "Gloagtrotter" in October 1980...
v Perth and Kinross Council
Perth and Kinross Council
Perth and Kinross Council is the local government council for the Perth and Kinross council area of Scotland. It employs nearly 5000 employees.The council was created in 1996, under the Local Government etc...
and the Ramblers Association, saw an area around her home - defined as the curtilage
Curtilage
The curtilage is an important legal term to define the land immediately surrounding a house or dwelling, including any closely associated buildings and structures, but excluding any associated 'open fields beyond'. It defines the boundary within which a home owner can have a reasonable expectation...
- placed off limits to walkers.
Long-distance footpaths
National Trails
National Trails are long distance footpaths and bridleways in England and Wales. They are administered by Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales, statutory agencies of the UK government....
, which attract government financial support. Four paths in Scotland have the similar status of Long Distance Routes
Long Distance Routes
Long Distance Route is an official term for maintained long-distance footpaths in Scotland that require several days to walk...
.The first long-distance path was the Pennine Way
Pennine Way
The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England. The trail runs from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and the Northumberland National Park and ends at Kirk Yetholm, just inside the Scottish border. The path runs along the Pennine hills, sometimes...
, first proposed by Tom Stephenson
Tom Stephenson
Tom Criddle Stephenson was a British journalist and a leading champion of walkers' rights in the countryside.In the First World War he was imprisoned as a conscientious objector....
in 1935 and finally opened in 1965. Other paths include The Ridgeway
The Ridgeway
thumb|right|thumb|The ancient tree-lined path winds over the downs countrysideThe Ridgeway is a ridgeway or ancient trackway described as Britain's oldest road...
and Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path is a long distance footpath along the Welsh-English border. Opened in 1971, it is one of Britain's premier National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world...
.
The paths are generally well signposted, although map reading is vital, and the use of a compass
Compass
A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
is often needed on high moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
such as that encountered on the Pennine Way. There is usually enough rough ground for camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
on an extended trip to complete a given route. However, the paths are often distant from shops or settlements, so supplies of food and drink must be carried for sustenance. Water supply on The Ridgeway, for example, is difficult on the high downland
Downland
A downland is an area of open chalk hills. This term is especially used to describe the chalk countryside in southern England. Areas of downland are often referred to as Downs....
, although various taps have been provided at some spots.
Hillwalking
The United Kingdom offers a wide variety of ascents, from gentle rolling lowland hills to some very exposed routes in the moorlands and mountains. The term climbing is used for the activity of tackling the more technically difficult ways of getting up hills involving rock climbingRock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
while hillwalking
Hillwalking
In the British Isles, the terms hillwalking or fellwalking are commonly used to describe the recreational outdoor activity of walking on hills and mountains, often with the intention of visiting their summits...
refers to the relatively easier routes.
Scrambling
Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent...
, an activity involving use of the hands for extra support on the crags. Protection using a rope is usually not adopted unless the exposure is very severe, or the weather deteriorates. In Britain, the term "mountaineering" tends to be reserved for high mountain ranges such as the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, or for serious domestic hillwalking, typically in winter, with additional equipment such as ice axe and crampons, or for routes requiring rock-climbing skills such as the traverse of the Cuillin
Cuillin
This article is about the Cuillin of Skye. See Rùm for the Cuillin of Rùm.The Cuillin are a range of rocky mountains located on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The true Cuillin are also known as the Black Cuillin to distinguish them from the Red Hills across Glen Sligachan...
ridge. The British Mountaineering Council
British Mountaineering Council
The British Mountaineering Council is the national representative body for England and Wales that exists to protect the freedoms and promote the interests of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers, including ski-mountaineers...
provides more information on this topic. Popular locations for hillwalking include the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
, the Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
, the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
, Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
, the Brecon Beacons
Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons is a mountain range in South Wales. In a narrow sense, the name refers to the range of popular peaks south of Brecon, including South Wales' highest mountain, Pen y Fan, and which together form the central section of the Brecon Beacons National Park...
and Black Mountains, Wales
Black Mountains, Wales
The Black Mountains are a group of hills spread across parts of Powys and Monmouthshire in southeast Wales, and extending across the national border into Herefordshire, England. They are the easternmost of the four ranges of hills that comprise the Brecon Beacons National Park, and are frequently...
, Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
and the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
, including the Cairngorms
Cairngorms
The Cairngorms are a mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland closely associated with the mountain of the same name - Cairn Gorm.-Name:...
, the largest National Park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in the UK. The mountains in Britain may seem modest in height, with Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William....
at 4409 feet (1,343.9 m) the highest, but the unpredictably wide range of weather conditions and often difficult terrain can make walking in many areas challenging.
Peak bagging
Peak bagging
Peak bagging is an activity in which hillwalkers and mountaineers attempt to reach the summit of some collection of peaks, usually those above some height in a particular region, or having a particular feature.Peak bagging can be distinguished from highpointing...
provides a focus for the activities of many hillwalkers. The first of the many hill lists
Hill lists in the British Isles
The mountains and hills of Great Britain, and to a lesser extent Ireland, are the subject of a considerable number of lists that categorise them by height, topographic prominence, or other criteria. They are commonly used as a basis for peak bagging, whereby hillwalkers attempt to reach all the...
compiled for this purpose was the Munro
Munro
A Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over . They are named after Sir Hugh Munro, 4th Baronet , who produced the first list of such hills, known as Munros Tables, in 1891. A Munro top is a summit over 3,000 ft which is not regarded as a separate mountain...
s – mountains in Scotland over 3000 feet (914.4 m) – which remains one of the most popular.
Challenge walks
Challenge walks are strenuous walks by a defined route to be completed in a specified time. Many are organised as annual events, with hundreds of participants. In May and June, with longer daylight hours, challenge walks may be 40 or more miles. A few are overnight events, covering distances up to 100 miles. Well-known challenge walks include the Lyke Wake WalkLyke Wake Walk
The Lyke Wake Walk was started by a local farmer, Bill Cowley, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England, in 1955. He claimed that one could walk over the North York Moors from east to west on heather all the way except for crossing one or two roads and he issued a challenge that walkers took up...
and the Three Peaks Challenge
Yorkshire three peaks
The mountains of Whernside , Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent are collectively known as the Three Peaks. The peaks, which form part of the...
in Yorkshire.
Walking for health
In the UK the health benefits of walking have wide recognition. In 1995 Dr William BirdWilliam Bird (doctor)
Dr William Bird is a general practitioner in Oxfordshire, England. He has set up schemes to encourage people in the United Kingdom to exercise in order to promote good health, and he was awarded an MBE for his contributions to health and physical activity in the Queen's New Year Honours...
, a general practitioner, started the concept of "health walk" for his patients—regular, brisk walks undertaken for the purpose of improving an individual's health. This led to the formation of the Walking for Health Initiative (WfH, formerly known as 'Walking the way to Health' or WHI) by Natural England
Natural England
Natural England is the non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are protected and improved...
and the British Heart Foundation
British Heart Foundation
The British Heart Foundation is a charity organisation in Britain that funds research, education, care and awareness campaigns aimed to prevent heart diseases in humans.-Foundation:...
. WfH trains volunteers to lead free health walks from community venues such as libraries and GP surgeries. The scheme has trained over 35,000 volunteers and there are now over 500 Walking for Health schemes across the UK, with thousands of people walking every week. In 2008 the Ramblers
Ramblers
The Ramblers, formerly known as the Ramblers' Association, is the largest walkers' rights organisation in Great Britain which aims to look after the interests of walkers...
launched their flagship Get Walking Keep Walking project, which was funded by the Big Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
and Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust. Unlike regular health walks, the Get Walking Keep Walking model uses targeted outreach programmes based around a 12-week walking plan to encourage regular independent walking. In the same year, a new organisation called Walk England was formed, with aid from the National Lottery and the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
, to provide support to health, transport and environmental professionals who are working to encourage walking.
Organizations
The government agency responsible for promoting access to the countryside in England is Natural EnglandNatural England
Natural England is the non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are protected and improved...
. In Wales the comparable body is the Countryside Council for Wales
Countryside Council for Wales
The Countryside Council for Wales is an Assembly Government Sponsored Body. It is the Welsh Assembly Government's wildlife conservation authority for Wales...
, and in Scotland Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage is a Scottish public body. It is responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e...
. The Ramblers
Ramblers
The Ramblers, formerly known as the Ramblers' Association, is the largest walkers' rights organisation in Great Britain which aims to look after the interests of walkers...
(Britain’s Walking Charity) promotes the interests of walkers in Great Britain and provides information for its members and others. Local Ramblers volunteers organise hundreds of group-led walks every week, all across Britain. These are primarily for members; non-members are welcomed as guests for two or three walks. The Get Walking Keep Walking project provides free led walks for residents in certain areas, information and resources to those new to walking.
The interests of hillwalkers are promoted by the British Mountaineering Council
British Mountaineering Council
The British Mountaineering Council is the national representative body for England and Wales that exists to protect the freedoms and promote the interests of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers, including ski-mountaineers...
, and the Long Distance Walkers Association
Long Distance Walkers Association
The Long Distance Walkers Association is a British association whose aim is "to further the common interests of those who enjoy Long Distance Walking". It was established in 1972 and has over 6,000 members...
assists users of long-distance trails and challenge walkers. Organisations which provide overnight accommodation for walkers include the Youth Hostels Association in England and Wales, the Scottish Youth Hostels Association
Scottish Youth Hostels Association
The Scottish Youth Hostels Association , founded in 1931, is part of Hostelling International and provides youth hostel accommodation in Scotland...
, and the Mountain Bothies Association
Mountain Bothies Association
The Mountain Bothies Association is a Scottish charity which looks after almost one hundred shelters in some of the remoter parts of the UK.Most of the MBA bothies are in Scotland, with others in the north of England and Wales...
.
External links
- Ramblers Association website
- Get Walking Keep Walking website.
- Long Distance Walkers Association website
- Directory of Rambling Clubs in the UK
- Shops in the UK selling outdoor clothing and walking equipment
- Walking and Rambling Accommodation in the UK
- Natural England website: Access
- Discovercheshire walking routes website.