4 of the UK’s most popular walking challenges

With mountains, lakes, coastlines and valleys, the diverse landscape of the UK offers ramblers and hikers a nearly inexhaustible choice of challenging routes and paths. North, south, east or west, here are four of the best…(and keep reading for a chance to win £100 worth of walking gear!)

Are you an ambitious walker? Why not test your endurance by taking part in some of the UK’s gruelling long-distance walking challenges? Taking anywhere from four to 48 hours to complete, ramblers have an exciting choice of challenges to choose from, each with their own beautiful scenery to conquer (and some treks aso help raise money for charity).

Outdoors kit provider Sportsshoes.com have shared with us their pick of the top four most popular medium and long-distance walking challenges in the North, South, East and West of the UK (Note: These endurance walks are not suitable for beginners and all require a good level of fitness, experience and training).

Lake District, Cumbria
Lake District, Cumbria (c) Geograph.co.uk

NORTH: Lake District 3000 Footers, Cumbria, England

Also known as the Lake District Four Peaks, the comparatively small distance of this challenge is mostly covered by the ascent and descent of four mountains, each over 3,000 feet: Scarfell, Scarfell Pike, Helvellyn and Skiddaw. It’s a demanding and serious challenge, with a variety of undulating terrain – but with glorious views from no less than four summits, the rewards are great.

  • Distance: 15 to 21 miles (depending on the route taken)
  • Duration: 16 hours of walking (tackled in one long day or split into eight hour walks over two days)
  • Getting there: The M6 runs to the east of the Lake District National Park; car journeys from the south east take approx. six hours and journeys from Manchester and York take roughly two hours. Direct trains run from Manchester and Windermere
  • Find out more: Organise a group trip with Lake District Challenges

 

Snowdonia Glyderau from slopes of Pen yr Helgi D
Snowdonia Glyderau from slopes of Pen yr Helgi D (c) Geograph.co.uk

WEST: Snowdonia Mountain Challenge, Wales

Although some training is required for this walk, it’s a great challenge for ramblers with little experience. The Llanberis route up Snowdon is a steady ascent but the climb is all on paths (some parts of the path are rougher than others however). The summit commands striking views of Snowdonia National Park with Anglesey and the Irish Sea in the distance.

  • Distance: Nine miles
  • Duration: Average completion time is seven hours
  • Getting there: Betws-y-Coed train station is located in the heart of Snowdonia and can be reached from London Euston in four hours and from Manchester in three. To drive from the north west take the M56 and A55; roads M6, M5 and M1 link North Wales with the south east
  • Find out more: Take part in an organised climb with Marie Curie

 

South Downs, view from Ditchling Beacon
South Downs, view from Ditchling Beacon (c) Poliphilo

SOUTH: South Downs 100km, South Downs National Park, England

Not to be undertaken lightly, the South Downs 100km is a seriously strenuous challenge, with walkers having to endure the high ridges and steep hills of the rolling South Downs of Hampshire and Sussex. The hike takes place over night and day, starting at the historical town of Arundel and finishing at Beachy Head, the UK’s highest white chalk coastal cliffs. To conquer this challenge walkers have to battle strong fatigue and must be experienced, determined and physically fit. The South Downs is a once-in-a-lifetime challenge and those who complete it will be proud of their achievement for their lifetime.

  • Distance: 100km – which is just under 63 miles
  • Duration: 30 to 36 hours of walking (covered over two days)
  • Getting there: The start of the challenge, Arundel, can be reached in 90 minutes on train from London and is roughly a two hour car journey from London. The walk finishes in Eastbourne where trains can take you directly back to London (or you can arrange a friend to collect you!)
  • Find out more: Discover Adventure will help you organise your South Downs 100km walk for any charity you wish

 

Norfolk Coastal Path, Sidestrand
Norfolk Coastal Path, Sidestrand (c) Dennisbluie

EAST: Norfolk Coastal Challenge, Norfolk, England

There are a number of organised challenges along the dramatic Norfolk coast. One of the most ambitious walks sees people complete 47 miles on foot in 24 hours. Starting in Hunstanton and finishing at Cromer Pier, the route takes walkers over field, sand and stony beaches. The event does see a few challengers drop out with injuries; however, the supporting crowds at the finish line make the arduous feat worthwhile. A participant from last year, Tom Bailey, perfectly summed up the experience saying “Pain is temporary, pride is forever. Coastal Walk Challenge was truly memorable and organisation phenomenal.”

 

Image sources Dennisbluie, Geograph.org.uk and Poliphilo

Competition Time!

Fancy winning £100 to spend on walking shoes at Sportsshoes.com?

To enter, simply subscribe to our monthly enews to receive a regular round-up of the best from Goodtrippers (including some exclusives) straight to your inbox – Enter and subscribe

But hurry, you must sign-up before 6pm on 4th August 2015 to be in with a chance of winning. The winner will be notified by email (the one used on entry) by 11th August.

Terms and conditions (please read before entering)

  • One entry per person
  • One ‘entry’ counts as one individual subscribing to the Goodtrippers enews using a valid email address
  • All entries must be received before 6pm (BST), Tuesday 4th August 2015
  • Competition open to residents of the UK and the Republic of Ireland only
  • Employees (and their immediate families) of Sportsshoes.com and Goodtrippers are excluded from entering this competition
  • One winning entrant will be picked at random – judges’ decision is final
  • No part of the prize is exchangeable for cash or any other prize
  • It will be assumed all entrants have read and accepted the competition terms and conditions

 

 

Top tips for National Picnic Week

It’s time to celebrate that great British tradition of eating outdoors, come rain or shine….it’s National Picnic Week!

You know it’s summer when the slightest hint of sunshine makes everyone roll out the picnic rug, brave the wasps or put up with sand in their sandwiches and enjoy a picnic. Next week is National Picnic Week (13th – 21st June 2015) so we’ve compiled our own top tips for perfect alfresco feasts.

Pick a gorgeous location

The beauty of picnics is you can do them almost anywhere – as long as it’s outdoors. Try not to fall foul of eating your sandwiches in the car park or on the roadside (which we can only imagine is done when you’ve just no time or energy to find a better spot). Picnics are about getting back to nature, feeling the grass or sand between your toes, and breathing in the fresh air. Everything tastes better alfresco!

Rhossili Bay ©CCSpCW

If you don’t mind a bit of sand getting everywhere (and it will!), a beach is a fantastic picnic spot. Our favourites are the more wild, remote beaches (check out Britain’s best wild beaches for inspiration) including the expansive sands of Holkham beach in North Norfolk where even on a busy day you’ll be able to find a decent sized spot of your own. We also love Rhossili Bay in Wales’ Swansea Bay – described by some as Britain’s best beach and by poet Dylan Thomas as “very near nowhere”.

You can also picnic urban style, particularly as our towns and cities are some of the greenest with well-kept parks and green spaces. London has a phlethora of green spots to choose from including the enormous Richmond Park and Hampstead Heath to tiny community gardens and recreation grounds in every borough. For a central location, we like St James Park for its lakes, wildflower patches, undulating grass and resident pelicans!

Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Health, London

Go wildlife spotting

National Picnic Week is encouraging children to get closer to nature and explore their natural surroundings. Visit their website to download a copy of their brilliant Picnic Week Scavenger Hunt – see how many birds, insects, leaves and more you can find when you’re out on a picnic.

Pack a lovely picnic kit

Don’t forget essential kit such as a sharp knife, corkscrew and cloths to wipe mouths (and plates etc). Plenty of water is a must as well as sunscreen, insect repellent and an umbrella or two (don’t let the weather scupper your plans, just be prepared!).

The fun stuff comes with what to eat off and drink out of. We love the outdoor dining and picnic accessories from the eco-friendly brand Yours Sustainably. From beautifully handpainted stainless steel cups to bamboo bowls and spoons, we want the lot!

picnic accessories from Yours Sustainably

Create some inspired picnic food

Yes, you can grab ready-to-eat pre-packaged picnic food from a supermarket, or (much better) buy a few handmade edibles from your local deli or farmers’ market. But if you’re preparing the day ahead, why not use it as an excuse to create a few new foodie delights in kitchen? We like ‘A Perfect Day for a Picnic’ by Tori Finch featuring 80 recipes to share with family and friends. We’re also fans of the Guardian’s ‘Cook’ supplement, often filled with plenty of delicious snack and lunch ideas that make great picnic fare.

The National Picnic Week website is full of great ideas including beautiful picnic spots, fun and games, recipes, advice and more. Visit www.nationalpicnicweek.co.uk. Share news and pics of your alfresco adventures on Twitter using the hashtag #picnicweek.

Top 10 special places of Wales revealed by National Trust

The Gower, Snowdonia National Park, the Brecon Beacons and The Lonely Tree have all made the top ten of ‘Special Places’ in a National Trust Wales poll.

The national competition has seen the public debate and champion the places that mean the most to them. For eight weeks celebrities, politicians, schoolchildren and the general public have been involved in a national conversation and voting in their thousands for their ‘Special Place’ in Wales, part of a major campaign by the National Trust Wales to find the country’s most treasured places.

[gdl_gallery title=”NT Wales” width=”110″ height=”110″ ]

Penarth Pier, the restored Art Deco pier pavillion, won the conveted top spot but several natural, green spaces made the top ten list. The Powys landmark ‘The Lonely Tree’, an iconic Scots Pine that has surveyed the Llanfyllin landscape for at least 150 years was voted in third – according to local tradition, anyone walking up Green Hall Hill should visit the tree and give it a hug! A recent storm sadly blew the tree down but a special protection programme is now in place to restore the tree and protect it for years to come.

The beautiful bays and beaches of Mwnt and The Gower secured both coastal places a top five place with the walled seaside town of Tenby in eighth place. The stunning mountainous landscapes of Snowdonia National Park and the Brecon Beacons also appealed and made numbers seven and nine respectively.

National Trust Wales’ ‘Special Places’ Top 10:

  1. Penarth Pier
  2. Cyfarthfa Castle
  3. The Lonely Tree
  4. Mwnt
  5. The Gower
  6. Dyffryn House and Gardens
  7. Snowdonia National Park
  8. Tenby
  9. Brecon Beacons
  10. Hay-on-Wye

 

The campaign kicked off in May with celebrities including Julien MacDonald, Matt Johnson, Alex Johnson, Matthew Rhys, Sophie Evans, Wynne Evans and Bryn Terfel getting behind their favourite landmarks and encouraging the public to vote.

TV presenter Alex Jones, who chose the Brecon Beacons as her favourite place, said, “I think the landscape we are lucky enough to have in Wales is what makes places in Wales so special to us, it’s so breathtaking and diverse. We have great coastal areas and some beautiful mountainous parts in the north. It has everything wrapped up in the perfect small parcel!”

Launched following research by the conservation charity which showed that 67 per cent of the Welsh public consider the National Trust as the main trusted protector of Special Places throughout the country, the campaign has aimed to uncover Wales’ most treasured space and award them with support by the Trust and other partners in the coming year – whether this be help with local fundraising, a celebratory event or support to help preserve it for everyone to enjoy.

Research has shown that childhood memories from places where we grew up (44 per cent) is what makes a place truly special. The National Trust campaign has encouraged the public to get behind their own place and celebrate them, from castles to coastlines and countryside.

For more information on all of the places in the top ten, visit National Trust Wales.

 

Competition: Win a stay at Britain’s Best Beach

Imagine waking up to this view every morning for a week…

Rhossili Bay ©CCSpCW

The beautiful Rhossili Bay, in Wales’ Swansea Bay, has been voted Britain’s Best Beach by TripAdvisor and was described by the poet Dylan Thomas as “very near nowhere”. And you have the chance of winning a week’s stay in this glorious secluded coastal spot.

As part of the 2014 centenary celebrations marking the birth of Dylan Thomas, Visit Swansea Bay is running a competition to win a week’s stay in the National Trust owned, four-bedroom cottage, The Old Rectory – the only place in Britain with the country’s best beach as its front garden! Located on its own in this beauty spot, the cottage is the perfect base to explore the Gower Peninsular.

All you have to do to enter is share three words to describe your favourite place in Swansea Bay – take a look at the website, www.visitswanseabay.com, for inspiration and to enter. Get your entries in by 29 June 2014.

Good luck!

Wormshead ©CCS (Rhossili)

 

Eco glamping in South Wales at Cwtch Camp

Guest blogger Jacob Little reviews the cool eco campsite Cwtch Camp in South WalesCwtch Camping, Wales

Cwtch Camping is set amongst the rolling countryside of South Wales in an area famed for its spectacular coastline and great beaches. It’s a secluded spot near Haverfordwest, and is within easy reach of main cities such as Bristol and Cardiff. The simplicity and pleasure of secluded, off-the-grid living can easily be found here amongst three acres of beautiful woodland.

Accommodation

The accommodation is best described as Scandinavian-style cabins, which are constructed using locally milled and sustainable timber. Insulated to keep warm on cold nights and stay cool during the summer, they’re beautifully crafted structures which are delightfully basic yet amazingly comfortable and cosy. The cabin I experienced during my stay was well decorated and furnished, with whitewashed walls and antique furniture which added to the atmosphere and rustic sense of homeliness. Although this is at heart a camping experience, they’ve really gone the extra mile to make it a warm, comfortable and cosy experience: so much care and attention has been put into decorating and furnishing the cabins.

Facilities

There are three cabins and one bell tent in the Cwtch Camping field, ranging from a double occupancy (with a very comfy double bed!) to the larger cabin which accommodates three adults or two adults and two children. There is a fantastically well-stocked kitchen and cooking area, with a range of utensils, pots, stoves and plates. Tea and coffee is supplied, and in addition a welcome hamper is fully stocked for your arrival. There is a shower cabin in the same field, and you can be sure of running hot water at any hour of the day or night!

Cwtch Camping podActivities

Cwtch Camping is a real retreat – excellent if you want to get away from it all and escape to the proper Welsh countryside. It’s brilliant for anything active – walking and cycling are especially encouraged and the site offers bikes for hire. The nearby beaches of Broadhaven and Little Haven are worth exploring and only a short cycle ride or drive away. The excellent (and award winning) pub The Swan serves some of the very best food in the area.

Recommended for… A great getaway of couples and anyone wanting to explore the area’s beautiful countryside and coastline. It’s also perfect for groups – a large campfire and stove which is provided offers a focal point and it would be a good place to host a barbeque or gathering of close friends.

Be aware that… There’s no getting away from the fact that this place is beautifully secluded, so you have to be prepared to source your own entertainment, and be prepared for the weather…!

‘Good’ credentials:

  • Low-impact accommodation
  • Cabins built from locally-milled and sustainable timber
  • Working in harmony with the natural environment
  • Wild food, forager walks run from the campsite

 

For more information and booking visit www.cwtchcamping.co.uk or email: info@cwtchcamping.co.uk, T: 0752 5779 454.

About the author: Jacob Little is an online marketing professional who loves to write, take photos and travel. He also loves to explore, find new places and publish stories on his blog. He also provides freelance copywriting and content creation services. Visit http://www.jacoblittleportfolio.co.uk for more info.

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Britain’s best wild beaches

Summer is finally on the horizon and what better way to spend the free time on this island nation than beside the seaside.

Britain’s coastline is almost 18,000km long dotted with thousands of beaches – and not all littered with amusement arcades, funfairs and fast-food cafes. The country is blessed with a wealth of rugged, wild, secluded or simply tranquil beaches up and down the country – perfect spots for swimmers, walkers, wildlife lovers or those just looking to escape the crowds.

So whether you’re looking for campsites or hotels by the sea, here are just a small selection of Britain’s best ‘wild’ beaches (this is just a few to start you off – if you’ve got a favourite wild/quiet/secluded beach, share it with us!).

Holkham, Norfolk (c) Creative Commons_photoaf
Holkham, Norfolk (c) Creative Commons_photoaf

Holkham Bay, Norfolk

When the tide is out, this beach looks like it goes on for miles. Surrounding by pine forest and shaped by sand dunes, this expansive beach is the perfect place to take a picnic, lie back in the sea breeze and get lost in the huge Norfolk skies. As a National Trust protected area, you really are in a secluded spot free from tourist traps (the nearest place for a cup of tea will be the small van in the car park, or the fancy Victoria Hotel outside the entrance – which is a long walk from the beach itself!).

Beer Beach, Devon

A bit busier than Holkham, this pebble  beach in the little fishing village of Beer has popular beach cafes, deckchairs and walkways. If you’re up for a walk, take the South West Coast Path west to Branscombe beach and enjoy the beautiful views from Beer Head.

Sandsend, Yorkshire

The village of Sandsend is quieter than its neighbour Whitby, and arguably prettier. Attracting walkers for its clifftop rambles along an old railway track (part of the Cleveland Way), you can drink in the views of the village and out across to St Mary’s Church in Whitby.  Down on the mainly sandy beach, you can while away the time exploring the rock pools before getting a cream tea in one of the beach front cafes.

Achmelvich, Highland (c) Russel Wills, Creative Commons
Achmelvich, Highland (c) Russel Wills, Creative Commons

Achmelvich Bay, Highland

Achmelvich is really a cluster of remote and rugged beaches three miles long stretching from Loch Inver on the west coast of Scotland. It has been awarded a blue flag for 13 consecutive years, as well as being recommended by the Marine Conservation Society and winner of a Green Coast Award.

Marloes Sands, Pembrokeshire

This National Trust managed Welsh beach is full of stunning geology (sandstone cliffs, volcanic rock and fossils), evidence of ancient people (and Iron Age fort overlooks the beach), and wildlife (this birdwatchers’ paradise also attracts seals). Lots of sand, space and safe swimming make this an attractive location to spend an afternoon as you gaze out to sea at the outlying islands and beyond.

Do you have a favourite wild, remote, secluded or quiet beach in Britain? Let us know in the comments below…

 

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