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Hard Hiking Trails in United Kingdom

There are 739 hikes in United Kingdom in our database that fit. They average 64.0 km and 1,407 m (4,616 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 921 km.

That is 26 percent of the 2,850 routes we map in United Kingdom. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 64.0 km against 20.3 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,407 m (4,616 ft) on average versus 447 m (1,467 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Expert

Norfolk Coast Path

England · United Kingdom

Distance
191 km
/ 119 mi
Elevation gain
4,196 m
Typical duration
51 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Berwickshire Coastal Path

England · United Kingdom

Distance
47.8 km
/ 29.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,052 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Great Glen Way

Scotland · United Kingdom

Distance
123 km
/ 76.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,714 m
Typical duration
33 hr
  • Mountain
  • Castle and ruins
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Arran Coastal Way

Scotland · United Kingdom

Distance
104 km
/ 64.5 mi
Elevation gain
2,283 m
Typical duration
27 hr
  • Coastal
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Ayrshire Coastal Path

Scotland · United Kingdom

Distance
150 km
/ 93.0 mi
Elevation gain
3,294 m
Typical duration
40 hr
  • Coastal
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Fife Coastal Path

Scotland · United Kingdom

Distance
187 km
/ 116 mi
Elevation gain
4,113 m
Typical duration
50 hr
  • Coastal
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Moray Coast Trail

Scotland · United Kingdom

Distance
73.9 km
/ 45.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,627 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Coastal
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Hadrian's Wall Path

England · United Kingdom

Distance
138 km
/ 85.6 mi
Elevation gain
3,030 m
Typical duration
36 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Romans and Reivers Route

Scotland · United Kingdom

Distance
79.7 km
/ 49.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,754 m
Typical duration
21 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Ulster Way

Northern Ireland · United Kingdom

Distance
215 km
/ 134 mi
Elevation gain
4,737 m
Typical duration
57 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Loch Lomond and Cowal Way

Scotland · United Kingdom

Distance
90.7 km
/ 56.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,996 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Lake
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rob Roy Way

Scotland · United Kingdom

Distance
176 km
/ 109 mi
Elevation gain
3,876 m
Typical duration
47 hr
  • Lake
  • Long-distance path
Hard

North Sea Trail, England

England · United Kingdom

Distance
17.5 km
/ 10.9 mi
Elevation gain
384 m
Typical duration
4 hr 17 min
Expert

Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path

Wales · United Kingdom

Distance
209 km
/ 130 mi
Elevation gain
4,602 m
Typical duration
56 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Saxon Shore Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
262 km
/ 163 mi
Elevation gain
5,754 m
Typical duration
70 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Columba Way on North FCP

Scotland · United Kingdom

Distance
59.4 km
/ 36.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,306 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Coastal

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
European walking route E2 west, UK, South East EnglandEngland219 km4,808 m58 hrExpertApril to October
Coast to Coast Walk (Richmond to Robin Hood’s Bay)England113 km2,490 m30 hrExpertApril to October
Coast to Coast Walk (Shap to Richmond)England84.0 km1,848 m22 hrExpertApril to October
Coast to Coast Walk (St Bees to Shap)England95.9 km2,110 m25 hrExpertApril to October
Norfolk Coast PathEngland191 km4,196 m51 hrExpertApril to October
European long distance path E8 - part NetherlandsEngland361 km7,949 m97 hrExpertApril to October
European walking route E9, Rye to DoverEngland65.6 km1,443 m17 hrExpertApril to October
Berwickshire Coastal PathEngland47.8 km1,052 m12 hrExpertApril to October
King Charles III England Coast Path: Southend-on-Sea to Wallasea IslandEngland59.1 km1,300 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Great Glen WayScotland123 km2,714 m33 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with European walking route E2 west, UK, South East England, Coast to Coast Walk (St Bees to Shap), Coast to Coast Walk (Shap to Richmond). Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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