Choose a Classic British Summer

Britain didn’t just adopt walking. It perfected it.  

For centuries, people have been crossing these landscapes on foot - along ancient trade routes, pilgrim paths and shepherd trails that gradually became the public footpaths walkers use today. Many date back hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years.   

Thanks to the UK’s long tradition of public access, these paths are now protected rights of way, forming one of the most extensive walking networks anywhere in the world. Which means you can step out of a village, onto a trail, and keep walking through hills, farmland, coastline and countryside for miles.  

Not a bad way to spend a summer day.  

British weather has a reputation (locals like to say you can experience four seasons in a single day). For the most part, summer brings mild temperatures, long daylight hours and landscapes at their greenest - perfect conditions for hiking. June and July offer the best chance of sunny trails and those famously long evenings where daylight seems reluctant to leave.  

And if a quick rain shower does appear, it usually passes just as quickly...plus, it gives you the perfect excuse to duck into a cozy countryside pub.

The hiking is wonderful. But it’s the little rituals that make the experience unmistakably British.  

A countryside picnic on a gingham blanket, fresh scones served with jam and cream, fish and chips from the chippy wrapped in paper by the sea. And of course, the timeless reward after a day on the trail: a drink in a sunny village pub garden.  

These moments aren’t extravagant. They’re what the locals do! They’re simple, comforting and distinctly British. They’re what make a hiking trip in the UK feel extra special.