Self-Guided Walking Holidays & Hiking Tours

Not only can you walk at your leisure viewing incredible landscapes, but you can also stop for lunch in an agriturismo, visit a local museum, go for a wine-tasting experience or chat with the locals and practice your Italian or Spanish. In the evening pop to a local pub to taste a traditional brew and listen to live music. 

They’re your classic inn to inn walks which are mostly focused on the journey. They strip walking back to basics and allow walkers to focus on one thing, walking in nature.

They tend to be a little more remote and rely on mountain huts for some of the overnights, but this only adds to the experience. The trails are also usually so well maintained and signposted - you just can’t go wrong.  I always enjoy the escapism and there’s nothing better than spending a day surrounded by soaring peaks.

Yes, the scenery and landscapes you pass through are amazing – but the experience of meeting fellow pilgrims, and sharing stories and connections is what makes a pilgrimage really special.

From coast to countryside, Yorkshire puddings to Cornish pasties, England’s landscape and culture are best discovered on foot. Since 2005, Macs has been helping walkers uncover the country’s contrasting regions, National Trails and welcoming local B&Bs. With an accessible public transport network and a cosy village pub waiting at the end of the day, active travel in England feels effortless, richly rewarding and inherently authentic.

From the iconic 96-mile West Highland Way to the rugged, misty Isle of Skye, Scotland offers unforgettable walks. Hike from city edges to wild Highlands, soak up warm hospitality, and share trail camaraderie with walkers from around the world. On a Macs walking holiday, you can travel with confidence, supported by the latest local knowledge, decades of trusted supplier connections, and over 2,000 reviews on our tried and tested routes.

I moved to the Lake District almost 20 years ago, drawn by an irresistible pull to be surrounded by the fells. Some of my favourite local walks have been on moody, wet days (a classic Lake District trait, and one that keeps the Lakes feeling truly like the Lakes), when the landscape feels stark and steeped in history. These are the days when only the hardier walker ventures out, the paths are quieter, and peace is easier to find. It’s in moments like these that the Lake District reveals its hidden magic—moss-clad stone walls, secret tarns, and the unmistakable charm of Herdwick sheep.

Long-distance walking in Ireland may not yet have the same recognition or history as its counterparts in Scotland and England, but it’s rapidly gaining popularity. Here, you’ll experience a more authentic, off-the-beaten-track feel, where tourism in rural areas is still a rare treat rather than the norm. While Ireland’s first established long-distance trail, the Wicklow Way, begins just outside Dublin, it’s County Kerry and County Cork in the far south that steal the show. Home to the legendary Kerry, Dingle, and Beara Trails, this region offers breathtaking coastal scenery, dramatic cliffs, and windswept beaches — classic Ireland at its most unforgettable. Along the way, vibrant towns are packed with pubs, excellent restaurants serving fresh seafood, and friendly locals ready to share a smile and a chat over a pint of the black stuff!

If you've done the Camino and want something wilder, the Picos is where I send people next. The Cares Gorge alone is worth the trip - it's a 12km path carved into the rock face above a river, with the peaks rising on both sides. Add the coast route and you've got one of the best week-long walks in Spain. Not many people know it yet, which makes it all the better.