Spectacular weekend hikes in the UK – #UnitedBySummits

Impressive castles are often found on the summits of prominent hills, overlooking the land. Edinburgh Castle is one such fortification and is an icon that unites the Scottish people. So too is the nearby Arthur’s Seat, an ancient volcano and immensely popular hiking objective that rises like a mini-mountain… read more

Summits aren’t the first things that spring to mind where the Cambridgeshire countryside is concerned. This is some of the flattest land in the United Kingdom. However, thanks to Cambridge University, the county has long been at the summit of academia and Cambridgeshire is also home to two of Britain… read more

Cold Ashby, the highest point in Northamptonshire at 656 feet (200 m) above sea level, was the site of the UK’s first Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar, or trig point as they are better known.



In 1935, the Ordnance Survey set about installing these familiar concrete pillars across Britain. This project… read more

From a human-made marvel to a place of astonishing natural beauty, this two-day hike links two of the most iconic sights on Northern Ireland’s coast. You explore the eastern half of the Causeway Coast Way, which takes you to perhaps the most famous rope crossing in the UK at Carrick-a-Rede before you… read more

The centrepiece of this two-day hike is Tintagel Castle, a spectacular medieval ruin with Arthurian associations that glares back at the Cornish mainland from its own storm-battered island peninsula. The way it is united to the mainland via a high footbridge only adds to the place’s fairytale allure… read more

While lofty mountain summits and prominent hills make for a glorious hiking objective, they’ve also served various purposes throughout history. This is superbly illustrated by the Malverns, the spine of hills that divides the rural counties of Worcestershire and Herefordshire.



Worcestershire Beacon, the… read more

Loch Ness contains more water than any other freshwater loch, lake or llyn in Britain. Perhaps it’s this fact that makes it such an ideal habitat for the famous Loch Ness Monster, or at least the ‘Nessie’ sightings. Its shores are also home to Urquhart Castle, one of the Highland’s largest and most impressive… read more

Kinder Scout is the British summit that united all who fought for our right to roam during the historic Mass Trespass. On 24 April 1932, an estimated 400 members of the Young Communist League trespassed on the privately-owned moorland of Kinder Scout as a protest against the fact that access to many… read more

A two-day walk that unites the Lake District’s two largest lakes is glorious, taking you across six Wainwright summits on a journey from Glenridding to Ambleside. Windermere, the largest natural lake in England and makes for a fitting objective for this expedition in the east of the national park.



The… read more

Some summits are inextricably linked. Sometimes it’s by character, sometimes because of their height and others due to their proximity. For British hikers, Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis are most often grouped together, thanks to their status as country high points and the popular National Three… read more

Mountain summits have a curious way of bringing people together. This hike features two Lakeland fells that, in their own way, have united people for generations.



First, Great Gable, for many the finest mountain in England, is the scene for a remarkable gathering every November. It’s the site of a poignant… read more

Two of Britain’s greatest rivers, the Severn and the Wye, are united by a single massif, Pumlumon. The source of the Severn, the UK’s longest river, is located just 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the summit, along the Cambrian Way trail. Meanwhile, the source of the Wye, one of the country’s most scenic… read more

Language builds bridges. There’s no doubt that being able to communicate in the same tongue brings people closer together. Many Welsh people are rightly proud of their language, even though English is much more widely spoken.



Another subject of pride among the people is Wales’ highest mountain, thought… read more

There is much that unites the two highest summits in England. They both lord it over the Lake District National Park, they share a name and they are right next to each other.



However, it’s rare that hikers unite both in one day, due to their remote location and the amount of descent and ascent between… read more