Epic multi-day hikes across borders – #UnitedBySummits

Border country and the summits often found within are fascinating to explore. The arbitrary boundaries that unite transient nations and historic kingdoms never fail to intrigue. To explore border country is to step back in time and reveal rich and often bloody histories. These disputed lands bear all the hallmarks of conflict and strife: castle ruins, ancient hillforts, beacon summits and the remains of impressive defensive barriers, be they great Roman walls or deep Anglo-Saxon dykes.

They were undoubtedly dangerous places, where outlaws and reivers thrived on rough, upland landscapes that were difficult for ordinary folk to settle on, let alone make a living from. To this day, England’s borders with Wales and Scotland contain some of the most sparsely populated land in the UK. It’s this remoteness, along with the wild terrain and sense of ancient history that makes these places so wonderful to explore on foot. Of course, regions where few people roam also boast stunning wildlife-spotting opportunities.

In this Collection, we present 11 multi-day Tours, ranging from four to seven days in length. What they all have in common is our motto #UnitedBySummits. Seven of these routes unite one nation with another, by crossing the border and taking in spectacular summits along the way. The other four Tours explore both historic and modern county borders within some of Britain’s finest hill and mountain regions, from Snowdonia and the Yorkshire Dales to the Lake District and the Scottish Highlands.

The Tours are ordered in terms of length, starting with the shortest. They make for great introductions to long-distance hiking, with enough to interest newcomers and seasoned trekkers alike. Of course, you can split the routes up into as many days as you like but bear in mind accommodation can be difficult to find on some of them.

These journeys are most pleasant between early spring and late autumn. The seven routes that cross national borders and the trek in the Yorkshire Dales are doable in winter, though winter hiking experience is recommended. However, the Tours in Snowdonia, the Lake District and the Highlands are best saved for the warmer months, as the summits they visit usually require mountaineering skills and equipment in winter. Even in summer, Britain’s upland regions are often windswept and wet, so pack warm layers, waterproofs, a head torch and spare hats and gloves.

In terms of footwear, a hiking shoe that’s comfy and propulsive, yet also protective and grippy, is needed when tackling long distances and significant elevation gain over multiple days. The adidas TERREX Free Hiker 2 brings comfort and confidence to your adventures. The BOOST midsole delivers substantial energy return, meaning more miles and less fatigue, while the mesh upper resists rock abrasion. Meanwhile, the Continental rubber outsole gives you ironclad traction on technical terrain. The adidas Free Hiker 2 is your ideal companion for these multi-day hikes. In addition, the shoe is made with a minimum 50% natural and recycled materials as part of our journey to design out finite resources and help end plastic waste.

Within each multi-day Tour, there are accommodation options, with every day ending in a town, village or hostel, all providing accommodation and places to eat or drink. However, the routes are often very rural, so having plenty of spare food and water is highly recommended. Where places to stay are limited, we name specifics in the Tour descriptions and booking your beds in advance is a good idea. If you want to bring your tent along, there are also campsites dotted along some of the routes, while in Scotland it’s legal to wild camp.

These are linear border crossings, meaning separate start and end points, so the best option to access the hikes is by public transport. The easiest way to do this for each separate Tour is detailed in the descriptions.

So, lace up your hiking shoes, hit the trails and unite nations with some of Britain’s finest border crossings.