Mapped: the UK’s best walks 2026, according to Time Out

From the Scottish Isles all the way down to the Cornish coast, Britain’s landscapes are genuinely breathtaking. By far the best way to see them is, of course, on foot.

Don’t know where to start? Well, Time Out has put together a list of the top 10 walks in the UK. These are trails that show off the finest scenery that England, Scotland and Wales have to offer. We’ve got treks for all abilities – some take a few hours, others may take you several months. Some are gentle and flat, others are steep and strenuous. 

So dust off your walking boots, pack your granola bars and fill your flask: here are all of Time Out’s favourite walks and hikes in the UK, mapped. 

The best walks in the UK for 2026, mapped

North England

In first place in our list was the epic Coast to Coast Path. The route, which became an official National Trail this year, stretches 306km from St. Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire. It placed first for its sheer scale and the diversity of the landscapes it goes through, from the glimmering waters of the Lake District to the pretty coastline of the North York Moors. 

Down in the Peak District, we ranked the historic Kinder Scout Circular at number four. On this 12.8km trail, you’ll follow in the footsteps of the people who started the Right to Roam campaign in 1932, and you’ll come across a stretch of bizarre boulders that look as though they’ve dropped from outer space.  

Scotland  

Three of our favourite walks in the UK are in bonny Scotland. The highest-ranked of those was the Quiraing, which came in second place. The two-hour trek takes you through a gothic jumble of sharp, looming rock columns and sheer cliffs on the eastern face of Skye’s Meall na Suiramach. 

If you have some more stamina and some more time to spare, try the West Highland Way, which placed eighth. It starts on the outskirts of Glasgow, meanders through the Highlands and finishes in Fort William, offering the chance to admire some of Scotland’s most incredible landscapes. 

Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh scooped up 10th place. We included it for its ease and for its unique position right above one of the country’s most beautiful cities. From its summit, you get unrivalled panoramic views of the Scottish capital and beyond. 

Wales and Southwest England 

Another three of Time Out’s top 10 walks are through the Welsh countryside and along its coastline. The 1,400km Wales Coast Path from Queensferry to Chepstow was third. Choose from sections traversing the sprawling cliffs of the Gower in the south, following wildlife-rich waters of Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion in the west or tracing the rugged Llŷn Peninsula in the north. 

Inland, the Blaen Y Glyn and Fan Y Big Circular in Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) came sixth as a quieter but equally magnificent alternative to the national park’s much busier routes. The Pyg Track up Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon) in the north of Wales came ninth. It’s a challenging climb but totally worth it for the staggeringly beautiful views over Llyn Llydaw.

Moving down to the southwest of England, we included the entire South West Coast Path number five on the list. If you were to do the whole thing from Minehead to Poole it would take up to two months but if you don’t have that much time, take on the section from Porthcurno to Land’s End, which goes by the beautiful Minack Theatre and the atmospheric Song of the Sea Cave. 

London

Only one trail in the southeast of England made it into our top 10. It’s one that follows the capital’s border: the London Outer Orbital Path. The Loop came seventh for showing off fascinating sights in lesser-known parts of the Big Smoke. It’s got wartime airfields, medieval churches, mighty country houses, countless great pubs and loads more. 

🥾 See Time Out’s full guide to the best hikes in the UK 2026 here. 

Did you see that a brand-new long distance walking route will open in one of England’s most beautiful regions next month?

Plus: This breathtaking Highland landscape is Britain’s newest nature reserve.