Ten great guided walks in the UK | Travel

Guided hikes in Anglesey

Head to Anglesey this winter and learn how shipwrecks, princes and tragic lovers shaped this idyllic island. Formerly a Bronze Age copper mine, then (thanks to its fertile soil), the breadbasket of Wales, Anglesey today has a nibbled coastline of tiny coves and fishing harbours, fronting a bosky interior where red squirrels thrive. You can fashion your day to suit your interests, or combine that guided hike with a headrush of thrilling experiences – all offered by Knowdownia, North Wales’s new, itinerary-free tour company. Try out the world’s fastest zipline, surf in remote bays, or admire Snowdonia’s mountain range while thundering over twisty dirt tracks on a gravity-driven quarry kart.
Guided walks available all year. A one-day experience costs from £325 for four people and includes pickup and drop-off anywhere in North Wales; knowdonia.com

Puffin-spotting in Northern Ireland

For bird lovers, the half-day guided Gobbins Walk is an absolute gem. After falling into disrepair for decades, Northern Ireland’s classic trail has finally reopened – and walking in winter adds drama to its wild beauty. Trailing a path that cuts through narrow tunnels, bridges and staircases cut into the theCauseway’s coastal cliffs, you’ll witness the only mainland colony of puffins in Northern Ireland, plus kittiwakes, razorbills and guillemots. Add to this, the chance to spot dolphins, alongside atmospheric tails of smugglers and privateers, and you’ve pretty much a pitch-perfect family outing.
The walk costs £20pp adults, £14pp children. Book through Ballygally Castle, which offers overnight stays from £60 B&B; hastingshotels.com/ballygally-castle

Foraging in the Malvern Hills

Join this guided tour of dense woods, hedgerows and undulating hills in the frost-tinged Severn Valley with food writer Clare Knivett, and you’ll learn the sort of tips that were second nature to our ancestors. These walks focus mostly on plant identification and Clare’s knowledge of wild fruits, flowers and plants that can harm or heal, is second to none. In January and February, you can expect to forage for winter herbs such as cleavers (good for stimulating the lymphatic system to help ward off seasonal chills), alongside chickweed, nutrient-dense nettles, ground ivy and wild garlic. Afterwards, learn useful recipes as well as tips on living more seasonally.
This two-and-a-half-hour walk costs £35pp (minimum of four booking); foodandforaging.com

Stargaze on Exmoor

Draw your kids’ eyes away from their screens and lift them to the star-filled skies of Exmoor. Thanks to minimal light pollution, Exmoor national park has some of the best dark skies in the UK, and on a cloud-free night you can expect to see thousands of dazzlers, even the Milky Way, just by using your eyes. The Pinkery Centre for outdoor learning here has a guided stargazing event in February that includes a fun bushcraft adventure. The centre has…