Self Guided Hill Walking Routes with YHA (England & Wales)

This Sunday is National Hiking Day, celebrated on 17 November, encouraging people to get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature through hill walking. Use the BMC's hiking route ideas to inspire you and our mapping discounts and freebies to navigate your way.

Here’s your heads-up to some of the most common winter walking mistakes and how to steer clear of them.

A series of guides to some of the most popular scrambles in England, Scotland and Wales.

It's no easy feat, but with a little advice, organisation, knowledge and determination, climbing the Wainwrights is doable for almost anyone. This beginner-friendly guide aims to teach you about the fells and how to plan for and complete them.

Chris Townsend's top tips on getting the most out of a long-distance adventure, plus three week-long route ideas for beginners, offering a mix of nature, history, solitude and challenge.

Are you a hill walker wanting to tackle steeper terrain, but nervous about heights? Don’t panic – there are steps you can take to fight the fear.

In this guide, we share tips to help you navigate your way back to safety in the event of a whiteout.

In 2014, Swiss super-alpinist Ueli Steck flew into Scotland for an under-the-radar mixed climbing hit with British alpinist and photographer Jon Griffith. Sarah Stirling tracked him down to find out just what he thought of our Scottish winter climbing, whether he’ll be back and what he’s got planned next.

The health and well being benefits of physical activity are numerous. Apart from the obvious physical benefits, there are many mental health and social perks to hillwalking and climbing too.

The know-how, top tips and gear you'll need for scrambling safely.

The mountains at night can be hazardous, but also wonderful. Here are a handful of helpful tips for exploring the dark side.

When should you use crampons? Our guide explains the 'when', 'where' and 'how' of deploying your spiky winter gear.

Here are a few of the most gruelling, exhausting, rewarding and brilliant challenge walks Britain has to offer.

What's the best 4,000m peak in the Alps for beginners? We asked five British Mountain Guides who are based in the Alps this question - Tim Blakemore, Jon Bracey, Matt Helliker, Andy Perkins and Tania Noakes. All of them picked a peak in Switzerland - testament to the concentration of excellent peaks of that altitude there.

Sarah Stirling lists five of the easiest Munros for beginner hikers to bag!

Friction blisters on the feet are a common and potentially serious complication of hiking or hillwalking and other outdoor activities. This guide explains how to prevent and treat blisters accordingly.

We've totted up a few fun facts and some trail trivia about this iconic route, including some surprising statistics that are guaranteed to earn you points at the next pub quiz. Read on for everything you need to know about this pioneering path...

Having a duvet day or a quiet night in? We've got you covered. There's nothing better than a day in the hills - but we think planning a day in the hills comes in pretty close second. If you're looking for inspiration for your next on-foot adventure, check out our lineup of ten of the best mountaineering, hiking and hillwalking films from the BMC TV YouTube channel.

Forget ghost stories and horror movies - a simple walk in the story-stuffed British wilds is the best way to get your skin crawling.

Do you carry a first aid kit in the mountains? We take a look at the essentials for any mountaineering first aid kit and how to use them.

Mountains have always meant more to humanity than just lumps of rock. We take a look at five summits with mysterious, magical or mythological significance.

Many people will have visited the summit of Great Gable in the Lake District and looked at the bronze plaque close to the summit commemorating FRCC members killed in World War One. This plaque was unveiled 100 years ago this year, on 8 June 1924, so this year, the FRCC held a commemorative meet with members staying at their huts in Wasdale, Borrowdale and Buttermere. This was attended by the BMC’s Hill Walking Rep Steve Charles and Lakes Area Rep Ron Kenyon, who sent this fascinating report of the day’s events and the history of the plaque.

It helps you cope at work, 'heals' your brain, makes you more creative and it could even be better for you than running. Here are six ways walking could be more powerful than you realise.

Diversity conversations in the outdoors can’t leave anyone out. At ESEA Outdoors UK we’re celebrating the fact that East and Southeast Asian people go outdoors too, in spite of historical erasure and lack of representation in outdoors media. Here’s what you need to know:

If you’re looking for an unforgettable, high altitude trekking holiday this year we’ve got some great ideas for you here in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and India from climbing mountaineering expedition operator Jagged Globe. 

Watch five great walks in the Lake District, including family inspiration, lesser-known routes to popular summits and dog-friendly fell walking.

Planning outdoor adventures comes with lots of preparation and adding a period into the mix can be one more thing to think about. While not everyone will be up for a hike or a climb on their period, if you are preparing for your next trip in the good company of menstrual blood, here’s what to do.

When out for the day it is likely you will need to go to the toilet at some point. Whether it be for ones and twos or refreshing period products, we’ve got you covered with all you need to know to be prepared. Things can get tricky out there so we will run through the ideal options through to the less ideal, but sometimes necessary, options when it comes to toileting. Wherever you can try to focus on what will have the least impact and do as much as possible to leave no trace.

Menopause is a significant and transformative phase of life. It is a natural biological process during which ovulation stops and periods end. The experience of menopause can be different for each individual and often comes with a wave of physical and emotional changes. In this guide, we will explore the different phases of menopause, common symptoms, and the power of regular movement and exercise to manage symptoms and support good health.

Christine Cornock shares how she managed her period along the South West Coastal Path multi-day hike.

Hill walking in winter covers a spectrum of difficulty and technicality, take a look at winter walking options, and what you’ll need to consider when choosing a route.

Whether you want a career in the outdoors, or to improve your own personal skills, there are a number of training providers offering courses and instruction.

This article helps you decide what sort of crampons are suitable for your winter walk, or whether micro-spikes could be an option, as well as discussing the compatibility of crampons to walking boots.

A look at some of the benefits of poles and how to use them for hill walking.

Walking boots can be expensive and should last a long time, so this article looks at factors to consider before you buy. 

Points to consider if you're wondering ‘Do I need crampons for walking in winter?’

Being able to read a map and find your way around the hills is an essential skill for all hill walkers, and practice is the real key.

A look at types of small, lightweight stoves suitable for hill walking and backpacking trips.

What should you look for when choosing down products? Some factors to consider when investing in new down gear.

If you’ve enjoyed walking in summer and want to continue through the winter, here are ten things you need to know before you go.

Clean out your kit cupboard and put a spring in your step knowing that you’re making greener choices throughout the lifecycle of your outdoor products.

Hill walking doesn’t require as much specialist equipment as many other outdoor activities, but is important to have the appropriate equipment for the route and activity you have chosen and the weather forecasted. In this article we outline the basic equipment every hill walker needs:

In this article we’ve listed the ideal range of hill walking items so you can head out with everything you might need.

What’s better than a day in the hills? Easy – several days! Here are our tips for walkers looking to take their first steps into walking far and sleeping enroute.

We take a look at what clothing to wear when hill walking, and how to layer it to stay warm, dry and comfortable in cold and wet conditions.

This article outlines a few navigation techniques you can practise to stack the odds in your favour in poor visibility and severe weather. 

Pinpointing your exact location is one of the most basic and important skills when hill walking. This article outlines a number of ways to do just that: