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Over 13,545 Brilliant Walks and Walk Ideas  . . . conceived, researched and described by walking experts to make sure you have a really fantastic day on Britain's hills, fells and mountains. Whether you want to walk alone, with friends or with your partner & chlidren in The Lake District, The Yorkshire Dales, The Peak District or Snowdonia in North Wales, Ramble with a Pub half-way round or at the end, Hike on a National Trail or Long Distance Path or simply walk elsewhere in this beautiful island, finding your perfect walk is really easy. |
The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge walk route has changed  The Yorkshire Three Peaks route was changed during the winter of 2012 after a number of challengers ended up waist deep in boggy ground. Our route guide has been amended to reflect this change - so don't risk attempting this walk without all the very latest route information . . . [more] |
Check out go4awalk Mobile on your smart phone  We are busy creating a version of go4awalk.com for your Blackberry, Kindle, iPhone, iPod Touch and Android Mobile/Cell Smart Phone called go4awalk Mobile. With go4awalk Mobile you will be able to have all your Walks and Peak Bagging Maps & Tick Lists on your iPhone, Kindle, iPod Touch, Android. Where you can view them and use them without the need for a mobile/cell phone signal or internet connection and without excessively depleting your Mobile/Cell Handset's battery!
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STOP PRESS: Now with downloadable GPS Waypoints . . . Your Personal Mountain, Peak, Top and Hill Bagging Record  Walkers and Hikers have been classifying UK mountains ever since Sir Hugh Munro first created his list of 'Munros' in 1871 - usually with the intention of climbing to the top (or 'bagging') them all. Now, with go4awalk.com, you can record which Mountains, Peaks, Tops and Hills you have climbed, when you bagged them, who you went with, the route taken, what the weather/conditions were like and any other comments you might want to make to remind you of your fantastic day in the hills . . . [more] |
The Best Lake District Walks in the rain!  The Lake District is one of the most beautiful places to go walking in Britain - but it can rain rather a lot shrouding the tops in mist. So here is a collection of Lake District walks you can do when the rain falls and the clouds are low . . . [more] |
How to go on a walking holiday in a Motorhome  Just imagine going wherever you want whenever you want, no ties, no schedules, no stress! Windermere one day, the beautiful Cornish Coast the next, watching the sunset in the Alps or touring the beautiful English Cotswold villages, the choices really are endless and every day a different experience and a holiday to truly remember . . . . . . [more] |
 Winner of Photo of the Month (POTM) goes to Ray Crowe for this fabulous picture of the Snowdon Horseshoe featuring Y Lliwedd (on the left) and Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), Crib Goch and Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) (on the right) reflected in Llynnau Mymbyr near Plas Y Brenin, Capel Curig, Snowdonia . . . [more] |
Walking to lose weight - some hints and tips  The basics of weight loss are really quite simple - you have to burn off more calories each day than you consume. Sadly, for most of us, achieving this is really quite difficult . . . [more] |
Walk ALL 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks  If you have ever fancied Walking all 214 Wainwrights but are not sure how to go about it, here's a series of 59 walks that any reasonably fit person can do that bags them all! . . . [more] |
Spend MORE TIME Walking . . . and LESS TIME Searching.  Our unique Interactive Walk Selection Maps mean you can quickly find your perfect walk - even when you're not sure of a place name or how to spell it . . . [more] |
GPS Navigation Systems - the Myths and Truths  An unnecessary 'gadget' . . . or a valuable navigational system every serious walker should carry? Separate the facts and the falsehoods . . . [more] |
Yorkshire Three Peaks project - walkers can help stop footpath erosion  The Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge Walk is one of the oldest established walks in the UK. Not surprisingly, the great popularity of the route is exerting an ever increasing toll. But now you can help maintain the path for future generations of walkers . . . [more] |
 Wainwright Walks is a four-part 1st series and six-part 2nd series of programmes on BBC2 and BBC4 featuring routes up 10 different Lake District mountains following in the footsteps of famous fell-walker Alfred Wainwright . . . [more] |
Navigation is easy . . . and it can be a lot of fun too  All you need is a little practice and a sense of humor. Mike Knipe leads you through the basics . . . [more] |
Mountain Rescue Teams using smartphone app to help locate walkers  SARLOC is a smartphone application developed by Russ Hore, from the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team. Russ designed the app to help his colleagues deal more quickly with incidents in which a walker needing help was unable to give his/her location . . . [more] |
 The snack that's long been the must-have, quick energy fix for generations of walkers is suddenly at the centre of much disquiet amongst some environmental groups. Conservationists have warned recently that discarded banana skins are posing a major litter problem that threatens to ruin the wild beauty of Ben Nevis . . . [more] |
Hill and mountain walkers urged to register for emergency SMS text service Walkers who visit areas with bad mobile phone access can now register with a new service that allows 999 calls to be made via a text message. Heather Morning, safety adviser with the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, is urging walkers and climbers to register for this service in advance and not to wait for an emergency . . . [more] |
Walkers now able to use Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs)  Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) - handheld devices that use satellite technology to pinpoint the location of a user - can now be used on land in the UK. Until now, these products could be used only on ships or aircraft. Following an announcement in December by OFCOM (who regulate the use of these types of product in the UK), the use of PLBs on land in the UK became legal from 12 January 2012 . . . [more] |
Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk  Two seas, three National Parks and some England's finest scenery - what more could you want? Well here's a complete set of GPS Waypoints to help you find your way . . . [more] |
Are Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis becoming endangered destinations?  What do three of our iconic mountain peaks - Mount Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis - have in common with Jordan's Wadi Rum valley and the Coruh River in Turkey? The answer is that they all feature on the latest list of endangered destinations published recently by travel magazine Wanderlust. Whilst this at first may seem rather surprising, it's perhaps not so given the popularity of these mountains amongst walkers . . . [more] |
 You don't need GPS to walk in the British Isles but it can be useful to check your location - particularly when the mist descends. So here's over 6,000 downloadable GPS Waypoints which you can upload into your GPS Device or covert into a variety of formats (including .gpx). All you need is a GPS Cable and some FREE software . . . [more] |
 All 214 Wainwrights mapped on to a satellite image of the Lake District National Park. It can take a little time to load on some computers - but when it does - WOW! . . . . . . and don't miss The Munros of Scotland, the Mountains in England and the Mountains in Wales . . . [more] |
 And to celebrate - here are a series of downloadable/uploadable GPS Waypoints covering the whole path from Edale in The Peak District all the way to Kirk Yetholm in Scotland . . . [more] |
To Bag or not to Bag? That is the question  10 reasons why you should go Peak Bagging. Self-confessed owner of a 'special pencil' Mike Knipe offers a wry look at how to get started . . . [more] |
If you don't know your Kentmere Skyline . . . from your Newlands Horseshoe  Well you are not alone! See our Guide to the Lake District for expert advice to help you round the . . . er . . . 'rounds' . . . [more] |
Finding walks for children . . . depends on their age and ability  Our 9 point grading system gives you a clear indication of the type of walk you will encounter so you can judge if its right for you and your kids . . . [more] |
 Every go4awalk.com walk route comes with clear easy to follow route instructions and its very own highly detailed 1:25,000 large scale companion map. And if you want to try it out first and for free - then download and walk one of the 56 FREE sample walks available from the link in our regular monthly Newsletter . . . [more] |
Should mountain routes in Snowdonia have warning signs?  As part of the North Wales Mountainsafe initiative, there are proposals to place warning signs on mountain routes in Snowdonia where there are frequent incidents. Good idea or mountain madness? . . . [more] |
UK Search and Rescue helicopter services to be privatised  Until now, the UK's Search and Rescue service (SAR) - often essential partners to civilian Mountain Rescue Teams in helping walkers or climbers in trouble - has been provided by the RAF or the Royal Navy. This is all set to change from 2015 . . . [more] |
GLONASS - From Russia with love?  Whether using a dedicated device or a smartphone, GPS is an important navigational tool for an increasing number of walkers. So many will know that one of the downsides of the technology - and the reason it can never fully replace the low tech map and compass - are the problems with signal acquisition and other reception difficulties. However this situation is set to improve somewhat as the number of satellite networks continues to increase with the introduction of GLONASS from The Russian Federation . . . [more] |
What could your walking jacket say about you?  Your walking jacket could soon become more than just your trusty friend in rain, wind or cold ... it could also be the communication device you turn to in an emergency. At least that's one potential outcome from the work of researchers at Ohio State University . . . [more] |
 It's easy to assume that walking up the hills is going to be the most difficult aspect of a day's walking. However, it doesn't take long to realise that walking down the hill can also be quite challenging . . . [more] |
Will our precious Rights of Way no longer be protected under law?  The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) - a membership organisation for landowners and rural business owners in England & Wales - is calling for a 'radical shake-up' of the access and public rights of way system . . . [more] |
Proposed 4G broadband network might disable GPS  Broadband communications and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are two technologies happily used by many walkers as navigation aids to supplement the still essential map and compass. And - as many smartphone users will testify - these two technologies complement each other and appear to co-exist quite happily. But this could change if a new 4G mobile broadband network is deployed as planned . . . [more] |
It's official - walking is good for your memory!  Researchers working at the University of Pittsburgh have studied 426 elderly individuals over 20 years to see if regular physical activity could preserve brain volume and so reduce the risk of Alzheimer's . . . . . . [more] |
Lake Windermere explored by the British Geological Survey  I've often looked down on Lake Windermere when walking around Loughrigg Fell or Orrest Head and mused about what might lie beneath the water. And not surprisingly - I'm not alone because . . . . . . [more] |
Bluebell Haze coming late this year  Have you spotted your first bluebell yet? Regular walkers know that April is the month when woodland walking becomes a real joy because of an often spectacular bluebell carpet. But that's not so this year . . . [more] |
Phytophthora - the plant destroyer threatening our forests, woodlands and heathland  Walking through woodland or over heathland covered in the purple of late summer flowers are some of the great joys experienced by visitors to the UK countryside. But there's a real risk that this could cease to be an option in many parts of the UK. This is because of the damage being done by by two fungus-like plant pathogens - Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae . . . [more] |
The Peak District National Park - Happy Birthday Sweet Sixty  Opened in April 1951, the Peak District National Park is coming up to its 60th birthday. Even before this, though, the Peak District was at the heart of the national debate on access rights. It was the scene of the Kinder Mass Trespass when walkers converged on Kinder Scout to claim their right to walk freely over the open moors . . . [more] |
Recycle your outdoor gear and kit - and let it walk again!  It's easy to accumulate (and then forget) walking gear that for whatever reason you don't use that much any more. And, of course, the marketing messages from the big brands encourage the constant buying of the 'latest' technology or new season's look - as is the case in almost every other sector. But interestingly the outdoor industry - or parts of it - has in recent years seem to be embracing a somewhat different approach . . . [more] |
Walkers damaging ancient monuments  Having laboured to the top of a hill, it may be tempting to pick up a stone or a rock from around about you and add it to the summit cairn. However, this seemingly simple act of celebration may be causing serious long term damage to important historical sites . . . [more] |
Peat bogs - so much more than just a trap for unwary walkers  If you've walked in the Peak District, The Pennines, along the Pennine Way . . . or in many other areas of the UK you will almost certainly have encountered a Peat Bog at some time. And perhaps this has not been the most enjoyable part of the day. But Peat is more than just a trap for the unwary walker - and it is now definitely 'on the agenda' and here's why . . . [more] |
How to dress appropriately for Winter Walking  As Billy Connolly once famously said, "There's no such thing as bad weather - just the wrong clothing . . . " Dressing for the weather is a good way of reducing the chance of the weather ruining your day - and this is doubly true if your day's plans include walking during the winter months . . . [more] |
Galileo - Europe's own GPS system  Despite some shortcomings, many walkers now find that a GPS device can be an exceptionally useful navigational tool. So it's interesting to hear that Galileo, Europe's own version of the US Global Positioning System, received a welcome and unexpected boost recently . . . [more] |
Wild Campers around Loch Lomond face £500 Fine  Wild campers (ie those camping outside designated campsites) around Loch Lomond face fines of up to £500. Approved in March 2011, new legislation which 'outlaws' wild camping between Dryman and Rowardennan comes into force on 1 June 2011. This section is part of the West Highland Way - popular with walkers from all over the world - and includes part of the Loch's shoreline . . . [more] |
The Dark Side of the Brecon Beacons National Park  Welsh Water and The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority may have been expecting some protests to the building of the water treatment plant at Glyntawe in the Upper Swansea valley. However, it's unlikely they planned for the latest turn of events - a curse . . . [more] |
Is Naked Rambling an expression of freedom or just plain offensive?  On Sunday I was walking in the Black Mountains area of The Brecon Beacons National Park and met a naked rambler. At least, I assume that's what he was as he had only the top half of his clothes on. It wasn't very warm which might have been the explanation for his top half being clothed . . . [more] |
Roman road mending techniques in use on High Street in the Lake District  Well strictly speaking it is Roman road mending techniques as 'resurrected' by the Lake District National Park Authority as part of the Fix the Fells project . . . [more] |
GPS enabled sheep - to flock or not to flock  It's difficult to go walking near farmland or over fells and not encounter sheep at some time during the day. If like me you've often idly wondered if there's any rationale behind their apparently random wanderings, then this work by scientists from the Royal Veterinary College, University of Cambridge and University College London may be interesting . . . [more] |
Improvements for Englands' upland areas promised in broadband and mobile communications  Mobile phone coverage in many of the Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Pennine, Welsh Border, Lake District or Dartmoor/Exmoor upland areas beloved by many hill walkers has always been a little patchy to say the least. This lack of mobile communications has far reaching effects . . . [more] |
The Yorkshire Dales National Park - what's in a name?  Local concerns are increasing about the possibility that the Yorkshire Dales National Park, long considered to be one of the jewels of the county's countryside, will be renamed . . . [more] |
Winter Walking in Snowdonia - mountain rescue services stretched to the limit  The almost Alpine conditions throughout the UK have, for some, increased the attraction of high mountain winter walking. And whilst for many this makes for some truly exhilarating days out - for others the outcome is not so great - and in some circumstances what was envisaged as a fun day-out can end in tragedy . . . [more] |
More daylight hours in Winter, more walking . . .  Walking during the winter months is often constrained by the shorter days we have to contend with after the clocks go back at the end of October. But does it have to be like this? Well, no, says Dr Mayer Hillman, Senior Fellow Emeritus at the Policy Studies Institute, in the October 2010 issue of British Medical Journal. . . . [more] |
Use it or lose it - how can we stem the demise of the rural pub?  One of our users (very kindly) recently let us know about the demise of The Red Lion pub in Myddle, Shropshire. Rural pubs seem to be closing at an alarming rate these days. We can only assume that there's just not enough custom to make these businesses viable . . . and yet pub walks - and the notion of a traditional pub as a welcome port-of-call mid-way round the walk or at the end of a long day in the mountains seem as popular as ever. . . . [more] |
From signals all around you - BAE Systems' NAVSOP making GPS better?  We've recently featured pieces on GLONASS and Galileo and now - following the recent announcement from BAE Systems - there's another acronym to add to the positioning systems' cocktail. And indeed NAVSOP is about exploiting the cocktail of signals all around us (wi-fi, mobile phones, radios, tvs ... or even natural radiations) to calculate its position . . . [more] |
The Elddis Autoquest 115 Motorhome  Walking holidays can be lots of fun with a Motorhome. With the help of The Explorer Group we spent a week in Dartmoor checking out the Elddis Autoquest 115 . . . [more] |
Effect of cold weather on UK flora, fauna and wildlife  A return to more 'traditional' weather in the UK has helped our wildlife thrive during the last year. Many of us have not enjoyed the past month or so when the UK has experienced record low temperatures coupled with heavy snow and ice. However, conservationists working for the National Trust have reported that the last year has seen British wildlife largely flourish . . . [more] |
 Recent weeks have seen fires on the moors in Lancashire and Derbyshire. For more information about Moorland Fires, the Met Office Fire Severity Index and how to check out the fire risk in the area where you plan to walk next . . . [more] |
The New Forest National Park: proposals for access and road use  To say that the New Forest National Park Authority's recreation management plan has received a mixed response is an under-statement - particularly owners of dogs and horses . . . [more] |
Quarrying on Longstone Edge Peak District  The long running battle waged by the Peak District National Park in its bid to stop quarrying on Longstone Edge has reached an important new stage . . . [more] |
Llamas transport rare UK freshwater fish (Vendace) to Sprinkling Tarn in the Lake District  If you go walking on Seathwaite Fell in the Lake District you may see . . . .Llamas! Renowned for their sure-footedness, llamas were recently the transport of choice to re-locate over 25,000 fish to their new home in the Lake District's Sprinkling Tarn. The Tarn, inaccessible by car, has water cool enough to enable this endangered species of fish to thrive . . . [more] |
Are the footpaths good enough?  The Audit Commission has recently published the results of the 2006-2007 assessment which looked at the ease-of-use of footpaths and rights-of-way in England and Wales. The results for the counties where some of the more popular walking areas are located, is quite revealing . . . [more] |
Budget Cuts - what will be the impact on our National Parks?  The UK Government's recent spending review has raised the threat of cuts to the budgets available to National Parks. Many conservationists are concerned that the consultation on the future of National Parks announced recently by The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will mean that economic development will assume as high a priority as conservation . . . [more] |
 Nordic walking is one of the fastest growing recreational fitness sports in the world and aficionados have a real missionary-zeal about their sport. Here's why . . . [more] |
Off-road vehicles given the go ahead on Yorkshire Dales green lanes  In a bid to stop damage caused by so called 'leisure vehicles', the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority had imposed restrictions on the use of motorised vehicles on a number of routes. In a surprising decision, the High Court has recently (June 2009) overturned the limitations place on four of these routes . . . [more] |
Peak District 4x4 ban on Chapel Gate overturned  The Trail Riders' Fellowship (TRF) have successfully challenged an experimental ban on the use of 4x4s on Chapel Gate - a 3km track which runs close to Lord's Seat (Rushup Edge) an ever popular feature on Peak District walks in and around Edale . . . [more] |
Do We Need All These Pavements?  It seems that 'paved' sections of footpaths are now an unavoidable feature of walking in areas like Kinder Scout in the Peak District. Regular walker Peter Royle contacted us to express some candid observations on this situation . . . [more] |
How to stay safe when walking and hiking through fields of cows  Unfortunately, the hazards or otherwise that can be encountered when walking though fields where there are cows has been in the news again recently. One of the incidents reported has tragically resulted in the death of a walker . . . [more] |
Fungal threat to Lake District woodlands  As organisations such as The Forestry Commission are increasingly challenged in dealing with new pathogens that are wreaking havoc, it seems that opportunities to enjoy walking in woodland are becoming more and more precious . . . [more] |
High flying Dragonfly - now an aspiring 'Monro-ist'?  A female Common Hawker dragonfly has been found recently at 830m on the slopes of Munro No. 41. Tom a' Choinich (Carn Eige). This is the highest this species has ever been found in the UK . . . [more] |
Walking in the Lake District - after the floods  November 2009 is now officially the wettest November on record with an average rainfall across the UK of 217mm. The previous highest record was 195mm recorded in 1951. Particularly heavy downfalls in Cumbria, Snowdonia and South-West Scotland have had a large impact . . . [more] |
21st Century children: are most totally disconnected from the natural word .. and does it matter?  The National Trust has been making the news in recent weeks following the publication of its report, Natural Childhood. Produced by Stephen Moss - a naturalist, author and the original producer of BBC's Springwatch - the report reviews the current literature on a condition known as 'Nature Deficit Disorder'. . . . [more] |
Illuminating Hadrian's Wall - a line of light from coast to coast  March 13th 2010 will see a line of light cross the country from coast to coast along the route of the 84 mile long Hadrian's Wall path. And the organisers are looking for volunteers to be a part of this spectacular event . . . [more] |
 Walk in the footsteps of Peter Rabbit, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Jemima Puddleduck . . . and visit the cottage where Beatrix Potter wrote many of her famous children's books . . . [more] |
Share the Countryside  To help towards the neutralising of carbon emissions created by our servers - trees have been planted in the East Williamston Community Woodland, Pembrokeshire. go4awalk.com is pleased to working with the International Tree Foundation who are committed to protecting, promoting and planting trees . . . globally. |
