UK walking and hiking
Plan good walks and enjoy every mile
Practical help for UK walkers, from your first country stroll to a long-distance National Trail: how long a walk will take, what to pack, and where to go next.
Free tool
How long will my walk take?
Based on Naismith’s rule: walking time on the flat, plus one minute for every 10 metres of climb. Allow longer in mud, snow, on rough ground or with children.
Free tool
Miles and kilometres
Type in either box. One mile is 1.609 km. OS maps use kilometre grid squares, and footpath signs in Britain show miles.
Free printable
Day walk kit checklist
One A4 page with tick boxes for everything worth taking on a day walk: clothing, navigation, food and drink, safety, and a section for the dog. Extra items for hills, winter and long days are marked, so you only pack what you need.
Open the kit checklist (A4, free)
No sign-up. It opens as a PDF you can print or save. To print, use your browser’s Print option; on an iPad or phone, tap Share, then Print.
Guides
Start here
Your first country walk, step by step
How to pick a route, what to wear, how long to allow, what the signs and arrows mean, and how to walk safely with a dog near cows and sheep. ►
Long-distance walking
The UK’s National Trails and Great Trails
21 long-distance routes from the Ridgeway to the West Highland Way, with lengths, where they run and how to plan them in stages. ►
Coming next: walking with your dog, how to read an OS map, and choosing walking boots.
Google Sheets template
The UK Walking & Hiking Planner
- Log each walk once: date, miles, time, climb and who came
- Totals for every month and year, and a dashboard
- A 52 walks challenge board that fills in as you go
- Goals, personal bests and every walk with the dog
- National Trail progress, section by section
- Your favourite routes, walks coming up, a wish list and a kit list
Free tools or the planner? The calculator and checklist help with one walk. The planner keeps all your walks and adds them up for you.
Coming soon to Etsy
Made for Google Sheets: you’ll need a free Google account. It works in a web browser or the Google Sheets app.
Plan the walk, finish at the King’s Head
On the Trail is part of King’s Head Press, a small UK publisher of practical guides, puzzles and planners. Everything on this site is free to use, with no sign-up and no tracking.
Always check the weather, the route and any diversions before you set off, and tell someone where you’re going.