The Walking
With over 35 years of combined experience in seeking out the best and most rewarding walking in a range of landscapes, we have been delighted by the rich variety of walking available in these exceptional destinations.
Whichever Upland Escape you choose, you can rely on finding:
- Wild, untouched uplands – forest, meadow and mountain
- Excellent opportunities to see wild flowers and animals
- Rural, rustic landscapes, shaped by centuries of traditional farming.
Self-guided Walks
The wide choice of self-guided walks caters for all tastes, fitness levels and abilities. Each Upland Handbook designed for our independent holidays includes at least 5 short walks (under 2 hours), 5 medium walks (½ day), and 3 long walks (full day). Easy-to-follow instructions and maps will guide and inform you as you walk. Even on Group Departures, you will have the flexibility to choose, so that if you would prefer not to join the day’s organised walk, you can set off on your own self-guided walk instead.
Organised Walks
Each week, you can also choose to join 3 organised walks (completely optional and free of charge), selected by the Upland Manager from a range of possibilities, depending on the current conditions and the enthusiasms of the walkers: there are peaks to be climbed, gorges to be explored, spectacular landscapes and hidden gems to be discovered. These are walks on which you and other guests will be able to benefit from the Upland Manager’s company, perhaps for some tricky route finding, perhaps to reach a less accessible area or site, or perhaps just to enjoy their enthusiasm and local knowledge along the way
Walking with Children
The flexibility of an Upland Escape will ensure that there is walking to suit all ages and stamina levels. The self-guided walks range from half an hour to a full day, so you can choose those that best suit your family. The Handbook and local Upland Manager will provide you with detailed information to help you judge whether a specific walk is within your child’s capacities. To join one of the optional organised walks, children will need the stamina and fitness levels to keep up with you and other adults for the selected walk. We've walked with ten year olds who were fresher than their parents at the end of a 16 mile outing - but then when we were ten, we were reluctant to walk to the corner shop!
Terrain
Our walks sometimes wind along quiet lanes, often cross pathless grassland, and certainly make use of every sort of track and footpath in between. In Upland landscapes an amount of walking up and down hill is unavoidable – indeed desirable to some! – but we also seek out the gentlest alternatives for inclusion in the Handbook. While there is no technical climbing, the most challenging walks may involve a small element of “scrambling”. Sometimes the going underfoot is uneven and the paths can be steep in sections. We recommend walking boots with ankle support and have found walking poles to be very helpful. A few of our walks can include a short stretch which some people may find vertiginous – these are identified in the handbook so can be avoided, and of course you can always ask your Upland Manager for precise details, if you are in any doubt.
Grading & Fitness
The flexibility and choice built into an Upland Escape make it unnecessary to grade our independent holidays for ‘difficulty’. Whatever your level of walking fitness, you will be able to find self-guided walks in the Handbook to enjoy.
The organised walks vary in difficulty and length, from 4 to 8 hours – the choice will depend on weather conditions and the guests present at the time
On our Group Departures, these 3 organised walks alternate with self-guided walks, ranging from 3 to 9 miles in length. For more details on Group Departures – click here.
