Why Hiking Is Growing in the UK in 2026

There is always one person who says the walk is "mostly flat".

An hour later, you're halfway up a hill, questioning their understanding of geography, while someone behind you opens the biscuits intended for the summit.

And somehow, this is turning into the best part of your week.

Hiking has a way of doing that. What starts as a reason to leave the house becomes a proper catch-up, a new favourite place, or a Sunday you remember long after the washing has dried.

In 2026, there is evidence that more people are making room for it. And for us at UNROUTED, the interesting part is how easily an outdoor adventure can fit into ordinary life.

Britain's hiking boom has some numbers behind it

The adidas UK Hiking Index, published in June 2026, reported that hiking activity on route-planning platform komoot had grown 39% year on year. Its survey of more than 2,500 UK adults also found that half wanted to hike more often.

Separate research published by Bauer Media Outdoor in September found that 38.5% of UK adults said they were spending more of their free time outdoors than a year earlier. The survey, conducted by OnePoll among 2,000 adults, also found that 58% took part in social fitness activities, including walking groups, run clubs and team sports.

These findings suggest a growing appetite for getting out and doing something together.

You can see the appeal. A walk gives everyone a plan, a meeting point and something to talk about before anyone has even left the car park.

Usually, whose idea it was to arrive this early.

A walk gives catching up somewhere to happen

Organising time with friends can become a small administrative job.

Someone works weekends. Someone needs a babysitter. Someone says "definitely" and then disappears until the following Thursday.

A manageable local walk can make the plan easier. Pick a meeting point, agree a route and leave enough time for a stop along the way.

Once you're moving, conversation tends to find its own pace. There is room for a proper catch-up, a ridiculous story, or a few quiet minutes looking at something other than a screen.

You also get the little moments that never make the itinerary. The dog that finds the deepest puddle. The spectacularly flattened sandwich. The sudden patch of sunshine that has everyone stopping to take the same photograph.

Those are often the bits you bring up afterwards.

You don't need a famous summit

It is easy to scroll through hiking photos and assume every worthwhile day outside involves a ridge, an alpine sunrise and someone with exceptional calves.

Your next walk can be much closer to home.

A woodland loop. A reservoir path. A stretch of coast. A local trail you have driven past for years without wondering where it goes.

Choosing something manageable makes it easier to say yes, especially when you're getting started or bringing people with different levels of fitness.

A good route should leave enough energy to enjoy where you are. There is nothing disappointing about getting back to the car with everyone still speaking to each other.

And you can always make the next walk a little longer.

Autumn brings its own reasons to go

There is a particular pleasure in pulling on a fleece when the air first turns cool.

Leaves collect along the paths. Familiar woodland changes colour. A hot drink earns its place in your bag.

An autumn walk can feel like a small occasion without needing an entire weekend away. A few hours outside, followed by somewhere warm to sit, is a very reasonable use of a Saturday.

The season does ask for a little more planning. Daylight is shorter, paths can be slippery, and conditions on exposed ground can feel very different from those at your front door.

Choose the route for the weather, the daylight and the people coming with you. Give yourself time to stop and time to get back comfortably.

The view will still be there another day if the forecast looks poor.

How to plan an autumn walk people will actually enjoy

Start with the least experienced person

Choose a route that everyone can manage. Check the distance, ascent, terrain and expected walking time. A short route with steep or rough sections can be harder than a longer, gentler one.

Make it easy for people to say what they are comfortable with before you set off.

Sort the small details

Agree where to meet, check parking or public transport, and find out whether there are toilets. Download the route before leaving, and carry a suitable map and compass you know how to use, particularly for remote or upland walks.

Tell someone where you're going and when you expect to return.

Pack for the stops as well as the walking

Wear footwear with grip suited to the terrain. Take waterproofs, an extra warm layer, water, food and a charged phone. A torch is sensible when daylight is limited.

You may feel warm while climbing, then quickly notice the chill when you sit down. Having a dry layer ready can make that break far more enjoyable.

Leave room for the good bit

Plan time for a snack, a view or a café afterwards.

If every stop makes you worry about falling behind schedule, the plan probably needs more breathing room.

And take everything you bring home again, including food scraps. Follow local access guidance, close gates and keep dogs under control around livestock and wildlife.

The small comforts are part of the adventure

A dry pair of socks waiting in the car.

A flask that is still hot.

An extra layer when the wind picks up.

These things rarely feature in the dramatic photographs, but they can shape how a day feels. Being comfortable gives you more opportunity to enjoy the place you made the effort to reach.

That matters to us at UNROUTED. We love the big views, but we are just as interested in everything around them: the early start, the journey, the pause halfway and the stories on the way home.

The more enjoyable those moments become, the easier it is to make plans for another day outside.

Give the group chat a date

If you have been meaning to go for a walk, start with something simple.

Find a suitable route nearby. Check the forecast. Send your mates a meeting point and a time.

Someone will ask whether there is a pub at the end. Someone will bring too many snacks. Someone will still describe the hill as "a slight incline".

Go anyway.

You might find that the best thing you get out of the day is wanting to do it again.