National Hike Day is on 17th of November in the USA, and it’s a great excuse to get out and about, so we thought we'd pick out a few UK destinations if you fancy wrapping up and getting those stomping boots on. With moderate levels of walking helping us burn over 400 calories an hour (even more in cold weather!) you can walk around trails, forests, houses – anywhere you want, and you’re still going to be getting your heart pumping and hopefully having a great time. Visit One Of These 5 Heritage Sites For National Hike Day.
In honour of this fabulous day, we’ve come up with a list of 5 popular British heritage sites for you to ‘hike around’ in celebration:
The Tower Of London
Based on the North bank of the Thames, this incredible 1,000 year old property has plenty of places for you to explore within its historic walls. The Tower has been a treasury, prison, armoury and a palace over the years and there are plenty of stories about these periods to enjoy as you wander around.
Over 2 million visitors visit this amazing heritage site annually to see the permanent exhibitions, and many of the temporary ones such as the poppy installation which drew in thousands of extra tourists during the 5 months it was there.
Windsor Castle
This famous castle in Windsor has a huge estate of over 13 acres and over 1,000 rooms. Over 150 staff are employed to keep the estate looking beautiful and today visitors can roam the grounds, the chapel, the shops, exhibitions and galleries, state apartments and rooms.
Chatsworth House
Sitting on the East bank of the River Derwent, just a few miles from Derbyshire town Bakewell, is the beautiful home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire – Chatsworth House.
Keen gardeners will love the beautiful gardens belonging to the estate, which span well over 100 acres. The house itself is also magnificent in its own right, at 3 stories tall and holding no less than 120 rooms.
Edinburgh Castle
Dominating the city skyline in Edinburgh, this gorgeous building sits on a rock which was formed no less than over 340 million years ago. Thought to have been built in the 12th century, the castle contains many features for visitors to enjoy including Lairds Lugs, The Stone Of Destiny, the chapel and the dungeons.
There’s a lot to the site and it certainly fills a full day out.
St Paul’s Cathedral
One of the largest churches on the planet, this beautiful building situation on Ludgate Hill in London is iconic and is famous for many different things. It was the venue of Sir Winston Churchill’s Funeral and Prince Charles and Diana’s wedding.
It has appeared on many famous films including Mary Poppins and Sherlock Holmes and was designed by Sir Christopher Wren who is also buried in the grounds.
You can also find the graves of Sir Henry Moore and The Duke Of Wellington at the cathedral. It’s a stunning place to visit and if you manage the 528 steps to the highest gallery in the cathedral, you’ll most definitely feel like you’ve done a hike (or 3!).
Warwick Castle
With over 1,000 years worth of history within its walls, this incredible building is the ideal heritage site to visit if you’re a big fan of medieval history. It has an armoury collection nearly as big as the one held at The Tower Of London and many celebrities have performed on the ground of the castle including Tom Jones and Sir Cliff Richard.
When visiting you can enjoy seeing birds of prey, the Merlin Exhibit, Horrible Histories stage shows, battlements, turrets and plenty of beautiful gardens and grounds as well.
Remember, if you’re truly looking to celebrate National Hike Day, all you really need to be doing is walking somewhere, you could even take a hike to the shops if you wanted to! Alternatively, visit one of Britain’s many great heritage sites and learn a little history and culture while you’re enjoying your hike.Happy hiking!