Our little ones are great, but we sometimes forget just how little they actually are. A one-hour stroll in the woods for mum or dad can be like three marathons in a row for a bored 5-year-old.
“Are we there yet” is a cliche for a reason.
So, if you are a walking addict who happens to find yourself with children, what can you do? Well, you could get yourself a babysitter and know that each step you take is costing you precious cash.
Alternatively, you can get a bit creative and find some walks that provide entertainment along the way—something that tricks your tiny companions into thinking they aren’t on a walk but an adventure.
I’ll run down a few of my favourite UK moan-resistant walks for kids.
This is a guest post from Mike at HikerHero
The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Yorkshire
“God’s Own County” is blessed with both the Dales and the Moors two of the best places in the UK to get your hike on. But maybe not with a few kids in tow.
There is one Yorkshire treasure, however, that is ideal for walking with kids: the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP). Which, in true straight-talking Yorkshire style, is exactly what it says on the tin. A park full of sculptures in Yorkshire.
It is set amongst 500 acres of rolling countryside and formal gardens on the grounds of the 18th-century Bretton Hall Country House, near the city of Wakefield.
On its own, the park is an idyllic place to go for a walk, especially in springtime when the lambs are frolicking. But what makes it superb for little ones is around every corner is another gigantic sculpture. Anything could appear, from a giant reclining rabbit lady as big as a house to a half-buried face of a colossus.
The YSP is like Alice in Wonderland brought to life. There will be no dragging of feet here, rather your kids will be running down the tracks and trails to discover what’s hiding around that next corner.
Oh, and fear not—there are a couple of glorious coffee shops waiting to refuel you and your brood.
Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh
Suggesting to your kids you should all climb a 250-metre-high hill will likely be met by moans, and groans and maybe get you pelted by some balls of paper or even a shoe.
Announce you are all off to climb an extinct volcano that was once (maybe) the site of King Arthur’s legendary Camelot (possibly) and you should be able to generate enough enthusiasm to get their butts off the couch and out of the door.
If you’ve been to Edinburgh or ever seen a photo of the city, Arthur’s Seat will be instantly recognisable. It’s the giant lump of rock and grass that sits in the centre of town, dominating the view in all directions. It looks like an asteroid that crash-landed in the middle of the city.
No visit to the Scottish capital is complete without climbing Arthur’s Seat at least once. The hike up and down takes about an hour. Should that be too much for some little legs, the great thing about Arthur’s Seat is that you don’t actually have to get to the top to enjoy the views.
If your kids run out of steam, the Salsbury Crags are a set of cliffs partway up the route with stunning views over the city’s ancient rooftops.
The Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye
Kids love a little mystery and what is more mysterious than fairies?
If you are a hiking fan in the UK, you will have likely visited or heard of the Isle of Skye. It is the jewel of the Scottish Highlands, a true hiker’s paradise. But while adult hikers flock to the Misty Isle for the mountain trails, it can be a little bit intimidating for walkers with smaller legs.
The Fairy Pools, however, are the perfect compromise. They are a series of crystal-clear pools and waterfalls running down the gentle foothills of the Cuillin Mountains in Glen Brittle in the southern part of the Island.
The water is cool year round but in the Summer months, they make the ideal place for some splashy fun. If the sun is out then the little ones will love it.
The hike to the pools from the car park is a fairly gentle 1.5-mile round trip, but the setting is sublime, with many of Skye’s highest peaks looking down on you. It feels like you have been on an adventure when really the car is just 20 minutes away.
Uffington White Horse, Oxfordshire
“Hey kids, do you want to go see a 110-metre long 3,000-year-old white horse?”
“Errr, yeah!”
Despite looking like a modernist logo for a car company, the Uffington White Horse is actually the oldest known chalk figure in the UK. Experts think it’s probably about 3,000 years old, so it’s super old.
The horse is found on the bank of a relatively steep hill, so it will require your little ones to expel a bit of energy, but seeing a giant horse should make up for it.
And should they need a little bit more encouragement to get out of the car, located a short stroll downward from the horse is the so-called “dragon hill”.
This is a natural mound associated with the legend of St. George and the Dragon. Legend claims that this is where St. George slew the dastardly dragon, a grassless white clay patch atop the hill is said to be where the beast’s blood pooled. Grisly.
Kate Bush fans might recognise the Dragon Hill from the singer’s Cloudbursting video. Good luck explaining Kate Bush to the little ones.
Purton Ship Graveyard Walk, Gloucestershire
A stroll along the banks of the River Severn near the village of Purton completes our list of the Top Five UK Walks for Kids.
Between 1909 and the 1970s, around 80 vessels of different sizes were deliberately beached here to shore up the banks. Collectively, they’ve become known affectionately as the Purton Hulks.
Some are mere planks but others are relatively well preserved and most are presented with a little info plaque including their name and story. Over a 2-3 mile gentle stroll, you will meet Sally, Edith and Harriet, to name but a few.
A walk along a river such as the Severn is always enchanting for adults, but with the edition of a fascinating graveyard of boats, I’m sure your little ones will adore it too.
Final Thoughts
Sure none of the strolls above is going to satisfy the itchy feet of true hiking-addicted parents but hey, being a parent is all about compromise isn’t it?! Just rejoice in the fact you got the kids out of the house, away from the screens and into nature.
Start small; they will feed on your enthusiasm and within no time, you will be arguing with them over the cost of new hiking boots before waving them off with a tear in your eye as they set off on a month of trekking in the Himalayas.
- We have more tips here for motivating little legs to walk that little bit further!
- These are the healthy hiking snacks we pack to keep kids going
- And our guide to the best kids’ hiking sandals for summer walks
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Authors Bio
Hi, I’m Mike McLeish, chief hiker, sandwich maker, and boot cleaner at HikerHero.com HQ. I travel the world exploring new trails and then share my experiences to entertain and inspire others to lace up their boots and enjoy a good hike.
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