Exploration
5 of the UK's best winter hikes that will work up a sweat
Short on time? Want a mini adventure? Don't want to faff with lots of kit? These hill hikes make for a perfect winter escape...
The days are getting shorter but that isn't an excuse to stay inside. Perhaps the motivation to take on camping and multi-day hikes may have wained but we have a solution. Author and adventurerPhoebe Smith celebrates the vertically-challenged bumps that most people ignore in her latest book, Britain’s Best Small Hills – and it turns out they're perfect for working up a sweat. Here she picks out five of the best for winter hiking…
1. Moel-y-Gest, North Wales
Worth a scramble...
© Phoebe Smith
Best for… rock stars
Despite sitting well beneath the contour lines of its Snowdonian brethren just a few miles away, this little rocky summit sets the scene for an exciting slice of scrambling action. Located above the waterside town of Porthmadog, it appears as little more than a lump rising above the trees. But its clusters of boulders and chockstones strewn across the flanks like grey confetti make it necessary for you to use your feet and hands if you want to claim the top. And it is worth claiming, not only to make out the depressions of a former hill fort that once sat on its summit, but also to gaze down at the sparkling waters of Tremadoc Bay below – a perfect stage for a wintery wander.
2. The Yorkshire Matterhorn
Yes, the name is tongue-in-cheek
© Phoebe Smith
Best for… would be explorers
OK, so The Yorkshire Matterhorn is a tongue-in-cheek nickname – its real name is Roseberry Topping and the hill reaches the dizzying height of just 320m. Small it may be but climbing it can certainly have a lasting impression. For it was here, back in 1736, that a young boy called James Cook made his first ascent from his family farm. Once at the top he was so inspired by the rewarding views granted him after his efforts that he resolved then and there to travel the world. He went on to become Captain Cook, the famed navigator and explorer of the Pacific. Take a stroll to the top and who knows what epiphany might await you…
3. Chrome Hill, Peak District
Chrome Hill
© Phoebe Smith
Best for… freedom fighters
We often take for granted the fact that we can go for a walk freely, but up until 1999, this hill was off-limits. It wasn’t until the Countryside Rights of Way Act came in during 2000 that it was designated ‘Access Land’ and opened up for outdoor lovers to enjoy. And enjoy it you will, as this limestone lovely was once under the sea and part of an extensive coral reef. Even now, under its grassy disguise, it still hides remnants of its origins – from sheer drop-offs to hidden nooks and crannies.
4. Bow Hill, South Downs
Perfect for a day hike
© Phoebe Smith
Best for… storytellers
Topping off this little 206m peak are four additional bumps, protruding from the chalkland like the ridge of a dragon's back. But this is no dragon. These are Bronze Age barrows, which legend says house the remains of Viking warriors who were defeated by the Chichester locals. They are known as the King’s Graves or, to some, the Devil’s Humps. Stories abound that the soldiers who fought alongside their chiefs were turned into the trees that grow, twisted and winding, on the lower flanks. By night they are said to return to their human form and wander the hill tops. There’s only one way to find out…
5. Meall Fuar-mhonaidh, Scottish Highlands
Get a good view to spot the Loch Ness monster
© Phoebe Smith
Best for… monster spotting
You won’t have heard the name of this mini-mountain before, but you’ll know the waters above which it rises well. This heather-clad miniature pokes out above Loch Ness – home to the infamous monster. Thought to be the lair of a prehistoric plesiosaur, its surface ripples with possibilities, making photographers fix their lenses to it in the hope they can catch sight (and proof) that it does indeed lurk beneath. Rather than sitting shoreside with the rest of them, head instead up this very real hilly prospect for the most expansive – and certainly not make-believe – views around.