Walking is one of our favourite pastimes, and with it being January and money being short, we’re happy to get out there whatever the weather. The UK is home to many scenic hikes, especially up here in the north, which make it the perfect location to watch the sunrise, and by analysing TikTok and Google search data, experts at Nationwide Vehicle Contracts have revealed the most popular hiking spots to drive to in the UK for 2025, with our vey own Mam Tor grabbing top spot the list.
Hiking and walking have grown massively in popularity, with searches for “best hike” increasing by 52% in the UK over the past month alone. ‘#sunrise’ has over 5.5 million posts on TikTok, with many looking to experience this morning act of nature. With the sun rising later in the morning over the winter months, averaging to 8:18 am in January, walkers are seizing the day and watching the sunrise from the top of various mountains and hills across the UK.
Mam Tor in the Peak District is the most popular hiking spot in the UK. It’s TikTok trending, with nearly 10,000 posts on the app, and many people are hiking up Mam Tor early in the morning to watch the sunrise. A recent TikTok has gone viral with over 284k views sharing the views of the sunrise at Mam Tor. Users commented, “this is so beautiful wow”, with others eager to go on a hike themselves, “I wish I was closer to the Peak District because this would be perfect”.
Mam Tor is a 517m hill in the High Peak of Derbyshire, with its name meaning ‘mother hill‘, boasting a gorgeous panoramic view spot for the sunrise as your hiking reward. It’s a moderate and dog-friendly walk, however, due to its popularity the car park can fill up quickly. It’s advised to plan ahead and arrive earlier in the morning to beat the rush.
The Lake District ranks twice in the top ten rankings, with Scafell Pike and Catbells being two of the most popular UK hikes. Scafell Pike has 5748 TikTok posts and is 978 metres above sea level, making it the highest and the most prominent mountain in England. TikTok users have shared their sunrise hikes to the app, with one video gaining over 460k views and over 4,500 video saves, showing many are keen to walk the route themselves.
The most popular hikes to drive to in the UK were (with number of TikTok posts):
1. Mam Tor, Peak District: 9,946
2. Malham Landscape Trail, Yorkshire Dales: 3,411
3. Tryfan North Ridge, Snowdonia: 3,886
4. Cheddar Gorge, Somerset: 5,482
4. Snowdon, Snowdonia National Park: 29,700
6. Ben Nevis, Scotland: 14,400
7. Hadrian’s Wall Path, Northumberland: 3,045
7. Scafell Pike, Lake District: 5,748
7. Jurassic Coast Path, East Devon: 7,436
10. Catbells, Lake District: 2,519