Hiking has never been more popular in the UK, yet new research from adidas suggests confidence and preparation are not keeping pace with the surge in interest. Hiking is now the fastest-growing activity on route-planning app komoot, up 39% year on year, while Google searches for “hike near me” have risen 136% in the past three months.
To help close the distance between ambition and ability, adidas has created the UK Hiking Index 2026 in partnership with komoot – a data-led ranking of more than 100 UK routes scored across quality, popularity, ease of access and affordability, then organised by experience level from beginner-friendly to challenging. This has revealed the best moderate hikes in the UK to take on, with plenty of the top 10 in or around our neck of the woods.
Bakewell & Hassop Monsal Trail Loop crowned the UK’s best moderate hike
Bakewell & Hassop Monsal Trail Loop (Peak District) was crowned Britain’s best moderate hike. The 3.7-mile route combines accessible terrain with strong scenic appeal and generates the highest search demand in the index, attracting 33,450 average monthly Google searches.
With the shortest distance in the research, and 267 ft of uphill hiking, the Bakewell & Hassop Monsal Trail Loop came out with an overall score of 6.16, making it the perfect adventure for those in and around Manchester to tackle of a weekend.
Other Peak District routes feature among the UK’s top 10 moderate hikes
- Ladybower & the Derwent Dam loop ranks fourth overall, with a score of 5.73/10. The 8-mile route takes around 3.4 hours and includes 308ft of ascent.
- Lose Hill Summit Loop ranks fifth, scoring 5.65/10. The 7-mile route takes around 3.5 hours and involves 1,328ft of ascent.
- Froggatt, Curbar and White Edge Red Deer Circular Walk rounds out the Peak District entries, ranking eighth overall with a score of 5.42/10. The 5.7-mile route takes approximately 2.5 hours and includes 491ft of ascent.
Other hikes accessible from Manchester were also named in the rankings, including the Buttermere Loop in the Lake District, Pen-y-Ghent Loop in the Yorkshire Dales, and the iconic Tolkien Trail in Lancashire.
The UK’s best moderate hiking routes
- Bakewell & Hassop on the Monsal Trail Loop, Peak District (6.16)
- Buttermere Loop, Lake District (5.78)
- Snowdon via Pyg and Miners’ Track Loop, North Wales (5.74)
- Ladybower & the Derwent Dam Loop, Peak District (5.73)
- Lose Hill Summit Loop, Peak District (5.65)
- Pen-y-Ghent Loop, Yorkshire Dales (5.54)
- The Tolkien Trail, Lancashire (5.51)
- Frogatt, Curbar and White Edge Red Deer Circular Walk, Peak District (5.42)
- The Burway Loop, Shropshire (5.40)
- Bath Skyline Loop, Somerset (5.38)
