For such a small geographical area, the UK's rich variety offers unlimited opportunities for hiking, from the mountains of Scotland to the southern coastline. From easy walks to extreme trekking, there’s something for everyone, and it’s free, it’s fun and it's a great way to keep fit and enjoy the great outdoors at the same time.

Some of the most spectacular countryside and some of its greatest views are only accessible by hiking, and each season has something different to offer, from colourful spring blossoms to the magical snow scenes of winter (it may cause travel chaos but snow also creates some picture postcard views). So there’s no excuse not to walk off those extra pounds still lingering from Christmas...

Here are a few of the best places in the UK to put on your hiking boots.

The Lake District

The Lake District is rightly feted for its beauty, and there's no better way to experience it than walking. There’s something for all levels of fitness here, from the greenest novice to the most experienced hiker, and it’s great for families too.

The walk to Easedale Tarn is ideal for those with a bit of walking experience but who are new to mountain terrain, and want to try a bit of both. Although this area is isolated, it is within easy reach of the village and gives a real experience of the mountains and some fantastic views without having to resort to extreme hiking. There are 4.5 miles of mostly straightforward walking and then a steep climb to Easedale Tarn.

Along the route to the tarn is a memorial to the poet William Wordsworth, who lived in the Lake District, where he found inspiration for some of his greatest and most famous poems. There are also some textbook examples of dry stone walling- and look out for an incongruously-sited monkey puzzle tree. The proximity to the village means you can reward yourself with a pint afterwards- or put back on all those calories you just lost with a cream tea.

The Striding Edge walk is one for those who want to live more on the, er, edge. A notoriously dangerous walk, it leads from Red Tarn to the summit of Helvellyn, one of the Lake District’s most popular peaks. The narrow, winding path with steep ground on both sides means you need boots with a strong grip, along with a strong heart- this is not one for wimps or those with a fear of heights- but you are rewarded with stunning views along with a real sense of achievement. Other highlights in the Lake District, according to Rod Boothroyd from Lake District Guides, include Blea Tarn and Wansfell.

Find out more about Easedale Tarn at:
http://www.lake-district-guides.co.uk/walksvalley/walksvalley3.html
and all other walks at:
www.lake-district-guides.co.uk

The Peak District

The Peak District attracts less attention than its Lake District cousin, but has some equally spectacular hiking, from riverside paths to exposed moorland, and from leisurely strolls to the Pennine Way. The walk up to Lantern Pike, at just over four miles, begins with a tree-lined path, passing through the Pennine Bridleway and finishes with a stony path to the summit. The stunning vista that awaits at the top takes in Hayfield, a patchwork of countryside and heather moorland on the slopes of Kinder Scout. On the descent the path goes through fields of Highland cattle (more friendly than they look), towards Little Hayfield, where you may well be tempted by the Lantern Pike Inn.

Another trek of note is Dove Dale and Bunster Hill, at 8.5 miles, which takes in a spectacular limestone gorge and Thorpe Cloud, a former reef knoll that grew from the seabed over 300 million years ago.

Find out more about Lantern Pike at:
http://www.peakdistrict-walking.co.uk/a-walk-up-lantern-pike-c93.html
and Dove Dale and Bunster Hill at:
http://www.peakdistrict-walking.co.uk/dove-dale-c22.html
and all other walks at:
www.peakdistrict-walking.co.uk

Glastonbury

Glastonbury has become famous for a certain music festival, but it’s not all about the music here. For those with a penchant for paganism and wizardry, this is one of the most mystical and spiritual places in the country, and is considered a sacred site where many ley lines meet and diverge. Here it is easy to feel as though you are in another world altogether.

For an easy, leisurely 2.5 mile trek, you can take a path to the top of Glastonbury Tor and its medieval tower. The tor used to be an island in a lake of the Somerset Levels, and is beautiful and isolated, with views across the Mendips and the Quantocks. Forget the crowds at Stonehenge and come here for some true solitude. Visit the abbey before or after your walk. A mix of Christian and pagan heritage, Glastonbury’s abbey used to be one of the wealthiest abbeys in England.

Find out more at:
http://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walks/walks/walk_b/1212/

Dover

The UK has some dramatic coastline (over 5000 miles of it) and some equally dramatic coastline treks, such as those around Pembrokeshire in Wales and Durdle Door in Dorset- but one of the most spectacular shorter walks has to be the coastal path around the famous white cliffs of Dover in Kent. From Langdon Cliff to the South Foreland Lighthouse is four miles, with some uneven ground and steep slopes- beware of the cliff edge (!). For those with an interest in flora and fauna, there’s an abundance of plants and wildlife, such as spider orchids in the spring, and you can also hike past the remains of a military prison.

The South Foreland Lighthouse was the first electrically lit lighthouse and the site of the first international radio broadcast to France, and is now a National Trust property. The views across the English Channel and to the French coast are unsurpassed. Faced with the vast expanse of sea and coastline, you feel like a tiny pinprick against the might of the forces of nature.

Find out more at:
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-coastal_walk-white_cliffs_dover.pdf

Hadrian’s Wall

Built in 122 AD to ‘separate Romans from Barbarians’, the marvel of ancient engineering that is Hadrian’s Wall originally ran for 73 miles from Wallsend near Newcastle in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria to the west. It was eight feet wide and 12 feet high, with 16 Roman forts built along its route. These days the wall offers a range of walks to suit all ages and abilities. The 84-mile National Trail runs from the Tyneside river to Cumbrian countryside to the marshes of the Solway Estuary, via the cities of Newcastle and Carlisle. The trail links to over 80 shorter walks, including accessible routes. This landscape is like going back in time, and for a bit of history and education along with your trekking, this one’s hard to beat.

Find out more at:
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/hadrianswall/

If that’s not enough to whet your appetite, longer treks include the Coast to Coast walk from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, which is nearly 200 miles and takes in three national parks- the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors. The brainchild of Alfred Wainwright, and recently tested out by Julia Bradbury on the BBC, this is not only considered one of the best treks in the country, but regularly features on lists of the best treks in the world. And then there’s the South West Coast path, which runs from Somerset to Dorset, taking in towns, beaches and dramatic countryside. For those who want the ultimate challenge, this 630-mile trek should do it.

Coast to Coast path:
http://www.wainwright.org.uk/coast_to_coast/index.html
South West Coast path:
http://www.southwestcoastpath.com/

For more information:
www.walkingandhiking.co.uk

Images: Easedale Tarn and Striding Edge in the mist, Andrew Leaney (www.leaney.org)