Self-guided walking routes

Download free maps and route guides for walks across England and Wales.

Walk at your own pace with our free maps

You can download maps and route guides for walks from many of our hostels — picking your difficulty level from easy to more challenging. All our self-guided walks start and end at a YHA hostel. What could be more convenient! To navigate these routes on your phone, you can download the OS Maps app and access a digital version.

Walk difficulty level

Easy (0 to 20): Straightforward for most, taking about an hour or two. If there’s some ascent, the distance will be short. If it’s flat, the route will be longer.

Moderate (20 to 50): Longer than easier walks, requiring a morning or afternoon. More ascent, more uneven terrain and may require more navigation skills.

Challenging (50 to 70): For walkers with more experience and higher levels of fitness, these routes are either long, challenging to walk or involve an ascent.

Severe (70+): The hardest of all and best suited to experienced walkers. They are long or high, but probably both. Likely to be in remote mountainous areas.

How we grade our walks

Walking routes in the East Midlands

East Midlands

Walking routes in the East of England

East of England

Walking routes in London

London

Walking routes in the North East of England

North East of England

Walking routes in the North West of England

North West of England

Walking routes in the South East of England

South East of England

Walking routes in the South West of England

South West of England

Walking routes in Wales

Wales

Walking routes in the West Midlands

West Midlands

Walking routes in the Yorkshire and the Humber

Yorkshire and the Humber

Accessible routes

Accessible means different things to different people. Working with Access the Dales, we have identified a wider range of accessible routes that are close to YHA hostels.

OS maps

OS map on a smartphone

OS maps

Your adventure your way

Explore the world around you with OS Maps. Routes, mapping and navigation across the UK whenever and wherever you need it. YHA members get 30% annual subscriptions to OS Maps Premium.

Follow routes on the OS app

Take part in the festival

Festival of Walking

YHA and walking just go together - discover our walking festival

Social walks

The festival’s guided social walks offer a safe and supportive space to get involved with walking and meet other walkers