Festival of Walking

Our Festival of Walking 2026 has now ended

Thank you to everyone who took part, including those who organised and led walks, all of whom helped make this year’s event the best yet!

We will back next year for our 6th annual Festival, which will run from mid September to mid October 2027 (dates to be confirmed).

If you have any feedback on this year’s Festival or suggestions for what you’d like to see in 2027 please email [email protected]. We’re also planning to put on some walking activities from hostels at other times of year, so sign up for YHA Walks updates and be the first to know what’s going on.

Be the first to hear about new YHA walking activities including special offers, mapped routes and our annual Festival of Walking. View our Privacy Notice.

Explore for yourself

Prefer to go at your own pace? Stay at one of our hostels and head out on a self-guided adventure, with routes for every pace and ability.

Plan a self-guided walk

Download free maps and step-by-step routes across England and Wales, all starting and ending at a YHA hostel.

View self-guided walks

Group of walkers outside YHA Boggle Hole

Book a hostel stay

Whether you’re heading for the coast, countryside or city, YHA hostels offer great walking opportunities at locations across England and Wales.

Book a hostel stay

Explore accessible routes

Accessible means different things to different people. We have identified a range of accessible routes from and near our hostels

View accessible routes

Festival news

Social walk from YHA Hartington Hall during festival of walking

Why YHA and walking are a perfect match

There are some things that just go together. Fish and chips, rock and roll, YHA and walking. There’s no need to travel far and wide, or break the bank, for a stunning walking how...

Rolling hills and open water in the countryside

Our favourite day walks in the Lake District

It can take a lifetime of commitment to cover every fell in the Lakes, and not all of us are blessed with the time. So for those saving their epic multi-day expeditions for a later...

Group of walkers going over a bridge with autumnal landscape

Making the most of our partners during the YHA Festival of Walking

Ever wondered what Nordic walking is all about, or wanted to brush up on your navigation and map reading know how? Perhaps you’re curious about pilgrimage routes, in need of a wellbeing walk or...

Outdoor Citizens opportunities

Thanks to continued funding from Sport England, The Pilgrim Trust and Cotswold Outdoor we were once again able to offer bursaries to members of the Outdoor Citizens community to support more people from diverse or underserved communities to get involved in this year’s Festival of Walking.

Find out more

Festival partners

To support us in our mission to get more people involved in recreational walking, we partnered with some amazing organisations to deliver this year’s Festival of Walking.