England 12/03/2013
An increasing trend for people to holiday at home is providing a boost to the UK hiking industry
In the past few years, the way people in the UK take their holidays has changed drastically. Less people are travelling abroad, and more people are enjoying holidaying in the UK. Staycationing is a new way to relax and unwind. This has greatly benefited UK based travel firms like MickledoreTravel who provide walking and cycling holidays in the UK.
However, they have also benefited from another trend. People in the UK are increasingly appreciating the beauty and diversity of the country that they live in. They want to get out there and see more of the UK’s beautiful landscape and see some of its wonderful wildlife. Walking holidays are perfect for doing this, and the UK offers plenty of hiking opportunities. In the UK, there are over 140,000 miles of official footpaths. There is also the right to roam, which opens up even more of the UK’s countryside for members of the public and visitors to enjoy.
In addition, there are historical routes, like the Rob Roy walk in Scotland, that re-trace the footsteps of local legends. There are new walks being added to this list of historical route, for example the Hadrian’s Wall Path, which only opened, in its entirety, in 2003. People who hike and walk in the UK never run out of something new to see and do. Walking tours and organised holidays are the best way to see the UK’s countryside and they are proving more and more popular with visitors from outside of the UK.
Increased interest in fitness is also driving demand
The walking industry in the UK has also benefited from the fact that people are more interested in fitness than ever before. Walking is perfect for these people. Many who are beginning their journey back to physical fitness choose to start with gentle exercise such as walking. A walking holiday is perfect for kick starting a new healthier lifestyle. Mickledore Travel has been providing walking and cycling holidays in the UK for over 15 years now. They have seen the reasons people choose a walking holiday change and now fitness is definitely one of those reasons, but a chance to enjoy the UK’s beautiful countryside is still the main draw.