UK Adventure Travel Guide
| Capital | London |
| Population | 61.1million |
| Area | 94 526 sq miles |
| Language | English+Welsh, Gaelic Cornish |
| Distance from London | 0 miles |
| Climate | Temperate climate. Wet and windy particularly on western coastal ranges. Summers can be hot and dry or dissapointingly cold and wet |
| Currency | British pound |
| Visa | |
| Health/Vaccinations | |
| Governmment | Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional Monarchy. Joined EU in 1973 |
Adventure activities in the UK, with 11073 miles of coastline,1000 islands and 15 national parks, are plentiful.
Sailing in the UK is very popular with 11073 miles of coastline to navigate. Chay Blyth,Sir Francis Chichester and more recently Ellen Macarthur have set sail from the UK and achieved world acclaim. The UK also boasts over 1000 islands many of them off the dramatic north west coast of Scotland ie Skye,Rhum,Lewis.The RYA Royal yachting association can give advice on where to sail and how to get started.
Walking and Hiking is one of the Uks most popular outdoor activities, from country rambles to windswept cliffs and challenging mountan climbs the UK has some of the best walking in the world.There are over 140 000 miles of paths in England and Wales alone. Long distance paths criss cross the country such as the Penine way,Coast to Coast and the South West Coastal footpath. Mountain walking in Scotland ,The Lake District and Snowdonia provides challenging mountain climbs and wild vistas. The Ordnance Survey also produce highly detailed maps of the UK showing all footpaths and terrain,they also produce self guided walk books for all areas of the country. Check out our shop.
Rock Climbing on sea cliffs and in the mountains is also popular contatc the BMC British Mountaineering Council
Huts Favourite :
Wainrights Coast to Coast
The Coast to Coast Walk is a 220 mile unofficial long distance footpath in Northern England. Devised by Alfred Wainwright, it passes through three beautiful National parks: the Lake District National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and the North York Moors National Park.
Wainwright recommends that walkers dip their booted feet in the Irish Sea at St Bees and, at the end of the walk, dip their naked feet in the North Sea at Robin Hood's Bay.
I
t should take about 2 weeks and is a fantastic experince not to be missed.
Rock Climbing
The main climbs are in the mountains and crags of Cwm IIdwal and the Llanberis Pass in Snowdonia. Good quality sport climbing on limestone is available at Llandudno and on slate at the quarries in Llanberis and Dinorwic. There is good quality sea cliff climbing in Pembrokeshire, and at South Stack Anglesey.
Sea Kayaking in the Western Isles
Oban is a good base to get your paddles in the sea. The water is warmed by the Gulf Stream o not as cold as you think you might even sea a killer whale, otter,osprey or seal.
Skiing in the Scotland
There are 11 Ski cenres in Scotland including Aviemore,Cairn Gorm,Glecoe,Glenshee and Lecht. Until recently it was feared that skiing in Scotland was a permanaent victim to Global arming ut recent winters have seen fantastic conditions. Its wilder the Alps but a real British experience.
Sailing the Solent
Head for Cowes on the Isle of Wight for the true Brtish sailing experience. Learn to sail or visit during Cowes week.
Top Adventures Walks and Hikes
South West Coastal Footpath
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for 630 miles (1,014 km), running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more challenging trails. The total height climbed has been calculated to be 114,931 ft (35,031 m), almost four times the height of Mount Everest.
Walking the West Highland Way
The West Highland Way is a linear long distance footpath in Scotland, with the official status of Long Distance Route. It is 153 kilometres (95 miles) long, running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking in the route.
The Snowdon Horseshoe
Snowdon (Welsh: Yr Wyddfa) is the highest mountain in Wales and is Great Britain's highest mountain south of the Scottish Highlands.It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd. The summit is known as Yr Wyddfa and is at an altitude of 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) above sea level. There are 8 walking routes to the top and a train too- even a cafe on the summit. The Snowdon Horseshoe is a three sumit challenge taking in Lliwed- Snowdon and the precarious Crib Goch Ridge. Snowdon is also one of three mountains climbed as part of the National Three Peaks Challenge.
Munro Bagging
Munros are Scottish Mountains with a summit altitude of 3000ft or more and a prominence of 500ft. The current revision of the tables, published in 2009, lists 283 Munros and 227 further subsidiary tops. Munro bagging is climbing them, including Ben Nevis (1344m, 4049ft), Schiehallion,Ben Lomond,Liathach and Cairn Gorm.
The UK has some of the most varied scenery in the world and all on a small group of islands off the Atlantic coast of Europe. The Uks main adventure activities are hiking,walking and climbing on the network of routes which crisscross the country.The mountains in Wales, Lake District and Scotland ,Dartmoor and the Pennines provide the most challenging routes. Watersports on inland and coastal water provide exceptional opportunity ,whether sailing on the Norfolk Broads,yachting in the Solent or canoeing in the Lakes the UK has it all.
History and Culture
The United Kingdom, Blighty,Britannia. The influence of this tiny collection countries ruled by a monarchy has been immense and reached virtually every corner of the globe. Leaders of the industrial revolution,founders of the largest empire the world has ever seen,provider of a worldwide language and a hub for business and entertainment. Not invaded since 1066.
People arrived in Britain around 700 000 years ago across the Channel land bridge. It was only 8000 years ago that britain was still connected to Denmark and Holland.
In the Iron age Celts were the dominant people until the Romans invaded in , eventally they withdrew in around 400AD and left Britain to the invadeding Angles and Saxons. The Danes controlled northern England in the 9th century but it was in 1066 that the Normans( still vikings really) invaded and defearted King Harold. A long monarchy , and numerous wars with the French and Spanish prevailed with Henry Vlll, Elizabeth l taking the helm. Charles the first lost his head in the English civil war. The Victorians founded the industrial revolution and the British Empire in the 19th century.
The United Kingdom was formed under the Act of Union 1707 when the parliaments of England,Wales and Scotland were joined, Ireland was added in 1801. In 1922 Southern Ireland broke away leaving the British loyalists in Northern Ireland. This move led to the terroist led conflict which wanted all of ireland to be irish and not part of the UK.
Britain was not invaded during the world wars but suffered losses on the battlefields of europe, severe damage to its cities. The D day landings in Europe came from Southern England and led to the defeat of the Nazis. Post war Britain saw the establishment of the welfare state and involvement in wars in Korea, Falkland islands , Iraq and Afghanistan.
Culturally the UK since the 1960s has seen significant immigration from all ove rthe world but predominantly the Commonwealth countries. So as well as fish and chips - curry is now a part of british culture!
The Beatles,Queen,Elton John,James Bond are all British exports.