10 Best hotels for walking holidays in the UK

Recommending some of their favourite locations for a hearty stroll and natural inspiration, here the Good Hotel Guide shares 10 of their top UK hotels for walking and hiking.

An idyllic combination of old-world charm and modern comforts, The Rose & Crown is all flagstone floors, roaring fires and dinners by candlelight—the perfect place for a cosy autumn evening. Step out of this country inn and you’re greeted by some of the best walking territory in Teesdale.

The hotel recommends routes along the River Tees to see High Force, one of England’s most spectacular waterfalls, and across nearby fells such as Cronkley and Widdybank, as well as through Hamsterley forest. They’ll send you off with maps and a packed lunch.

Famous for its food, this 17th-century manor house in the Peak District is owned by Lord and Lady Manners, built for the steward of their stately home, Haddon Hall.

It's filled with antiques and is set in excellent walking country, and the hotel recommends circular routes, such as a six-mile walk taking in Stanton Moor, and one taking in the Haddon Estate itself. Return to the brick-and-beamed bar, and a triple AA-rosette restaurant.

Wake to salty sea air and unwind to spectacular sunsets at The White Horse in North Norfolk. Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the hotel has 15 comfortable bedrooms and is a haven for walkers.

Explore the marshland and sandy coast, with its vast skies and teeming bird life, from the doorstep of this pub-with-rooms. Brancaster beach and Scolt Head Island National Nature Reserve are a stone’s throw away. 

Walking guides and maps are available at this traditional country house, and the staff know the local area backwards. The Dales are on the doorstep; the Forest of Bowland is only a mile away, and there are circular walks from the doorstep exploring the nearby "limestone country" of Crummackdale.

This Victorian villa near Lake Windermere is an intimate hotel that has been praised for its warm welcome and its eco-friendly credentials, the former Victorian country retreat is a five-minute walk from the shore as well as a convenient stroll from town. Rest in canopy beds and prepare for a day of exploration.

The inn recommends walks ranging from gentle ambles to tougher hikes. Follow the Riverside Walk along the River Brathay past Skelwith Force waterfall, or the Coffin Road, which takes in the boutiques and cafés of Grasmere. Revive yourself with one of Cedar Manor’s delicious afternoon teas.

In a dramatic landscape at Haytor Vale, The Rock Inn in the heart of Dartmoor is a historic inn made of multiple quarrymen’s cottages. They were built in 1820 and have since become a much-loved pub-with-rooms with four, well-earned stars for its warm welcome and "steadfastly traditional" approach to hospitality.

There is no shortage of gorgeous walks through varied terrain to take from this hotel in Dartmoor National Park. Staff will recommend routes from the doorstep, such as the delightful "bluebell walk" in spring. 

An 18th-century farmhouse turned B&B, Dolffanog Fawr is in an awe-inspiring location and brings contemporary interiors to a heritage property. Charming details include local artwork, a Welsh throw and fine toiletries in all the bedrooms. Wake to views to Cader Idris and Tal-y-llyn lake, and two-course supper may be provided if enough guests request it.

There are walks to suit everyone in the surrounding area. Take the four and a half mile route around the peak of Moel Cynwch above the Mawddach valley, for example, the various pathways along Cader Idris, or the rather more challenging and less explored Tarren Hills.

A Grade II listed, 17th-century house is now a three star hotel with an award-winning restaurant set in eight acres of grounds in the heart of the Peak District National Park.  Charmingly designed to honour its heritage but provide a contemporary stay, guests enjoy comfortable rooms, attentive service, and excellent food in the oak-beamed dining room.

It's also in a magnificent location for exploring the surrounding area. Set off from the doorstep (with a packed lunch) along Wolfscote Dale—"one of the most beautiful walks in the Peak District", a Good Hotel Guide reader writes.

Wake in the morning to beautiful views of the Borrowdale valley and fells at Leathes Head Hotel. The wisteria-draped, Edwardian country house B&B offers old school charm and contemporary hospitality, with the option to spend your days playing croquet, reading books and tucking into cream teas.

Situated in perhaps the most picturesque valley in the Lake District, the proprietors recommend the 10-mile walk around Derwentwater, the lakeshore stroll from Hawes End to Lodore Falls, or the more strenuous hike to the top of Catbells. You can take maps and a packed lunch for a whole day of exploration.

Hidden away on Argyll's Secret Coast, The Colintraive sits in a quiet village of the same name, in a Designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Overlooking The Loch Lomond National Park, it's just two hours from Glasgow but feels a million miles away. There are four charming rooms to stay in, with comfy beds and sea views across to the Island of Bute.

Sailors delight in using their sailors' facilities and five moorings close to the hotel. Dining, meanwhile, is a feast of local seafood, the best beef from the Island of Bute and Winston Churchill's game, washed down with locally produced gins, whiskies and real ales. Work up an appetite walking the coast along the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way, or hikers can tackle Munros a short drive away.