Short Escapes in Britain, 2nd Edition

I traveled regularly to the UK for a few months and this book provided us with plans for our 15 most memorable weekends. Most walks take you to locations that you probably wouldn't encounter if you stuck to a typical guidebook. We particularly liked the walks in the western and southern part of the country. We used recommendations for B & Bs in Wales and the Southwest. One of the paths for the walk was overgrown and we got lost for 30 minutes or so...no big deal. You won't need hiking shoes/gear for these walks, but bring a backpack with water and a snack and if you are traveling in the springtime, paths can get a little muddy and you will almost certainly need a change of shoes (and possibly a change of pants). Even if you are only going to be in the UK for a couple of weeks, I would recommend mixing 2 or 3 of these walks into your trip.

I'm not big on walking, and this book only has four hikes for Scotland, so why would I bother buying it when I took a trip to Scotland about ten years ago? Because leafing through it, the hike to Dunnottar Castle (and the castle itself) sounded so intriguing, and so cool, that I decided I had to go. My "regular" travel guide just mentioned the castle in part of one paragraph, but that hike was the highlight of my entire trip. I ended up doing 3 of the 4 Scottish walks instead of just the one. Many of the expeditions are really easy: you don't need hiking boots, stamina, or experience, and they take you to specific interesting destinations. It's fun to read even if you don't actually go on the walks, but you'll sure want to once you've read the book.

This valuable little book really aided our trip and gave us lots of ideas for planning other trips as well. Very readable and thankfully for all budgets! Highly recommended! (Especially good on the plane, bus or train, too!)