If you are looking for a peaceful hiking holiday that gives you the time to explore the natural beauty surrounding you at your own pace, look no further thank our selected trails below. We have two great trails that inherently offer relaxation as part of your daily hike from England and Spain.
Immerse yourself in Roman history with each unhurried step along the Hadrian’s Wall Path as it snakes across the rolling hills of northern England. Enduringly popular, hikers return year on year to sample it’s easy going pleasure. Depending on where you’d like to start from you can hike from the East or West side of England.
The leader in slow adventures is the Camino Frances. It leads you gently through some of Spain’s most beautiful scenery and the company of other hikers or pilgrims along the way is what sets it apart from other tours. We have in fact developed specific slow adventure tours with your desire for relaxed hiking in mind.
We’ve carefully chosen two hiking trails that are perfect for those who prefer a slower pace and time to take things in at their leisure. These trails offer hikers a leisurely experience while still allowing you to explore and appreciate the surroundings along the way.
Hadrian’s Wall Path is a 135km (84 mile) National Trail in northern England, renowned for its slow adventure appeal. Spanning from Wallsend on the east coast to Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast, it traces the remnants of Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to 122 AD. This trail offers a historical journey through Roman settlements, forts, and picturesque countryside. With well-maintained paths, gentle ascents and mostly level terrain, it caters perfectly to leisurely walkers of all abilities seeking to delve into Roman history amidst stunning landscapes of the English countryside.
The Camino Frances is renowned for its bonhomie and gentle pace. It’s an unforgettable journey along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes to the shrine of St. James in Santiago de Compostela. As one of the best Slow Adventure hikes, it appeals to all ages and abilities, making it a sought-after experience for gentle hikes. Our ‘Slow Pilgrimage’ hiking tours on the Camino focus on the last 100km between Sarria and Santiago at a slower pace. Over nine or ten relaxed walking days you cover less daily distance than on our standard Gentle itineraries. With just 10 – 15km (6 – 9.5 miles) to walk each day, you will have lots of time to embrace all that the final stage of Camino Frances has to offer. Covering the most popular final 160 km of the route, our tours are ideal for those seeking a pilgrimage or a slow and easy hike, allowing you more time to explore the captivating surroundings as you make friends along the way.
The Algarve Coast’s Authentic East Winding through the peaceful eastern Algarve, these gentle-graded tours invite you to explore at a slower pace. From the cobbled charm of Tavira to the tranquil paths of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, this region is a haven for nature lovers and those seeking a quiet escape. With minimal elevation and time to enjoy the calm beauty of fishing villages, birdwatching havens and island beaches, it’s the ideal introduction to Slow Adventures in Portugal.
The Algarve’s Golden South-West – perfect for hikers eager to soak in expansive ocean views and a golden glow. The gentle graded itineraries offer inspiring yet easy-going tours of this jaw-dropping Portuguese region, making it a fantastic hiking destintation. Following dramatic clifftop paths between traditional towns like Salema and Sagres, these itineraries captures the wild character of the Atlantic coast while keeping the walking pleasantly manageable. The gentle pace gives you time to enjoy golden sand beaches, rugged landscapes and coastal heritage, all under the warm Portuguese sun.
Combining the serene highlights of east and west, this curated itinerary offers the ultimate Algarve experience. Select the gentle tours for an unforgettable Slow Adventurer. You’ll experience the gentle boardwalks and island views of the east, alongside the ocean vistas and fishing villages of the west—without ever needing to rush. Designed for walkers who value variety, beauty, and tranquillity in equal measure, it’s an ideal way to embrace everything the Algarve Coast has to offer, one step at a time.
Match the type of hiking adventure you are looking for by reading through our ‘Best For’ guides below.
Hillwalk Tours has over a decade of experience in organising self-guided hiking holidays. We take pride in specialising & crafting unique and unforgettable hiking tours across Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Spain and Portugal. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a beginner, we have a huge range of tours to match all fitness levels and interests, ensuring a walking holiday with Hillwalk Tours will be an experience of a lifetime.
Furthermore, our core purpose at Hillwalk Tours is to “create experiences that make people happy”, and we strive towards fulfilling this purpose in everything we do. The following are just some examples of what you can expect with Hillwalk Tours as standard: