Find a trail. Take the first step.
Trailhead is where outdoor days begin. Short challenges near home, guided tours with someone who knows the way, and routes for every level of fitness. No gear lists to memorise. Just a place to start.
Everything you need to go outside
Trailhead is built for the person who has never done this before, and stays useful once you have.
Trails sorted by effort
Every walk has a clear level: easy, moderate, or hard. Easy means a flat path you could do in trainers. We tell you the distance, the climb, and how long it usually takes, so there are no surprises.
Side quests near you
Short, playful challenges you can finish in an afternoon. Find a viewpoint, reach a waymarker, walk a loop. Small goals that get you out the door without planning a whole expedition.
Guided tours
If you would rather not navigate, join a tour. A local guide sets the pace, points out what you would have walked past, and makes sure everyone gets back. Good for first timers and groups.
Maps that work without signal
Download a route before you leave and it stays on your phone. You can follow the line and see where you are even when there is no reception, which is most of the best places.
Plain safety basics
Before each trail we tell you what to bring, when the light fades, and where the path gets tricky. Written for someone who has never read a trail sign, not for experts.
Go at your own pace
Track the walks you finish, save the ones you want to try, and watch the harder routes open up as you build up. There is no leaderboard to lose. The only person you are keeping up with is you.
You do not need to be a hiker. You just need to go for a walk.
Trailhead exists to make the outdoors feel like an invitation, not a test. Pick something small, see how it feels, come back for more.
Your first trail is closer than you think
The app is free. Pick a side quest, follow the line, and see where the afternoon goes.
Small adventures, done by sundown.
A side quest is a short, local challenge. No early start, no big drive, no special kit. Most take an hour or two and leave you feeling like you got away with something on an ordinary day.
What a side quest looks like
Each one is a single, clear goal. You will know exactly when you have finished it.
Reach the viewpoint
Walk to a spot we have marked for the view, take it in, walk back. Often a gentle uphill of twenty to forty minutes. The reward does the rest.
Walk the loop
A circular route that brings you back to where you parked or stepped off the bus. Loops are friendly because you never have to retrace your steps or work out the way home.
Find the waymarker
A small treasure hunt. Follow the clues to an old milestone, a carved stone, or a bench with a story. You learn a little about where you live along the way.
Beat the dusk
Set off in the late afternoon and aim to be back before the light goes. A simple, satisfying loop with the timing built in so you are never caught out in the dark.
Why people start here
Low stakes, real reward
Side quests are the easiest way into the outdoors, and the easiest habit to keep.
Done in an afternoon
Nothing here needs a free weekend. If you have ninety minutes, you have time for a side quest. That is the whole point.
Find one near youNo navigation worry
Routes are short and well marked, and the app shows you the line the whole way. You can put the phone away and just walk, knowing it is there if you need it.
See easy routesA reason to explore home
Most side quests are minutes from where you already are. They turn the patch of green you drive past every day into somewhere worth stopping.
Open the mapStart small. Finish something today.
A side quest is proof that going outside does not have to be a big plan. It can just be a good hour.
Pick a side quest and go
Open the app, see what is near you, and choose one. You will be back before dinner.
Let someone who knows lead the way.
On a guided tour you do not plan, navigate, or worry about getting lost. A local guide sets the pace, watches the weather, and shows you the things you would have walked straight past. Just turn up and walk.
What you get on a guided tour
Tours are the gentlest way in for anyone who feels unsure about going out alone.
A real guide, not an app
Someone who has walked the route many times leads the group. They set a comfortable pace, answer questions, and make sure nobody is left behind. You can relax and look around.
Nothing to plan
The route, the timing, the meeting point, and what to bring are all sorted before you arrive. You get a simple checklist the day before and that is it.
Good for groups and solos
Come with friends or come on your own and meet people who are doing the same. Tours are sized so the group stays together and conversation is easy.
Stories along the way
The best part of a guide is everything they point out. The plant you can eat, the ruin nobody notices, why the path bends where it does. The walk becomes a place with a history.
Picked for your level
Each tour says clearly who it suits. Gentle morning strolls for first timers, longer days for people who want more. You choose one that matches how you feel, not how brave you are pretending to be.
Looked after, start to finish
The guide carries a first aid kit, knows where the path gets tricky, and decides if the weather means changing the plan. Your only job is to enjoy the walk.
Tours for every kind of day
From a quiet morning to a full day out, there is a tour that fits.
Gentle morning walk
A short, flat tour of two to three hours, usually finished by lunch. Perfect for a first ever guided walk or a relaxed weekend morning.
Half day out
A four to five hour route with a proper rest stop and a bit of climbing. Enough to feel like a real adventure without needing to train for it.
Full day, big views
A longer day for people who have a few walks behind them and want a memorable one. The guide handles the route so you can focus on the scenery.
Questions people ask before their first tour
Yes. Start with a gentle morning walk. They are designed for people who have not walked far in a while. The guide keeps a pace that suits the whole group, and there is no shame in a breather. Everyone finishes.
You will not get lost, because the guide is leading and the group stays together. If you need to slow down, the pace slows down. That is what the guide is there for.
For most tours, comfortable shoes, a water bottle, and a light waterproof are plenty. You get a short list the day before that tells you exactly what to bring for that specific walk and the weather.
Many people do. Tours are a friendly way to walk with others without having to organise anything. You are welcome on your own, and you will not feel out of place.
Book a tour and just show up
Find a guided walk near you, pick one that matches how you feel, and let someone else handle the rest.
Routes for every pair of legs.
When you are ready to set your own pace, Trailhead has the routes. Every hike is rated by effort and described in plain terms, so you can pick one that fits today rather than guessing and turning back halfway.
How we rate every route
Three levels, described honestly. No jargon, no false modesty.
Easy
Flat or gently rolling, on a clear path you could walk in trainers. Usually under two hours. Good for a first hike, a walk with kids, or a slow recovery day. If you can walk to the shops, you can do an easy route.
Moderate
Some real climbing, a few uneven stretches, two to four hours of walking. You will feel it in your legs and want proper shoes and water. A fair challenge once a few easy routes are behind you.
Hard
Long, steep, or rough underfoot, often a full day. These ask for fitness, planning, and the right kit. We are honest about what they take so you only choose one when you are genuinely ready.
What each route tells you before you go
Every hike opens with the same set of facts, so you always know what you are signing up for.
- Difficulty
- Easy, moderate, or hard, in plain words
- Distance
- Total length there and back, or around a loop
- Climb
- How much you go up across the whole walk
- Time
- How long it usually takes at a relaxed pace
- Shape
- Loop, there and back, or one way
- Surface
- Path, track, or rough ground, and where it changes
- Tricky sections
- Steep, slippery, or exposed spots flagged in advance
- What to bring
- A short kit list matched to the route and the season
- Daylight
- When the light goes, so you can time your start
- Downloadable map
- Saved to your phone, works with no signal
- Live position
- See where you are on the line using your phone's location
- Wrong turn alert
- A gentle nudge if you drift off the route
Pick the route that fits today. Not the one you wish you could do.
Honest ratings mean you finish what you start. Build up through easy and moderate, and the hard routes will be there when your legs are.
Find your next route
Browse hikes near you, sorted by how hard they are, and download one before you head out.
The app is free. The hard part is the front door.
Trailhead is free to download and free to use. There is no level to reach before you are allowed to enjoy it. Here is everything you need to go from never to your first finished walk.
Four steps to your first walk
You can do all of this from the sofa tonight and be out the door tomorrow.
1. Get the app
Download Trailhead for free. No subscription to start, no card needed. Make an account so the app can remember the walks you save and finish.
2. See what is near you
The app shows trails around you on a map, with the easy ones marked clearly. Start with something close. The best first walk is the one you can actually get to.
3. Download it before you leave
Tap to save the route to your phone while you are still on wifi. Out on the trail there is often no signal, and a saved route still shows you the line and where you are.
4. Follow the line and enjoy it
On the trail, the app shows the route and your position. Walk it at your pace, stop when you like, and tap finish at the end. That is one walk done. The next one is easier.
What to bring on an easy walk
You almost certainly have all of this already. Do not buy anything to start.
Comfortable shoes
Trainers are fine for easy routes. You want something you can walk in for an hour without getting blisters, not specialist boots.
Water and a snack
A bottle of water and something to eat. Walking makes you hungrier than you expect, and a snack at the viewpoint is half the fun.
A light waterproof
Weather changes. A packable rain jacket weighs almost nothing and means a shower does not end the day.
A charged phone
Your map, your location, and your camera all in one. Set off with a full battery and the route already downloaded.
First time questions, answered plainly
Yes. Downloading Trailhead and using the trails, side quests, and offline maps costs nothing. Guided tours are run by local guides and are booked separately, but everything you need to walk on your own is free.
Start with a side quest or an easy route close to home. Both are short, well marked, and designed for someone doing this for the first time. You do not need any experience or special gear.
Download your route before you go. The app shows the line and your position even with no signal, and nudges you if you drift off the path. On easy routes the paths are clear and the walks are short, so there is little to go wrong.
Not for easy routes. If you can walk for an hour on flat ground, you can start today. Fitness comes from doing it. Pick easy walks, do a few, and you will be surprised how soon moderate feels doable.
Yes. Easy routes and loop side quests are good with children and grandparents. Check the distance and time on each route and pick one that suits the slowest walker in the group.
Download Trailhead and take the first step
It is free, it is for beginners, and your first walk is waiting just down the road.