Five best HF Holidays destinations that star in BBC Two’s Take a Hike

BBC Two's brand-new series of Take a Hike hit our screens again last week and we couldn’t be more excited. Now in its second season, the show sees keen British walkers go head-to-head to showcase the most beautiful countryside walks the UK has to offer. And while we love the outdoor life at HF Holidays, this is sofa time well spent – not least because it features some of our favourite walking destinations. Here’s a roundup of the best from both series so far.

The Northumberland coast has earned its Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status and the 12.5-mile hike from Newton-by-the-Sea to Alnmouth showcases why. It ticks off the sweeping sands of Embleton Bay, the coastal village of Craster (famous for its kippers), and the dramatic sea-facing ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle - a 14th century fortress that was the focus of fierce fighting during the Wars of the Roses. This superb walking route and several others are in easy reach of Nether Grange - our historic country house in the heart of Alnmouth.

Whether you’re a Harry Potter fan or a history buff, little beats watching one of Scotland’s most famous steam trains chug its way over the 18-metre-tall Glenfinnan Viaduct. A relic from the golden age of rail travel, The Jacobite starred as the Hogwarts Express in no less than three of the blockbuster films about the boy wizard. It’s fair to say we add extra magic to the experience of seeing it cross the columned arches during a boat cruise on the sparkling waters of Loch Shiel as part of our Scottish Highlands Discovery Tour.

Reaching a whopping 603 miles long, the South West Coast Path covers Cornwall, North Devon, and West Somerset. The section that runs along the coast of Exmoor National Park is a breathtaking landscape cherished for its ponies, velvet dark skies, and seemingly endless selection of walking and hiking trails. Pop into Porlock Weir for a harbourside stroll, visit Bossington Beach (one of Somerset’s best stretches of shingle coastline), or head up to Selworthy Beacon for brilliant views of the Bristol Channel

Part of the 109-mile-long Cleveland Way, one of our favourite walks along the Yorkshire coast is just a skip away from our characterful country house, Larpool Hall. Follow the wave-washed coastline to the village of Ravenscar and onto Robin Hood’s Bay - the final stop on the legendary coast to coast route made famous by British fell walker and author, Alfred Wainwright. Must-dos in this former smuggling haunt include spending time at the Old Coastguards Station, visiting Old St Stephen’s Church, and fossil-hunting at Boggle Hole.

Scenery-packed walking routes are in plentiful supply in the Southern Yorkshire Dales but the most standout lead to Malham Cove – the towering limestone cliffs formed millions of years ago by melting glaciers. Walk alongside the River Aire to discover the very countryside which inspired Wordsworth to write a sonnet and Charles Kingsley to pen The Water Babies. Or take the more taxing route over Weets Top for superb views of the rugged gorge known as Gordale Scar. Best of all, our mid-19th century manor house, Newfield Hall, is just a few miles from the cove’s namesake village.