Adventure travel company, Highlander, have launched their first backpacking excursion in the UK.
Describing themselves as "the leading long-distance hiking event series in the world," the team specialise in putting on multi-day hiking programmes in some of the most beautiful locations, from the Big Bear Lake in California to the Dolomites in Italy.
Their inaugural location in the UK? The equally scenic Lake District.
Highlander events are true rough-and-ready, immersive adventures, perfect for those looking to take their hiking up a notch and embrace a physical and mental challenge whilst breathing in the rugged natural surroundings – and embracing the elements!
The first Highlander Lake District took place in July 2023 and saw hundreds of hikers sign up for either the Hercules – a 100km trek over five days, with a total ascent of 5,200m – or the Pegasus – a 50km route over three days with a 2,600m ascent.
The idea is to go back to basics, packing light and carrying everything you need on your back – including a tent for well-earned nightly rest – and become a self-contained nomad.
The group set off together – with maps, important information and food provided by the Highlander team – and follow the assigned route to a different check point at the end of each day. At the check point, tired hikers set up their tents and rest their legs around an evening campfire. There's activities going on, from music to navigation workshops, and a yoga stretch first thing in the morning before you set off again.
The Highlander team provide lots of helpful information on the weather, what to pack and what to expect before the event starts. They also have members of a mountain safety team dotted along all routes.
It's worth noting that a good level of fitness is essential for this style of hike, and incline training is a must. The team recommend practising with a 5–7kg backpack before the event, and gradually increasing that to 15–17kg. Even for experienced walkers and hikers, carrying a heavy backpack presents a whole new challenge.
Registration and early bird discounts for the Highlander Lake District 2024 are now open. Have you got it in you?
11 best family tents to buy for 2025
Easy Camp Moonlight Spire Tipi
This tent plays the part and looks the part with fun, festival-style bunting. It has room for 4 people and can be pitched up in just 9 minutes.
It also comes with numerous other features to make your camping experience more pleasurable, including a covered roof vent to create good airflow throughout the tent and an A-frame pole system, which means no frustrating centre pole.
Decathlon's highly rated inflatable two-bedroom model would suit a family of four with younger kids (it might be a bit of a squash with teenagers). The sleeping areas with blackout technology frame the living room, which is large enough for a person to stand up (1.95m at the highest point) and provides a decent space to shelter in bad weather. Happy campers say it's "well worth the money" and "kids love it". Reviewers praise it for being quick to put up and take down but warn that it's heavy to carry.
There's room for the whole family and your bags in this six-man tent – which is made up of three large separate sleeping areas, plus a spacious standing height socialising area.
It also comes with numerous breathable features, including a familiar dome style with large ventilation, flysheet doors and a small PVC window placed within the roof – to make summer camping all the more enjoyable.
KLONDIKE
This tent sleeps six people and features vertical door for easy access – especially in bad weather. It also comes with numerous thoughtful features to make your camping experience more comfortable, including mesh to keep insects out, the door located under eaves for rain protection, and multiple hanging lantern points.
This is a bigger version of the Quechua tent, this time with four bedroom compartments. One happy camper says: "Went up very well with simple easy-to-follow instructions, stayed in place during 40mph winds overnight."
Put this together in no time thanks to the tent's colour-coded poles. The tent has plenty of clever design features too, like a roomy front porch for backpacks and muddy boots, as well as a 5000mm hydrostatic head for waterproof protection in moderate to heavy rainfall.
Coleman Meadowood 4 Person Large Tent With Blackout Bedrooms
This large family tent for four has an extended open front porch area offering more living space with protection from the elements during the Great British summer. The front porch can be closed off for extra weather protection, too. The tent offers good head height throughout, as well as several large windows for plenty of light.
The two bedrooms are extra-large and comfortably fit larger airbeds, while the black-out technology blocks daylight and reduces the temperature during the day. You'll also find zipped window shades on the windows, ensuring flexible levels of privacy.
Boutique Camping is known for its bell tents and this innovative inflatable domed-shaped one is part of its range. It pumps up in a few minutes and offers a glamorous night under the stars. We like the large windows (something you don't usually get on a traditional bell tent) and as it's all one space, you can configure beds how you like – to make it extra special, you could add the likes of rugs and a table for a glamping feel. This one also comes in three and four-man sizes.
No prior camping experience is required to put this tent into action. With clear instructions, colour-coded poles and pre-attached guide ropes, two people were able to pitch it in hardly any time at all. The inner pod was really easy to fit, too.
Inside, there wasn't enough height to comfortably stand, but it otherwise felt spacious. Expect ample room for two people in each pod, plus some storage space in the middle. Comfort-wise, it felt light and airy, and our testers liked that the door doubled as a shade. At this price, it's great value.
Vango Tay 300 3 Man Tent
Ideal for first-time campers or festival goers, this three-man tent is a great all-rounder for those who don't want to spend a lot.
It comes with a gothic arch pole, which provides shelter from the weather at the entrance, as well as offering gives great space and stability.
Coleman Octagon Festival Dome Tent
One of Amazon's best-selling dome tents, this allows for everyone to fully stand and it can be configured to suit your needs, including as a luxuriously large glamping tent for two. It also comes with a removable partition curtain so you can separate it into two areas if you wish.
It's easy to pitch thanks to the colour-coded poles. and this one comes into its own in good weather. You can remove the outer shell and expose the six windows. The tent's well ventilated but at night some users reported it being chilly due to the gap between the mostly mesh inner and the outer layers – this is best one to use in the summer months.
Emma-Louise Pritchard is the Membership Director for Country Living UK & House Beautiful UK, previously Executive Digital Editor for Country Living UK. Emma-Louise is a digital expert specialising in content strategy, social media and newsletters. Her topics include sustainability, homes and interiors, gardening, health and wellbeing, pets, travel and countryside news. She has previously written for Good Housekeeping and Cosmopolitan and has won several awards, from AOP Digital Editor of the Year 2019 to PPA 30 Under 30. Emma-Louise studied at Cardiff University where she completed an MA in Magazine Journalism.
