Walking & Trekking Grades

Reality Check

Our walking and trekking trips are designed to be accessible to all who are in good health and enjoy the outdoors, but fitness levels are important and you should consider carefully which trip is right for you. Our grading system is there to help you choose a trip appropriate to your ability and requirements. For harder trips the correct preparation can vastly enhance your enjoyment; stamina building aerobic activities such as regular cycling, swimming, jogging and walking beforehand will make a noticeable difference.

There is no need to worry about not walking fast enough or holding back the group. All you need to focus on is your ability to complete the route. Everyone has his or her own comfortable pace and we always strive to accommodate this. All Walking & Trekking holidays present physical demands, so expect to feel some tiredness even after a ‘leisurely’, A-grade, day’s walking. Grades are only a guide, and we advise reading the Trip Notes for more information.

Know your grade?

For a simple way to see which walks and treks suit your ability please use the advanced search which will show you all our trips at a particular difficulty.

How we grade our Walking & Trekking holidays

When grading a trip the following factors are considered:

• Length of trek and walking day
• Trail conditions underfoot
• Level of porterage and support
• Maximum altitude and average
• Elevation gain/loss per day
• Likely prevailing weather conditions
• Temperature range
• Remoteness of local services and general level of comfort

Leisurely (Grade A)

Experience is not necessary; anyone fit and healthy enough to complete a weekend walk can manage a Leisurely, A-grade departure. 

Go straight to the Leisurely (Grade A) holidays page.

Moderate (Grade B)

Again, no experience is necessary; those who take weekend hill walks in areas like the Peak District or Cotswold’s at home should manage a B-grade trek; good health and reasonable fitness are important. These Moderately graded departures are either fairly easy medium-duration walks or harder, shorter walks. 

Go straight to the Moderate (Grade B) holidays page.

Challenging (Grade C)

Fitness is important and you may have to improve yours before departure. Most treks at this grade compare to extended walking in mountainous terrain such as the Lakes or Snowdonia, but usually at significantly higher altitudes; climate and remoteness can also play a part. Previous trekking experience is desirable, but not vital if you are confident of your physical condition. 

Go straight to the Challenging (Grade C) holidays page.

Tough (Grade D)

Those experienced in trekking for a number of consecutive days in the Scottish Highlands, will understand how tough treks at this grade can be – stamina is essential, as walking days are long. We recommend previous trekking experience, preferably at altitude; you need complete confidence in your physical condition and the ability to trek for many days over difficult terrain. 

Go straight to the Grade D (Tough) holidays page.

Tough + (Grade E)

An E grade tour combines all the elements of our D Grade, tough itineraries, but includes climbing a glaciated mountain peak. Specialist equipment, like ice axes and crampons will be needed and you should have experience of them. Please check the Trip Notes carefully to ensure that your experience and equipment meets the demands of an E Grade trip.

Go straight to the Tough + (Grade E) holidays page.

Split and Optional Grades

In order to provide a more accurate grading system, where a trip falls between two grades we use an intermediate or split grade, for example A/B. Occasionally, there are optional ascents available en route, in this case the optional grade is indicated in brackets, for example Grade C (climb E).

Clearly, conditions may differ from region-to-region or month-to-month and as such the information given on these pages is designed to act as a guide only. In all cases you should refer to the respective holiday's Trip Notes for further details.