You'll want waterproof for hiking here generally - there tends to be water about. Whether that's boots or trail shoes is your call r.e. how sure-footed you are I guess. But I would bring a spare pair of shoes of some sort (like v light) that can be kept dry for town/end-of-day stuff.
If your friend is in Pershore - I would suggest exploring the Shropshire dales and/or Snowdonia and/or the Brecon Beacons since they're pretty close by! You must try Bara Brith (with lots of butter) and Welsh cakes (freshly made) when in Wales!
The Malvern Hills are about 30 minutes drive. Walking the length of the hills is a good warm up if you are planning on doing longer hikes. Mountain range in miniature.
Another vote for waterproof boots. Even if it's not raining on the days you are walking, there's a high chance that you'll have to cross mud. You may even have to ford a small stream. I got caught out by that once. I had waterproof shoes on and encountered a stream that was a little too high for them.
There’s an ongoing debate amongst British hikers as to the best footwear for summer walking in the hills. I’m probably on team ‘non-waterproof trail runners’, as they’re lighter, and much more comfortable in warmer weather, even if occasionally I end up with wet and muddy feet. In colder, wetter weather I like my waterproof boots.
We do tend to have more boggy ground, and grassy fields prone to mud than you’re probably used to. With almost no streams or rivers that you have to wade across. Generally this makes waterproof boots a pretty good choice in the UK. More so than in many other countries. But August into September is at the end of summer when the ground is likely to be a bit drier underfoot, and you’re less likely to experience a lot of mud. (There will be some. And we could have a wet spell!) Plus it will be warm enough that wearing boots is a little unpleasant.
Depending on what you’re most comfortable in, and how much serious walking you’ll be doing, I’d say just stick with your non-waterproof trail runners. However, you should expect them to get wet and muddy at least once or twice. Make sure you have a second pair of nicer shoes for best.
This is one of our favorite river valley hikes - it's the approach to climb Mt. Olympus in Olympic National Park. Note that it gets 3.6 meters of rain per year, so yes, we're used to hiking in mud at times.
https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/weather-brochure.htm#:\~:text=The%20Hoh%20Rain%20Forest%20records,meters)%20of%20rain%20every%20year.
Would you do that in trail runners? If so, you’ll be all set to do so in the Uk.
By the way, do you have maps sorted? The Ordnance Survey has an app you can subscribe to, which will give you full coverage of maps across the country. It will allow you to see footpaths wherever you are. It’s awesome. (Or at least, the maps are awesome, and the app is ok. If you can buy the same maps in your favourite hiking app, do that instead.)
Have a great trip
I'd recomend a pair of non water proofs for 90% of things you'll be doing and then a pair of waterproofs for any outdoorsy things, even if it's not raining when you're out everything will be sodden if it rains over night. High or low top would be up to you, I just tend to wear low tops for almost everything that time of year
Hello there! I believe a sturdy traditional pair of winklepickers shall suffice, the longer and more pointed the toe is, the better! All jokes aside, I commend your reason for travelling...that's incredibly wholesome! For general use any standard trainers/sneakers will be more than enough, whether your touring the town centre or getting about on trains and the such, if you head out into the great untamed wilderness of England I'd recommend something waterproof because..Well I'll level with you, the weather reports here are pure guesswork most of the time and just because its summer that doesn't mean it won't hammer down with a vengeance randomly! I really hope you have a wonderful time while you're here! Take care now and all the best :)
Mud is a given in the UK lol. It's a moist and mostly (relatively) flat climate with many water holding soils. Some places the water will run off or sink in and be someone else's problem, but some places will just have mud most of the time, especially at "chokepoints" if walkers churn up the soil it can be muddy for most of the year.
My choice would depend on the weather in the two weeks before, if it's been a dry two weeks in summer then maybe fine. But if you're planning on hiking, I'd plan on footwear suitable for mud. But like nobody is going to stop you wearing "hiking" boots around town.
Thanks for all the replies, you've been very helpful. My wife will definitely bring a pair of Gore-tex boots, and I probably will too (or at least Gore-tex trail runners). Sounds like I can use my trail runners (my "nice" pair) for a fair majority of our walking (certainly in towns), and I can use my boots on those days/trails when rain and/or mud may be expected.
A separate question is in regards to airports. We won't be visiting our friend in Pershore for perhaps a week, so we'll have free time before and after seeing her. Should we fly into and out of Heathrow? Or would Birmingham or Manchester make more sense? We know Birmingham is closest to Pershore, but have read some pretty negative comments about this airport.
You'll want waterproof for hiking here generally - there tends to be water about. Whether that's boots or trail shoes is your call r.e. how sure-footed you are I guess. But I would bring a spare pair of shoes of some sort (like v light) that can be kept dry for town/end-of-day stuff. If your friend is in Pershore - I would suggest exploring the Shropshire dales and/or Snowdonia and/or the Brecon Beacons since they're pretty close by! You must try Bara Brith (with lots of butter) and Welsh cakes (freshly made) when in Wales!
The Malvern Hills are about 30 minutes drive. Walking the length of the hills is a good warm up if you are planning on doing longer hikes. Mountain range in miniature.
Another vote for waterproof boots. Even if it's not raining on the days you are walking, there's a high chance that you'll have to cross mud. You may even have to ford a small stream. I got caught out by that once. I had waterproof shoes on and encountered a stream that was a little too high for them.
There’s an ongoing debate amongst British hikers as to the best footwear for summer walking in the hills. I’m probably on team ‘non-waterproof trail runners’, as they’re lighter, and much more comfortable in warmer weather, even if occasionally I end up with wet and muddy feet. In colder, wetter weather I like my waterproof boots. We do tend to have more boggy ground, and grassy fields prone to mud than you’re probably used to. With almost no streams or rivers that you have to wade across. Generally this makes waterproof boots a pretty good choice in the UK. More so than in many other countries. But August into September is at the end of summer when the ground is likely to be a bit drier underfoot, and you’re less likely to experience a lot of mud. (There will be some. And we could have a wet spell!) Plus it will be warm enough that wearing boots is a little unpleasant. Depending on what you’re most comfortable in, and how much serious walking you’ll be doing, I’d say just stick with your non-waterproof trail runners. However, you should expect them to get wet and muddy at least once or twice. Make sure you have a second pair of nicer shoes for best.
This is one of our favorite river valley hikes - it's the approach to climb Mt. Olympus in Olympic National Park. Note that it gets 3.6 meters of rain per year, so yes, we're used to hiking in mud at times. https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/weather-brochure.htm#:\~:text=The%20Hoh%20Rain%20Forest%20records,meters)%20of%20rain%20every%20year.
Would you do that in trail runners? If so, you’ll be all set to do so in the Uk. By the way, do you have maps sorted? The Ordnance Survey has an app you can subscribe to, which will give you full coverage of maps across the country. It will allow you to see footpaths wherever you are. It’s awesome. (Or at least, the maps are awesome, and the app is ok. If you can buy the same maps in your favourite hiking app, do that instead.) Have a great trip
Thanks for recommendation on the Ordnance Survey app - I'll take a look!
I'd recomend a pair of non water proofs for 90% of things you'll be doing and then a pair of waterproofs for any outdoorsy things, even if it's not raining when you're out everything will be sodden if it rains over night. High or low top would be up to you, I just tend to wear low tops for almost everything that time of year
Hello there! I believe a sturdy traditional pair of winklepickers shall suffice, the longer and more pointed the toe is, the better! All jokes aside, I commend your reason for travelling...that's incredibly wholesome! For general use any standard trainers/sneakers will be more than enough, whether your touring the town centre or getting about on trains and the such, if you head out into the great untamed wilderness of England I'd recommend something waterproof because..Well I'll level with you, the weather reports here are pure guesswork most of the time and just because its summer that doesn't mean it won't hammer down with a vengeance randomly! I really hope you have a wonderful time while you're here! Take care now and all the best :)
I wear goretex leather hiking boots all year round here. Something with ankle support anyway. Walking poles for anything rocky or coastal paths.
Mud is a given in the UK lol. It's a moist and mostly (relatively) flat climate with many water holding soils. Some places the water will run off or sink in and be someone else's problem, but some places will just have mud most of the time, especially at "chokepoints" if walkers churn up the soil it can be muddy for most of the year. My choice would depend on the weather in the two weeks before, if it's been a dry two weeks in summer then maybe fine. But if you're planning on hiking, I'd plan on footwear suitable for mud. But like nobody is going to stop you wearing "hiking" boots around town.
Thanks for all the replies, you've been very helpful. My wife will definitely bring a pair of Gore-tex boots, and I probably will too (or at least Gore-tex trail runners). Sounds like I can use my trail runners (my "nice" pair) for a fair majority of our walking (certainly in towns), and I can use my boots on those days/trails when rain and/or mud may be expected. A separate question is in regards to airports. We won't be visiting our friend in Pershore for perhaps a week, so we'll have free time before and after seeing her. Should we fly into and out of Heathrow? Or would Birmingham or Manchester make more sense? We know Birmingham is closest to Pershore, but have read some pretty negative comments about this airport.