We do not always drive to the trailhead. Some of the best hikes in the Peak District, Lake District and Yorkshire are actually accessible by train, and with the right apps on your phone the whole thing is simpler than you would expect.
Here are the tools we use to plan car-free hiking trips across the UK.
Trainline
Our default for booking rail tickets. Clean interface, easy to compare flexible fares versus advance tickets, and the app stores your tickets offline so you do not need signal at the station. Set up a price alert if your dates are flexible, they can save you a decent amount.
Railcard app
If you do not already have a Railcard, get one. The Two Together Railcard saves us a third off most journeys and has paid for itself many times over. Store it digitally on your phone so you are not hunting for a physical card in your pack at the barrier.
Avanti, Northern, TransPennine Express apps
Regional operators often have direct booking that is cheaper than aggregators for their own routes. Northern Rail covers a huge chunk of Peak District and Yorkshire access. Worth having on your phone for last-minute bookings.
Google Maps transit mode
Underrated for hiking trip planning. Drop a pin on your trailhead and check transit directions. It will show you which station to aim for, how long the walk from the station is, and connecting bus options you might not have known about.
Busvit / Traveline
For the last mile from the station to the trailhead, rural bus services are your friend. Traveline covers the whole UK. Busvit is particularly good for real-time bus info in areas with patchy signal.
A few good train-access hikes
Edale station drops you right at the foot of the Pennine Way and is minutes from Kinder Scout. Hope station for Castleton. Hayfield is reachable by bus from New Mills Newtown station. Marsden in West Yorkshire is the start of several cracking moorland routes. None of these need a car.