The UK's Most Instagrammable Mountains to Run, Walk or Climb

The UK's Most Instagrammable Mountains to Run, Walk or Climb

19/07/2022

With the release of our recent 247 Run collection, you may be looking for some new ways to challenge yourself, and what better way than a walk, run or climb up a mountain.

The UK is home to many mountains, all of which can be completed within a day. There aren’t many readily attainable exercise pursuits which beat the sense of accomplishment that you get when reaching the summit of a mountain. Additionally, the challenge of the journey to the top can often be alleviated by the stunning aesthetic of the views.

With so many to choose from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we know that you’re likely to be wanting a mountain which you can get some aesthetic photos on. We’ve narrowed down your search and found the most instagrammable mountains for you to conquer next.

 

 

1) Snowdon - 168,000 Location Tags

    Taking home the title of most instagrammable mountain hike in the UK is Snowdon, located in Snowdonia, Wales. Standing at 1,085 metres above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Wales. Thus far, Snowdon has around 168,000 Instagram location tags, due to its fantastic views, notable height, and high number of routes to the summit. You can expect a hike to the peak and back down to take around 5-7 hours, but this obviously depends on the route that you take and your pace.

     

    2) Pen y Fan - 146,000 Location Tags

    Coming in as the second most instagrammable mountain is Pen y Fan, with 146,000 Instagram tags at this time. Located in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales, Pen y Fan is the highest peak in South Wales, clocking in at 886 metres above sea level. You can expect it to take around two hours to reach the summit, and it is advised that you have a reasonable fitness level to walk the four mile route.


    3) Scafell Pike - 85,100 Location Tags

      Scafell Pike is officially both the most Instagrammable mountain and the tallest mountain in England, with 85,100 Instagram location tags and 978 metres in height. Located in the Lake District in Cumbria, England, it can be accessed from three different valleys: Borrowdale, Wasdale and Great Langdale, each offering varying difficulty but equally picturesque views all the way to the summit.

       

      4) Helvellyn - 78,700 Location Tags

      Coming in at 4th is Helvellyn, the third highest point in England, after Scafell Pike and Scafell, with 78,700 Instagram location tags. Helvellyn is said to be an easier peak to summit than Scafell Pike, and the estimated time to walk up and down the mountain is 5 hours, depending on fitness level and pace. There are many routes up Helvellyn, the quickest being from Thirlmere and the longest being from Glenridding, along the picturesque Striding Edge.

       

      5) Ben Nevis - 35,300 Location Tags

        Taking ownership as the fifth most Instagrammable mountain to hike or climb in the UK is Ben Nevis, standing as the highest mountain in the UK at 1,345 metres above sea level and having 35,300 Instagram location. You can expect it to take 4 hours to reach the Summit of Ben Nevis, and a further 2-3 hours to descend. It is possibly due to this longer route and increased difficulty to climb that we don’t see this mountain higher on the ‘most Instagrammable’ scale; with fewer people actually being up for the challenge. Either way, it is definitely an achievable goal to have which is sure to provide spectacular views and possibly the greatest sense of achievement.

         

        The Most Instagrammable Mountains

        Within the top 5 most instagrammable mountains to climb, we’ve seen two from Wales, namely Snowdon and Pen y Fan; two from England, Scafell Pike and Helvellyn, and just one from Scotland, the UK’s highest peak, Ben Nevis. Unfortunately, no mountains from Northern Ireland made it into the top 5, with just one being in the top 15. Slieve Binnian is the most Instagrammable mountain in Northern Ireland and the 10th in the UK, with 20,200 total Instagram location tags.

        England

        1. Scafell Pike - 85,100 Instagram Tags
        2. Helvellyn - 78,700 Instagram Tags 
        3. Blencathra - 26,700 Instagram Tags  

        Scotland

        1. Ben Nevis - 35,300 Instagram Tags
        2. Ben Lomond - 31,700 Instagram Tags
        3. Buachille Etive Mor - 31,200 Instagram Tags 

        Wales 

        1. Snowdon - 168,000 Instagram Tags
        2. Pen y Fan - 146,000 Instagram Tags
        3. Tryfan - 30,400 Instagram Tags 

        Northern Ireland

        1. Slieve Binnian - 20,200 Instagram Tags 
        2. Cuilcagh - 10800 Instagram Tags
        3. Slieve Donard - 5000 Instagram Tags

         

        Methodology

        For this research piece we built a list of over 50 of the most well known mountains in the UK, with at least 10 from each England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We then looked at the number of location tags each Mountain had on Instagram to list the mountains in order of how many location tags they had.

        Closing Thoughts

        Walking, running or climbing mountains is a great way to build strength and endurance, and with so many incredible mountains with picturesque views in the UK, why wouldn't you?

        If you're looking to go hiking this weekend, then why not check out our 247 Run range to do it in? The 247 Run range is curated with pieces that are designed to stand the test of time, with specialised fabrics and fits to optimise your body to perform at its best. With Next Day Delivery, you can be sure to be off on your first mountain hike as soon as tomorrow!