Welcome to the University of Bradford Hiking Society — a friendly and inclusive community for students who want to explore the outdoors, discover incredible landscapes and meet new people along the way.
Whether you are an experienced hiker, completely new to hiking, or simply looking for something different to do away from campus, you are welcome to join us. You don't need to be an expert hiker to get involved; our programme includes a mixture of beginner-friendly walks, moderate hikes and challenging mountain adventures.
We organise regular trips across Yorkshire, the Peak District and beyond, taking students to some of the UK's most beautiful countryside and iconic hiking destinations.
🥾 What we do
Throughout the academic year, we organise a variety of outdoor adventures, including:
- 🌄 Day hikes across Yorkshire and beyond
- ⛰️ Challenging mountain hikes
- 🌿 Scenic countryside and moorland walks
- 💧 Waterfall and river walks
- 🏕️ Camping trips
- 🤝 Collaborations with other University societies
- 📸 Social opportunities and photography
- 🗺️ Exploring new places using public transport
Our hikes range from relaxed walks suitable for beginners to more demanding routes involving significant elevation gain and challenging terrain. Each event includes clear information about the route, distance, difficulty, transport and what you need to bring.
🌍 Explore Yorkshire and beyond
Bradford is surrounded by some incredible hiking destinations, and we make the most of them. Our trips have taken members across areas including the Yorkshire Dales, Calderdale, Brontë Country, Ilkley Moor and the Peak District, with longer adventures taking us further afield.
We aim to make hiking accessible to students by organising the route and transport arrangements, allowing you to concentrate on enjoying the day and meeting other members.
🧗 Something for everyone
Our programme includes different difficulty levels, so you can choose hikes that suit your experience and fitness.
EASY
Relaxed routes with manageable distances and elevation, ideal for beginners.
MODERATE
Longer walks with some climbs and more challenging terrain.
HARD
Longer and more physically demanding routes with significant climbs and potentially difficult terrain.
VERY HARD
Our most challenging mountain adventures. These require good fitness, appropriate equipment and preparation, and may have additional participation requirements.
For harder hikes, we provide detailed information about the route and conditions beforehand. Some particularly demanding trips may also be invite-only to ensure participants are prepared for the challenge.
🌱 New to hiking?
Don't worry!
You don't need previous hiking experience to join the society. Our easier hikes are a great way to get started, meet other members and build confidence before taking on longer or more challenging routes.
We also encourage members to speak to the committee if they are unsure whether a particular hike is suitable for them.
For every hike, we recommend checking the event information carefully and arriving properly prepared with appropriate footwear, clothing, food and water.
🤝 Meet people and make friends
Hiking isn't just about reaching the summit.
Our trips are a great opportunity to meet students from different courses, years and backgrounds while spending a day away from campus. We also collaborate with other societies, creating opportunities to meet an even wider group of students.
Whether you're coming with friends or arriving on your own, you're welcome to join us.
🚌 Transport
Where possible, we organise trips using public transport from Bradford, making some of Yorkshire's best hiking destinations accessible without needing a car.
For selected events, transport may be included in the ticket price. The specific transport arrangements, meeting point, departure time and ticket options will always be provided on the individual event page.
Please check each event carefully before booking, as transport arrangements and costs can vary between hikes.
🎒 What should I bring?
This depends on the individual hike, but you should generally be prepared with:
- Sturdy walking or hiking shoes/boots
- Comfortable outdoor clothing
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Warm layers
- Plenty of water
- Food and snacks for the day
- A small backpack
- Phone and portable charger
- Personal medication, where applicable
- Headtorch for longer or winter hikes
For more challenging or winter routes, additional equipment may be required. Always check the specific event information before attending.
🏕️ Beyond day hikes
We also aim to organise camping trips and special adventures during the academic year. These give members the opportunity to spend more time outdoors, explore further afield and experience something different from a normal day hike.
Our larger adventures may include additional requirements relating to fitness, equipment, weather conditions and transport.
📅 Our events
Our hike programme changes throughout the academic year, with new events announced regularly.
For Semester 1 2026/27, our planned hikes include:
Sunday, 27 September — Baildon Moor
Sunday, 4 October — Bolton Abbey & Embsay Crag
Saturday, 17 October — Kinder Scout (ArabSoc Collab)
Saturday, 31 October — Ilkley Moor
Sunday, 15 November — Ingleborough (Bangladesh Society Collab)
Sunday, 29 November — Grassington & Linton Falls
Saturday, 12 December — Attermire Scar
Further details, including routes, difficulty, distances, meeting points and ticket information, will be published through our event pages and social channels.
📲 Stay connected
The easiest way to keep up with the Hiking Society is to join our WhatsApp community. This is where we share hike announcements, important updates, changes to arrangements and other society information.
WhatsApp Community
Instagram
Follow us on Instagram for hiking photos, upcoming adventures, event announcements and highlights from previous trips.
Email: hikingsociety@ubu.bradford.ac.uk
For questions about a hike, accessibility, equipment or anything else, feel free to contact the committee.
🎓 Join through UBU
The Hiking Society is part of the University of Bradford Union of Students (UBU), which supports a wide range of student societies, sports and activities. UBU highlights societies as a way for students to make friends, develop skills and get more involved in university life.
Ready to get outside?
Join the Hiking Society, bring your boots and come explore with us.
EXPLORE • HIKE • CONNECT 🥾🏔️
Congratulations on reaching this incredible milestone on the quality mark! Your dedication, teamwork, and hard work have truly paid off, and this achievement is a testament to your perseverance and passion.
We’re so proud of what you’ve accomplished and excited to see what amazing things you’ll achieve next. Well done on achieving the GOLD STANDARD, and keep up the fantastic work!