Best Long Distance Hikes in January

30 trails ranked for January — by monthly climate and walking season

January is a selective month for long-distance walking: short days, wet lowlands and serious snow rule out many upland itineraries. It favours lower Mediterranean coasts, sheltered Iberian and southern European routes, and flexible Atlantic walking where transport, accommodation and bail-out options remain dependable.

GR221 (Dry Stone Route) Pictured: GR221 (Dry Stone Route) — a top pick for January

Conditions in January

  • ▸ Mediterranean coasts and islands: cooler walking, occasional storms, fewer services than spring.
  • ▸ Alps and high mountains: snowpack, avalanche terrain and limited huts dominate planning.
  • ▸ UK and Ireland: short daylight, Atlantic fronts, saturated ground and swollen rivers.
  • ▸ Scandinavia: deep winter, very limited daylight and conditions suited to winter specialists.
  • ▸ Japan: heavy snow in northern mountains; milder southern lowlands need weather flexibility.

Planning tips

  • ✓ Prioritise low elevation, coastal stages and easy public-transport exits.
  • ✓ Check winter accommodation carefully; many seasonal stops close completely.
  • ✓ Build shorter days around daylight, weather windows and river crossings.
Fishermen’s Trail (Rota Vicentina)
1

Fishermen’s Trail (Rota Vicentina)

HikeList Score 84 Portugal flag Portugal · 226.5 km · 11-13 days · Hard

Typical January weather: 8°C average (-4–21°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Nov–Apr.
Rota Vicentina (Fishermen's Trail and Historical Way)
2

Rota Vicentina (Fishermen's Trail and Historical Way)

HikeList Score 81 Portugal flag Portugal · 450 km · 20 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 11°C average (0–20°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Oct–Apr.
GR221 (Dry Stone Route)
3

GR221 (Dry Stone Route)

HikeList Score 89 Spain flag Spain · 140 km · 8-10 days · Hard

Typical January weather: 13°C average (6–18°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Year-round.
Ruta de los Monasterios
4

Ruta de los Monasterios

HikeList Score 83 Spain flag Spain · 77.3 km · 3-4 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 8°C average (-7–23°C), low rainfall. Best months: Nov–Apr.
Ogasawara Islands Hike
5

Ogasawara Islands Hike

HikeList Score 81 Japan flag Japan · 10 km · 1 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 21°C average (17–25°C), low rainfall. Best months: Year-round.
PR8 SMR (Rocha da Pena Trail)
6

PR8 SMR (Rocha da Pena Trail)

HikeList Score 73 Portugal flag Portugal · 6.7 km · 1 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 8°C average (-4–21°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Nov–Apr.
Paiva Walkways (Passadiços do Paiva)
7

Paiva Walkways (Passadiços do Paiva)

HikeList Score 72 Portugal flag Portugal · 8.7 km · 1 days · Hard

Typical January weather: 8°C average (-4–21°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Nov–Apr.
Costa da Caparica Boardwalk
8

Costa da Caparica Boardwalk

HikeList Score 71 Portugal flag Portugal · 6 km · 1 days · Easy

Typical January weather: 8°C average (-4–21°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Nov–Apr.
Ponta de São Lourenço Trail
9

Ponta de São Lourenço Trail

HikeList Score 82 Portugal flag Portugal · 7 km · 1 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 17°C average (13–20°C), low rainfall. Best months: Year-round.
Dune du Pilat Trails
10

Dune du Pilat Trails

HikeList Score 78 France flag France · 2.7 km · 1 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 9°C average (-2–17°C), wet. Best months: Oct–May.
Hydra Island Coastal Walk
11

Hydra Island Coastal Walk

HikeList Score 74 Greece flag Greece · 9 km · 1 days · Easy

Typical January weather: 13°C average (4–19°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Sep–May.
Norfolk Coast Path
12

Norfolk Coast Path

HikeList Score 90 United Kingdom flagEngland flag United Kingdom, England · 133.5 km · 6-8 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 5°C average (-2–13°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Year-round.
Madeira Island Levada Walks
13

Madeira Island Levada Walks

HikeList Score 81 Portugal flag Portugal · 17.4 km · 1 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 8°C average (-4–21°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Nov–Apr.
Canal du Midi Towpath
14

Canal du Midi Towpath

HikeList Score 79 France flag France · 240 km · 8-10 days · Easy

Typical January weather: 5°C average (-8–20°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Nov–Apr.
Aran Islands Loop Trails
15

Aran Islands Loop Trails

HikeList Score 82 Ireland flag Ireland · 12 km · 1 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 8°C average (2–13°C), wet. Best months: Year-round.
Sandlings Walk
16

Sandlings Walk

HikeList Score 83 United Kingdom flagEngland flag United Kingdom, England · 92 km · 4-6 days · Easy

Typical January weather: 5°C average (-4–13°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Year-round.
Holyhead Mountain Circular Walk
17

Holyhead Mountain Circular Walk

HikeList Score 78 United Kingdom flagWales flag United Kingdom, Wales · 7.3 km · 1 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 7°C average (1–12°C), wet. Best months: Year-round.
Blackwater Way
18

Blackwater Way

HikeList Score 90 Ireland flag Ireland · 168 km · 10 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 6°C average (-5–13°C), wet. Best months: Year-round.
England Coast Path
19

England Coast Path

HikeList Score 79 United Kingdom flag United Kingdom · 4328 km · 210-300 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 6°C average (-4–13°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Year-round.
Profitis Ilias Mountain Trail
20

Profitis Ilias Mountain Trail

HikeList Score 79 Greece flag Greece · 7.2 km · 1 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 10°C average (-3–18°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Year-round.
Lough Derg Way
21

Lough Derg Way

HikeList Score 87 Ireland flag Ireland · 68 km · 3 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 5°C average (-6–13°C), wet. Best months: Year-round.
Pembrokeshire Coast Path
22

Pembrokeshire Coast Path

HikeList Score 90 United Kingdom flagWales flag United Kingdom, Wales · 299 km · 12-15 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 5°C average (-7–12°C), wet. Best months: Year-round.
Herefordshire Trail
23

Herefordshire Trail

HikeList Score 89 United Kingdom flagEngland flag United Kingdom, England · 248 km · 10-14 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 3°C average (-11–13°C), wet. Best months: Year-round.
Masca Gorge Trail
24

Masca Gorge Trail

HikeList Score 73 Spain flag Spain · 5 km · 1 days · Hard

Typical January weather: 5°C average (-6–19°C), low rainfall. Best months: Oct–Apr.
Rovinj Coastal Path
25

Rovinj Coastal Path

HikeList Score 77 Croatia flag Croatia · 8.5 km · 1 days · Easy

Typical January weather: 6°C average (-6–14°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Sep–Jun.
Test Way
26

Test Way

HikeList Score 85 United Kingdom flagEngland flag United Kingdom, England · 71 km · 4 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 4°C average (-8–13°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Sep–Jun.
GR34 (Sentier des Douaniers)
27

GR34 (Sentier des Douaniers)

HikeList Score 81 France flag France · 2000 km · 80 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 5°C average (-10–14°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Sep–Jun.
Mont-Saint-Michel Bay Circuit
28

Mont-Saint-Michel Bay Circuit

HikeList Score 77 France flag France · 14 km · 1 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 6°C average (-7–15°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Sep–Jun.
The Sandstone Trail
29

The Sandstone Trail

HikeList Score 85 United Kingdom flagEngland flag United Kingdom, England · 55 km · 2-3 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 4°C average (-6–13°C), moderate rainfall. Best months: Year-round.
Ruta de los Cahorros
30

Ruta de los Cahorros

HikeList Score 78 Spain flag Spain · 9.5 km · 1 days · Moderate

Typical January weather: 5°C average (-6–19°C), low rainfall. Best months: Oct–Apr.
Filter all 974 hikes for January →
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How this list is ranked: each trail's monthly climate normals (average, minimum and maximum temperature plus rainfall, from NASA POWER satellite-era data, adjusted for the trail's altitude) are combined with its published walking season and its overall HikeList Score. Rankings refresh as trails are added. Always check current conditions before travelling.