Hiking Stag Do

Not every stag wants to spend his last weekend of freedom being shot at, spun round or poured into a taxi. If yours is the type who owns proper boots and talks about trig points, a hiking stag do might be the best present you can give him. Of all the outdoor stag do ideas out there, it’s the easiest to organise and the hardest to get wrong.

The plan is lovely and simple. You pick a hill, you walk up it, you take a group photo at the top looking far more heroic than the situation deserves, and you walk down to a country pub. Nobody needs a licence or a booking reference. The views do the heavy lifting.

It also does something a lot of stag activities don’t. With no engines, no music and patchy phone signal, the lads actually talk. The uni mates meet the work mates, the brother-in-law finally gets a word in, and by the summit everyone knows at least one embarrassing story about the stag. I’d call that a result.

• Lake District. Proper fells, lakes in every direction and more pubs with open fires than you can get round in a weekend. Scafell Pike is England’s highest mountain, if the stag wants bragging rights.
• Peak District. Handy for most of the Midlands and the North, with walks that suit mixed fitness. Easy to pair with a night out in Sheffield or Manchester.
• Snowdonia (Eryri). Rugged and very Welsh. Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) has several routes up, some gentle and some properly scrambly, so pick one that suits the slowest lad.
• Scottish Highlands. For the group that wants remote and wild, and doesn’t mind a long drive. Go in summer, pack midge repellent and don’t expect a pub every mile.
• The Three Peaks. Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Yr Wyddfa, usually attempted in 24 hours. It’s a serious challenge with a lot of driving in between, so only pick it if the whole group is fit and keen.

• Match the route to the slowest walker. The mate who “does a lot of spinning” will be fine. The one who hasn’t walked further than the chippy in years will not. Plan for him.
• Check the forecast, then pack for worse. British hills can do all four seasons before lunch. Waterproofs go in every bag, no exceptions.
• Bring someone who can read a map. Signal drops out on the tops. If nobody knows a contour from a footpath, book a guide. Plenty of outdoor companies run guided walks for groups.
• Save the drinking for the bottom. A hip flask at the summit is tradition. Six cans on the way up is how you end up being carried down.
• Start early. You want to be off the hill with daylight to spare, which handily means you’re in the pub early too.

A day’s walking still leaves energy for something sillier, and the outdoorsy lot will usually want more. In the same areas you’ll find rock climbing for the ones who think walking is too easy, and caving if you fancy seeing the hills from the inside. Gorge walking is another good shout in the Lakes and Wales.

My favourite format is a two-night weekend in a big rented cottage. Walk on Saturday, eat a ridiculous amount of food, play cards until late, then a gentle stroll and a roast on Sunday. If you need help pulling it all together, our organising advice covers the boring bits.