WINTER WEEKEND GETAWAY GUIDE: TRAVELLING LIGHT IN THE UK
Not every trip needs a plan, a checklist, or a suitcase full of “just in case”.
Some of the best breaks are the simplest ones: a train booked on a Thursday night, a bag packed in ten minutes, and a couple of days away somewhere green, quiet, or weather-beaten. The kind of trip that works best when you travel light.
This guide is about those weekends, and the bags that make them easier.
One bag, 1–3 days
For short trips, the goal isn’t minimalism for its own sake. It’s ease. Carrying what you actually need, knowing where it is, and not having to think about your kit once you’ve left the house.
The Bannoch and Bannoch Pro are designed around exactly that kind of travel. Structured enough to hold their shape, simple enough to adapt. With packing cubes doing the organising, one bag is usually more than enough.
Below are three UK getaway ideas that suit one-bag travel particularly well.
1 night: Peak District or Yorkshire Dales
Bag choice: Bannoch
Winter suits short trips. Earlier nights, quieter paths, and the kind of cold that feels earned after a good walk.
The Peak District is especially good in winter because it’s easy to reach and easy to turn back if conditions change. From Edale, you can be on Kinder Scout within minutes, with clear paths and plenty of options to shorten the day if the weather closes in.
In the Yorkshire Dales, villages like Grassington or Hawes offer frost-bright walks followed by warm pubs - ideal when daylight is limited.
For overnights like this, a compact, dependable bag matters. The Bannoch carries winter layers without feeling bulky and stays comfortable whether you’re walking, waiting for a train, or lingering somewhere warm on the way home.
2 nights: Lake District or Snowdonia
Bag choice: Bannoch Pro
Two nights in winter is about layers, not volume. Spare socks, a dry base layer, a thicker mid-layer for evenings - all essential, none excessive.
In the Lake District, basing yourself in Grasmere or Keswick means plenty of lower-level walks when the tops are clouded over, with cafés and bookshops close by when the weather turns.
Snowdonia in winter feels quieter and more dramatic; villages like Beddgelert give access to sheltered valley routes and well-marked paths without committing to exposed ground.
The Bannoch Pro gives you room for cold-weather kit while keeping everything organised and accessible. It’s the difference between packing confidently and packing “just in case.”
3 nights: Scottish Highlands
Bag choice: Bannoch Pro + packing cubes
Winter in the Highlands rewards a slower pace. Short days, pale light, and landscapes that feel stripped back and expansive.
Staying along the West Highland Line, in places like Aviemore or Fort William, keeps travel straightforward even in winter. Trains run reliably, and many of the best walks start close to town, making it easier to adjust plans around weather.
With heavier layers and cold-weather essentials, organisation matters more than space. Using packing cubes with the Bannoch Pro keeps damp gear separate and makes repacking quicker at the end of short, cold days.
This is winter travel at its best: unhurried, adaptable, and well prepared.
Gear that earns its place
In the workshop, we design bags expecting to see them again. Not for replacement, but for repair. It’s why materials, construction, and proportions are chosen with longevity in mind and why every Trakke bag is backed by a lifetime guarantee.
For short trips especially, you notice when gear works. When it doesn’t get in the way. When it’s easy to pack, comfortable to carry, and reliable enough to forget about.
That’s what “buying once, buying well” looks like in practice.
A simpler way to get away
Weekend travel doesn’t need to be complicated. Often, it’s better when it isn’t.
One bag. A few days. Gear that lasts.
Where will your next weekend take you?
