Walkers' Britain

The complete South Downs Way, stretching for a hundred miles over a rare area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in an otherwise crowded southern England, follows the chalk (soft limestone) ridge just to the North of the popular seaside towns on the Sussex and Hampshire coast. At intervals the hilly downlands are broken by “wind gaps” or river valleys, mixing the ridge walking with some meandering visits to beautiful rivers such at the Cuckmere, Arun, Ouse and Meon with their associated villages. Most of the route is ancient, made up out of the old droving roads that took animals and goods between the market towns of the region. There are many historical features, including a couple of remaining round towered Saxon churches, ancient “Dew Ponds” providing water on the high Downs for cattle, cross dykes and tumulus burial sites, Bronze Age hill forts and rings. This is a leisurely paced walk with extra time to explore old churches, dawdle through Cuckmere Haven, picnicking on some high down, or poking around lowland villages.

Officially opened in May 2003 after many years of negotiations with landlords and farmers to finalise the exact route which stretches 83 statute miles/133 km across town and country, forest and moorland, World Heritage Site and National Park. It is a great walk, with a lot of scenic variety from the modern, busy cityscapes of Newcastle Upon Tyne to the red sandstone hues of medieval Carlisle, from industrial Tyneside to the quiescence of Bowness on Solway. From the barren blustery heights of Highshields Crags in the Northumberland National Park; to the lime green pastoral scenes of the Eden valley. Omnipotent along the route the Wall snakes its way. In sections interrupting a housing estate here, popping up under a road there. Then from being little more than a grassy bank it transforms into stone and rollercoasters over crag tops and down into impressive fort like structures such as at Birdoswald and Housesteads.

Once upon a time in the 8th century, there was a ruthless King of Mercia called Offa. Such trouble had he from Welsh marauders nibbling at the toes of his kingdom, that once and for all he decided to define his territory and built a huge earthwork to do so, generally following the high ground with commanding views into the mountains and down into the valleys. Today the remaining 80 miles of embankment forms Britain’s longest archaeological monument and the basis of this famous walk. Criss-crossing the border between England and Wales more than 10 times, the Offa’s Dyke National Trail path follows some of the finest scenery in both countries for 177 miles (285 km). Our walk follows the southern half of this trail from Chepstow to Knighton, (about half this walking distance in total). It is a journey packed with interest through patchworks of fields, over windswept ridges, across infant rivers, by ruined castles and into the old border market towns. Traditional farming methods have more or less remained intact and the hedgerows, oak woods and hay meadows form good wildlife habitats, home of buzzards and the rare Red Kite. You might even discover the even rarer Welsh Red Dragon!

This is the longer version of the our Hadrians Wall walk, not longer in length, but with the addition of a couple of extra days it generally lessens the length of some days, thus making it better for slower walkers, or perhaps those who want to spend more time visiting museums and historical sites.

Rob Roy MacGregor fought in some early Jacobite battles against the British government, but 'settled down' to become a well-known cattleman at a time when cattle rustling was a commonplace means of earning a living. Defaulting on his loans he became an outlaw and a price was placed on his head. Escaping capture several times turned him into a folk hero and in later life due to his fame or notoriety, King George l gave him a pardon, and converting to Catholicism in later life, he died peacefully near Balquidder.The Rob Roy Way is a 124km walk linking Drymen with Pitlochry in Perthshire, which goes through areas that were his old haunts and certainly on routes where the MacGregor clan drove their cattle towards market towns in the area.The route joins paths and tracks through highland scenery, taking advantage of attractive villages and small towns. The walk begins in the pretty village of Drymen, whose Clachan Inn is the oldest registered licensed pub in Scotland and would have been known by Rob Roy as it was run by his sister! It then passes through the forests of the Trossachs, crossing the River Forth at Aberfoyle and down beside Loch Venachar to Callander, before leading out through fine glens by Loch Lubnaig and Glen Oich to Killin. From here the route climbs high into the hills on the remotest stretch of the walk, before descending to follow the quiet path along the southern shores of Loch Tay. Descend to Aberfeldy via the famous Birks, and the final stretch along the river and over the moors to Pitlochry.

The Channel Island Way is a beautiful confection of walks spread over five of the Channel Islands: Guernsey, Jersey, Herm, Sark and Alderney. The route, although not especially waymarked, was originally concocted over drinks at a Jersey walks festival and The Channel Island Way was opened in 2011. The 110 miles (178km) take for the most part the coastal paths, beaches and roads around each of the isles - although there are some deviations inland at certain points.

Keswick is a bustling market town established in 1276 located in the north of the English Lake District and dubbed the adventure capital of the UK. Beatrix Potter found the inspiration of several of her books here and other famous visitors before you are the Romantic poets Southey, Coleridge and Wordsworth.

It is here, right at the heart of Cumbria, that we have found for you the perfect guesthouse to use as a base for a series of scenic walks. Most of them circular, they offer a wide range of easier as well as harder options to explore the surrounding fells and Derwentwater Lake.

Highlights of walking in this part of the Lake District include the classic English landscapes, unforgettable viewpoints and attractive woodlands & waterfalls. Plan your visit during the annual, family friendly Keswick Mountain Festival for a mix of outdoor activities and live music.

And if, for whatever reason, you or some of your fellow walkers would like to take a rest for a day, there's a lot to see and enjoy in this pretty town. In the evenings, try local Cumbrian specialties such as Cumberland sausage or Tattie Pot (a rich stew including black pudding) or opt for an international meal as there is no shortage of choice.

Circumnavigating the island on The Isle of Wight Coastal Path is a fulfilling achievement for a week of walking. Almost half the island has been designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The Coastal Footpath is a circular long-distance footpath of 67 miles (107 km) following public footpaths and minor lanes, with some sections along roads. It should be noted that the path does not follow the coastline all the way, but also diverts inland for long sections. There are lots of attractions to break down the actual walking days, including a visit to the holiday home of Queen Victoria, Osborne House.

Many other buildings from around this time still exist including Wippingham Church, the thatched church at Freshwater Bay, the famous seaside resorts such as Ventnor, Shanklin and Sandown and the great Palmerston fortresses, built at a time when French invasion was again feared.

You will see several such features every day. Beyond this are much older towns such as Yarmouth and Newtown, which have their own interesting histories. However, the island is much more than that, it is a place of great natural beauty with glittering sea-views across the Solent and English Channel, the white cliffs and sea-stacks around The Needles, Tennyson Down, and miles of beaches. The Isle of Wight is a popular holiday destination, but especially out of 'High Season' you can see very few other walkers.

This is a lovely short break for cyclists who want an attractive sightseeing tour, with a mixture of town and country. Almost half the island has been designated as an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Distances are fairly short giving you time to stop and explore. The route is undulating and there are a few hills but nothing particularly difficult. The holiday starts in the old seaside town of Ryde - the largest town on the island. Hire bikes are collected and the ride starts on mixed surfaces passing the interesting brick built Quarr Abbey and past Osborne House and Cowes, famous for its regattas.

After the beaches of the north, the route tracks inland on fast roads through some attractive forest and farmlands and the estuary around Newport to the old town of Yarmouth. The route then cuts the busy western end of the island off by taking a cycle path following an old railway line to Freshwater Bay.

You do have the option to take a diversion to ascend to the Needles Park for some splendid views. In good weather follow the Tennyson Trail to Brighstone and onto the ship wreck capital of the island - Chale. There is a final mix of hills around Bembridge Down, passing inland to visit attractive villages and a unique windmill and harbour before the last coastal stretch back into Ryde.

This beautiful 80 km / 50 mile circular walk in the Yorkshire Dales threads its way around the valleys of Wensleydale and Swaledale and over the mountains and moorlands between these two emerald dales.

A walk designed to take in some of the countryside beloved by James Alfred Wight, the vet who wrote about his experiences in the Yorkshire Dales as James Herriot. These books became popular in the 1970s and 80s and spawned a film and a very popular television series 'All Creatures Great and Small'. Besides walking through the Yorkshire countryside, the attractiveness and variety of the route is such that it could be easily classed the best short walk in England.

The Yorkshire Dales have often been coined as 'Gods Own Country' and with good reason, with a little bit of luck with the weather, you are treated to a beautiful landscape bursting with colour and light. The land encompasses the sleepy rivers punctuated by cascading water off of the limestone escarpments, the fields stocked with multiple sheep, the high moors, bristling with sedge, bracken and bilberry.

Then of course there are the attractive local villages, small but bustling with farm and estate workers, walkers and tourists. Firstly there is Aysgarth a village by the multi cascading Aysgarth Falls, Hawes the main town in Wensleydale which has a market and is a centre for rope and cheese making. When walking into Keld you'll find it is the quietest place, tucked into a hilly fold in remote upper Swaledale. Its buildings are a welcome sight after a long day in the hills. Reeth, a village edged with tea shops and pubs, reflects the time when lead mining was the economic key to the area.

Most of the trails are easily followed and follow parts of both the Pennine Way and The Coast to Coast. The James Herriot Way is an excellent introduction to long distance walking on these longer trails.

This tour follows most of the 92-mile national long distance trail of the same name through the southwestern part of the Scottish Highlands. It is claimed by some to be the most popular long distance trail in the British Isles. Starting at the village of Drymen just outside Glasgow, it includes Loch Lomond, valley routes through the mountains round Crianlarich and open heather moorland across the Rannoch Moor wilderness area.

It passes close to somber Glencoe, famed for its massacre of the MacDonald Clan, and finishes at Fort William near the foot of Ben Nevis (Britain's highest peak, which can be readily ascended by experienced clients if they choose to spend an extra day). The West Highland Way is a well-established and popular route, containing some landscapes of great beauty. The altitude range is from sea level to 1850 ft (4408 ft if Ben Nevis is climbed).

Opened in April 2002, this long distance walking trail travels right through the very heart of Scotland. From Fort William to Inverness you'll discover the highlights that make this area such a magnet for walkers.

Pass by the foot of Ben Nevis (1344m), the highest mountain in the UK. Follow undulating forest tracks along the shores of Loch Ness and walk through a mixture of farmland, exposed high moorlands and woodland as you make your way to the capital of the Highlands, Inverness.

Along the route you will also encounter the forts and castles scattered along the way that lay witness to Scotland's turbulent past, from the Iron Age to the Jacobite Rebellion led by Bonnie Prince Charlie who was finally defeated at the Battle of Culloden.

Welcome to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, the purest form of English highland landscape, with traditions and views, which have remained virtually untouched for centuries. Soft rolling hills, limestone edges, green valleys, waterfalls, a Roman road, several interesting old churches, an abbey and some lovely Real Ale pubs all feature here as well as the villages proud of their heritage. This tour includes the whole 78 mile length of this much loved long distance path, established in 1969, which runs right across the Yorkshire Dales National Park to the Lake District.

Gradients and terrain are generally straight forward, but the going may be muddy underfoot in wet weather; there are some high moorland areas to cross. Much of the trail follows pretty river valleys especially The Wharfe, Dee, Rawthey, Lune and The Kent. All have beauty spots for shady picnics, small ravines and rapids and are patrolled by birds such as Berwick swans, kingfishers, dippers and wagtails. Brown trout lurk in their waters depths.

There are also a large number of “stiles” and “kissing gates” to negotiate as you stroll across fields, so good mobility is important. The itinerary follows Wharfedale (where there is time to admire the ruins of Bolton Abbey) and then via Hubberholme, gradually gaining height upstream to reach the Pennine watershed at Cam Fell (1700 feet). The way then runs down Dentdale to the market town of Sedbergh and across sheep pastures to Bowness on Windermere.

This is a walking challenge of approximately 100 miles / 161 km around the Manx Isle. Called the 'Raad ny Foillan' which translates to 'The Way of the Gull', people have been walking segments of this trail for hundreds of years and was first written about as a walk in 1874. It was however in 1986 that the Way was inaugurated at Peel, the cultural heart of the island, and has changed little since.

Starting at the Island's largest town, Douglas, the route quickly leaves the built up area behind and follows a quiet coastal road that becomes a cliff top trail towards Castletown. There are tiny glens and bays on the way. From Castletown the route passes around the southern point of the island following dramatic high cliffs and the 'Calf of Man' a small island where tidal races whip around the rocks and seals play.

From Port Erin to Peel the way follows the high coastal hills and dales and on a clear day you might see the so called 'realms.' This leads to Peel, the island's only city, with more of an Irish feel to it. Next the walk follows the lowering cliffs and joins the line of a defunked railway line to beyond the village of Kirk Michael, where you actually join the beach and walk around Jurby Head. Over the next day the coast path follows the beach round to the old fishing village of Ramsey.

From here you wind back up onto the cliffs around Maughold Head with some beautiful coves and glens, to continue on quiet roads to Laxey, famous for its lead mines, and the huge Victorian wheels that used to pump water out of them. The final leg takes in a nature reserve, an ancient church and a final fling on the coastal trail before joining the long Promenade back into Douglas to complete the island loop.

The walk is a complete south to north crossing of the Lake District National Park and much of the county of Cumbria. English Lakeland is England’s most mountainous area and walking is unquestionably the best way to see this celebrated landscape, hailed over the years by the likes of poets, authors and painters. Wordsworth, Tennyson, Arthur Ramson, Beatrix Potter and Wainwright, have all left their mark! The distances covered each day vary but for the first 5 or 6 days a least, there is ample time to pause and admire the unsurpassed scenery. The route is very much a classic although it largely avoids upland areas where navigation would become a problem in poor weather. On the penultimate walking day attention needs to be applied to the map in a couple of places where the route is hard to trace on the ground.

The Channel Island Way is a beautiful confection of walks spread over five of the Channel Islands: Guernsey, Jersey, Herm, Sark and Alderney. The route, although not especially waymarked, was originally concocted over drinks at a Jersey walks festival and The Channel Island Way was opened in 2011. The 110 miles (178km) take for the most part the coastal paths, beaches and roads around each of the isles - although there are some deviations inland at certain points.

The Apuane Alps are a remote area of northern Tuscany - a world away from the towns and rolling hills of the south. There are few other walkers and the villagers make you feel truly welcome. This walk has many attractive ingredients, from wide mountain vistas, to remote hamlets surrounded by forest and mountain scenery. From the small unassuming town of Fornaci di Barga you'll enter the Apuane forests, climbing up through chestnut woods and dropping down through vineyards to the ancient village of Verni, home to an impressive series of limestone massifs rising up to 2000m. The Apuanes are famous for their scenery of white marble towers, abysses and the largest cave system in Italy. During the walk you'll explore remote chapels, climb Monte Forato (1223m) and visit the 'Grotta del Vento' with its subterranean lakes. You'll also have the option to ascend Pania della Croce (1860m) before visiting the hermitage at Calomini.

This beautiful rural walk winds between the bastides or fortified towns that sprung up between the Cathar Crusades of the 1200s and the Wars of Religion in the 1500s. They are situated in spectacular settings on rocky promontories or broad hills like the Tuscan hill towns and are rich in history. The intervening countryside is a beautiful mixture of forests, fields and river valleys with a distinct lack of tourists. This has become not only one of our most venerated walks, but also one of the most popular tours in France. No fewer than 4 of the villages on this tour (Cordes, Bruniquel, Puycelci and Castelnau-de-Montmiral) are included on the unofficial but prestigious list of 143 most beautiful villages in France. The days are quite full, but you should have plenty of time to explore and photograph these wonderful places. You are also strongly advised to take an extra day to discover the old city of Albi, a survivor of the arrows and slings of history. A great day can be spent walking around the huge red brick cathedral and palace, looping across the bridges over the Tarn or having a good meal in the centre. This tour is a little different from our other hotel treks in that Chambres d’Hotes are used for some of the nights, literally ‘a room with your hosts’. For a couple of nights the accommodation is also Table d’Hote, ‘dinner with your hosts.’ You will on those occasions have meals prepared by members of the family, and probably sit and eat with them. They will offer you wine and try to engage you in conversation and enthuse you with what they are doing. You certainly won’t just feel like a hotel guest.

This is a series of walks that link the mountains with the sea. They start in La Preste, the highest village of the Haute Vallespir valley, high on the frontier between France and Spain. Each day you will be walking a little further eastwards, sometimes assisted by a strategic taxi transfer, to get a little nearer to the "Big Blue", as the Mediterranean is called in these parts. The route follows a series of waymarked paths across the mountainsides through the heavily scented maquis and visiting some historic towns on the way to the port and beautiful town of Collioure. On your way you will be able to sample the wines of Roussillon, delicious local honeys, and the Catalan cuisine.