Where can you find four countries in one, each with its own defining characteristics, but with at least one big thing in common?
The United Kingdom is that rare beast. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the four separate entities: Four capital cities, four unique histories, four national football teams, four ways (at least) of looking at the world… all rolled into one haphazard, at times strained, but unquestionably fascinating union.
With its self-contradictory national myths, the UK can be hard to pin down for locals and visitors alike. Brits are oddly proud of their reputation for mind-your-own-business reserve, while simultaneously fond of tipsy banter with strangers in friendly pubs. They cultivate the so-called “stiff upper lip” and a supposed penchant for good manners, while roaring for their local football team with a rowdy, delirious tribalism. The UK has global, culture-defining cities among its fair share of small-town parochialism. It celebrates its history, monuments and Monarchic rituals alongside an ever more diverse and progressive urban society which borrows (admittedly, often without asking) from cultures in every corner of the world.
It’s an onion of a national identity. All the visitor can do is keep peeling back the layers to see what lies beneath.
Where to go? What to do? It’s all a matter of taste. You’ll find towns and cities with world beating museums, music and cultural festivals; Edinburgh, Hay, Glastonbury, among a panoply of others. You’ll find a country that’s working hard to shake off its reputation for stodgy cuisine (yes, really!) You’ll find castles, estates and ruins that are older than many countries all set in timeless, rolling (and occasionally dramatic) countryside that is tailor-made for walking and hiking trips.
From country pubs to the Notting Hill Carnival; Sunday afternoons on village greens to the world’s largest Diwali festival outside India. The ball’s in your court. With four countries in one calling you, and countless good reasons persuading you, all you have to do is…go.
It’s a country without true wilderness. The national parks are well policed and monitored, and trails across farmland are often very long standing. Some trails follow paths that are thousands of years old.
This means English trails are usually easy to follow. There are plenty of major, well-maintained and signed routes. There will always be some missing posts, confusing directions and momentary aberrations but I generally find the biggest problem comes when there are too many good paths criss-crossing an area.
For example I worried about following the mish-mash of paths along the Malvern Hills before I realised it doesn’t really matter, they all roughly end up doing the same thing.
A bit of map reading competence is a useful safeguard of course, and in a varied landscape like England’s it can increase the pleasure to see there’s an ancient church in the next village or hidden valley just beyond the ridge.
What about a compass? I suppose that’s going to help in a white-out on Scafell Pike but I can’t recall ever using one on an English walk.
Another personal aside here: generally I try to banish fear of ‘getting lost’ on what are mostly harmless English routes. Maybe you don’t want to be clueless on a mountain after dark but for most English walks a bit of being “lost” can be the best bit of the day.
I took a daft detour from a normal route recently in the Cotswolds. I spontaneously turned off the path because it looked so pretty to the west and the view was amazing. I thought I would loop back to the main path but of course I was wrong and found myself in a run-down piggery, ankle deep in mud and had to clamber through barbed wire down onto a busy roadside verge to escape. Disaster or highlight? Well, here I am talking about it and it’s the only bit of that walk that I’ve ended up writing about.
Land access in England is a smorgasbord of labels: we have public footpaths, permissive footpaths, bridleways, restrictive byways, open access land, all grouped together under the banner of “public rights of way”. All you really need to know is that walkers are allowed on all of the above, they’re all clearly marked on Ordnance Survey maps and, for most long distance footpaths, they’ll be clearly waymarked as well. For more information see this handy guide to public rights of way in Britain.
Yes – on a self-guided walking holiday. Most of the major long distance walks have fairly well established itineraries for different paces. For example you can do Hadrian’s Wall in anything from 8 to 12+ days, depending on how much distance you want to cover each day.
Beware of a walking holiday operator’s grading of walks. I usually find them geared to inexperienced walkers. I’m not an athlete but I’ve sometimes done a route in half the time they’ve specified.
My best tip in England would be to talk to locals along the way. They’ll often know – and love describing – some little magical detour that those who mapped your route might not have discovered.
You certainly can organise it all yourself, and lots of people do. Personally, I prefer making my own arrangements unless I’m too busy.
Baggage transfers are often simply the B&B owner running your bags to the next overnight stop in their car. Or booking a taxi to do it. It’s something you can do very easily yourself – and may lead to a conversation or discovery that may improve that day’s walk too.
I’d recommend using a walking holiday company if you can’t be bothered with the logistical headaches, or aren’t confident in your abilities and need advice. It can be pretty good to have someone at the end of the phone should anything go wrong.
Ours is a compact and densely populated nation, but it’s surprisingly easy to find a quiet corner even in the most touristy honey-pots. Some of my favourite lesser-visited walking spots include the Blackdown Hills in Dorset, the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire or the Wolds in Lincolnshire or Yorkshire. There are some brilliant little-known walks around Offa’s Dyke in Herefordshire, in the crazy up-and-down Shropshire hills and in the surprisingly craggy countryside of West Yorkshire.
OS, our national treasure of a mapping agency, produces a handy rundown of the country’s most popular walks. If it’s peace and quiet you’re after, just do anything but these!
Walking holiday companies use “self-guided” as opposed to an escorted or guided tour. England is easy to get around, safe, and the locals are (usually) easy to understand. There’s no real wilderness and most long distance footpaths are well waymarked, meaning you don’t need much in the way of navigational skills. All of which makes self-guided a popular choice.
So what are you paying for? The cost of your walking holiday is primarily each night’s accommodation, plus baggage transfer (so you only need to carry a light day pack) and perhaps a connection to the start/end point. The big advantage of a self-guided trip, in addition to being much cheaper than a guided holiday, is that the company can tailor your itinerary and accommodation to suit your preferred pace.
Can I say the southwest again? Okay, I’d also recommend the Lake District, the Isle of Wight and the Scilly Isles; all of which have plenty of easy access day hikes, and lots to do for kids on non-walking days.
A pro-tip: our national parks and other protected areas are tiny in comparison to other countries, and you don’t need to base yourself within the park boundaries where availability may be limited and prices higher. Often there are excellent (and more affordable) places to stay nearby. For example you can save money by visiting the Cotswolds from north Wiltshire, south Warwickshire or west Oxfordshire, and you can make forays into the Lake District from places like St. Bees and Ulvaston.
I’m easily bored, and much prefer rolling hills and dales of northern and western England to the flat landscapes of the east and southeast. We may have few mountains but we have lots of hills!
It’s hard to pick just one so here are a few: Parts of Northumberland could be a film set. The Yorkshire Wolds are criminally underrated, but I’d also vote for the (often overpopular) Cotswolds and Lake District.
But if I had to choose just one place to walk for the rest of my life it would be my native southwest; Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset. Maybe I’m biased but we’ve got the sunsets, favourable prevailing winds, pasties, cider and clotted cream. The southwest has the mildest climate and most varied coastline, which explains why it’s the UK’s most popular holiday area. Don’t panic – it’s easy to avoid the crowds, simply avoid the big resorts.
Without hesitation, the Southwest Coast Path. This world-class 630-mile route skirts the shoreline from Watchet in Somerset to Poole in Dorset but there are hundreds of other routes, from the 600 miles of trails in Exmoor National Park to circular day-walks like the National Trust routes around Cheddar Gorge or Avebury. It’s well served by organised walking holiday companies, but do book ahead if you’re coming in summer.
Other favourites include the White Horse Way, the Yorkshire Wolds Way and Striding Edge in the Lakes.
England has a temperate-maritime climate with wet winters and warm(er) summers, but the weather here is famously fickle. I’ve regretted being in shorts with a freezing wind biting my knees in midsummer in the Lake District, and have been left carrying surplus layers on a bright sunny winter’s day in Oxfordshire.
Although summer heatwaves are now becoming more frequent and severe, it remains the rule of thumb that summer is rarely too hot to walk, and is mostly dry. Those affected by pollen might want to watch out for hayfever season(s). Note that accommodations over the peak summer months are often booked out months in advance.
Winters in England are cold although, thanks to the Gulf Stream, not as cold as our northerly latitudes imply. But cold is compounded by the damp and the wind, which, along with short daylight hours, can make winter walking a bit of a chore. There are few things as glorious as a crisp winter’s morning, but they’re an infrequent pleasure and I wouldn’t plan an entire walking holiday around it.
My advice is to aim for the “shoulder seasons” of late spring and early autumn, which offer the best balance of fewer crowds, greater availability, and a decent chance of agreeable weather.
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The The United Kingdom atlas
26 picksPlaces & Experiences You Won't Find Elsewhere
Where
What
The southern boundary of Eryri National Park includes mountain passes, walking routes and historic villages that can be explored by car or on foot. Travelling towards Beddgelert involves passing through the Aberglaslyn Pass, a narrow gorge popular with walkers. Beddgelert is associated with the legend of Gelert and includes local eateries. From there, the road climbs towards Pen-y-Pass, a common starting point for the Miners’ Track and Pyg Track routes to the summit of Yr Wyddfa.
For visitors who prefer not to climb, Llanberis provides access to the Snowdon Mountain Railway. The round trip takes approximately two and a half hours, including a 30-minute stop at the summit.
In contrast to the mountain landscape, the coast offers beaches and castles. Borth-y-Gest and Morfa Bychan include Black Rock Sands, which can be driven onto. Criccieth Castle is located nearby, subject to tide and weather conditions, and Harlech Castle lies further along the coast.
Together, these locations offer a combination of mountain scenery, coastal access and historic landmarks within a relatively compact area.
Plas yn Rhiw is a restored 17th-century manor house near Pwllheli. The restoration was undertaken by the Keating sisters, whose involvement forms an important part of the property’s modern history. The house is set within an ornamental garden and is surrounded by woodland, meadow and orchard, with views across the surrounding landscape. A tea room operates on site.Its scale and setting give it a more intimate character than larger country houses, and it appeals to visitors interested in domestic architecture and garden design.
Bodnant Garden, near Colwyn Bay, has developed over approximately 150 years. The garden is set against the backdrop of the Conwy valley, featuring hillside gardens, meadows, and plants from around the world.
Plas Newydd is an 18th-century mansion on the island of Anglesey, combining classical and Gothic architectural styles. It was the seat of the Marquess of Anglesey and retains associations with the 1st Marquess, who lost his leg at the Battle of Waterloo, and the 5th Marquess. The house contains Rex Whistler’s 58-foot mural, one of its most distinctive interior features. The Grade I-listed gardens overlook the Menai Straits towards Snowdonia and are known for wildlife, including red squirrels. There is an Old Dairy café and shop within the grounds. The property suits visitors interested in aristocratic history, architecture and formal gardens in a coastal setting.
Penrhyn Castle is a 19th-century neo-Norman house in Bangor, built between 1820 and 1837. Its history is closely connected to the wealth generated by the slate and sugar industries, as well as to the longest-running industrial dispute in British history. The castle stands above the Menai Straits, with views towards the quarry and the port from which slate was exported. The estate includes wooded grounds, open parkland extending to around 60 acres, and a walled garden that predates the castle itself. Inside, visitors can explore the principal rooms and Victorian kitchens. A railway museum is also located within the grounds, along with a café and shop. For those interested in industrial heritage alongside architecture and landscape, the property offers insight into the economic and social forces that shaped North Wales in the 19th century.
Portmeirion is an Italianate village created by architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. He purchased the site in 1925 and continued developing it until 1973. The final structure, the Tollgate, was completed in his 93rd year.
Williams-Ellis intended the village to demonstrate that development on a naturally beautiful site could enhance rather than damage it. His motto was “Cherish the past, adorn the present, construct for the future. Today, Portmeirion receives around 200,000 visitors annually.
Its architectural style and coastal setting make it one of the most distinctive built environments in North Wales.
Difficulty: EasyDistance: 60 miles (98km)Duration: Six to seven daysStart/end point: Hereford Cathedral
Pilgrimages are booming in popularity, for those with faith and without. While you don’t need to be a Christian to walk Herefordshire’s Golden Valley Pilgrim Way, it does have the church at its heart. On this 60-mile (98km) circuit, you stay in a different one each night.
At the end of each green-hilled hiking day, I placed my boots on centuries-old flagstones, dumped my rucksack onto time-smoothed pews, and hung my waterproof off the poppyheads at the end of choir stalls. I’ve been walking in the UK for years as a travel journalist and book author. And I can safely say this is one of the country's quirkiest long-distance walks, complete with a touch of the divine.
The route
Herefordshire gets overlooked. Lodged against Wales, merged into the Midlands, with no coast to define its edges, few walkers wander here. But it’s excellent hiking country, especially the Golden Valley, where the Black Mountains loom above a rural borderland, once fought over by the Welsh and English, now peaceful, serene.
The Golden Valley Pilgrim Way is unusual for a pilgrimage. Most lead you somewhere; on this, you finish back where you started. But the idea, says the priest behind it, is that you return a little changed. Maybe, maybe not. But spending in pubs and farm shops, and paying into church coffers, certainly feels like a positive for the countryside economy.
The start and finish is Hereford Cathedral, once a major pilgrimage site itself. Arrive early to look around – it’s home to the Mappa Mundi, the biggest surviving medieval world map. Walkers can stay in the cathedral’s 15th-century cloisters – the first cathedral in Britain to accommodate pilgrims since medieval times. The designated sleeping room is fairly plain. But following the choir into the main nave, and listening to them erupt into evensong, is spine-tingling stuff.
From Hereford the route heads west towards Wales, a moderate loop around the Abbeydore Deanery – it isn’t waymarked but you can download GPX files. This is a landscape of apple orchards, woody vales, castle ruins, grazing sheep; of timelessness and stories. There’s the gnarled ancient oaks of Moccas Park, the gurgle of St Peter’s sacred spring, the views from ridge-top Arthur’s Stone, a Neolithic dolmen where King Arthur allegedly slayed a dragon.
The route also visits many medieval churches, nine of which offer ‘night sanctuary’ for pilgrims. They are simultaneously basic and atmospheric, all soaring ceilings and tombstones. At Dorstone I slept behind the choir and was woken by sun streaming through the stained glass.
The churches are also frequently next to excellent village pubs, like Dorstone’s low-beamed Pandy Inn. Best was Cloddock, where the Cornewall Arms is more like your gran’s front room, where locals gather to drink, eat crisps and play table skittles.
Need to know
Hereford has a train station, with direct services from cities such as Cardiff (1hr), London (3hrs) and Birmingham (85mins).
The trail must be booked via Abbeydore Deanery (abbeydoredeanery.org/gvpw). You’ll be sent a pilgrim passport to stamp en route. A donation of £20pp per night is requested. You have exclusive access to the church; if someone else wants to stay the same night, you’ll be asked if you’re happy to share. It’s OK to say no.
At the night sanctuaries you get access to a sink and toilet (which might be outside) but no shower. Kitchen facilities range from full set-up to just a kettle. Simple camp beds are provided – they’re not especially comfy. Bring a warm sleeping bag and pillow; consider a sleeping mat for extra padding. At Kingstone there were pieces of carpet on the pews, which I borrowed, for extra insulation. At Dorstone bigger camp beds came with mattresses, blankets and hot water bottles – luxury indeed!
The route is open year-round – visitor books evidenced pilgrims who’d walked over Christmas. Be aware the churches are chilly, even in summer. Also, this is farming country, prone to muddiness. I walked in March, after an especially wet winter – it was a quagmire. The pay-offs were newborn lambs, daffodils and no other tourists.
Distance: 48 milesDuration: Four to eight days depending on your paceDifficulty: Easy to moderate
The southern half of the Peak District, called the white peak for its limestone geology, is the gentler and more 'traditionally' picturesque stretch of the national park. You'll find no brooding crags and desolate moors here, it's more about gentle dales, meandering brooks and quant – sometimes twee – villages. That's not to say the scenery isn't impressive; around Monyash and Lathkill Dale it's often breathtaking.
The Limestone Way weaves through the white peak, skirting historical Illam, crossing famous (and busy) Dovedale, before meandering north towards Matlock and, eventually, Castleton on the border of the much sterner dark peak.
Broken up into eight casually-paced days this is a gloriously gentle walk through some of the most easy-going but immensely rewarding countryside in the UK.
Why it's best for beginners: A moderately-easy long distance pathDistance: 46 miles/74kmDuration: Four to five daysDifficulty: Easy to moderate
This section of the Wales Coast Path packs a spectacular series of coastal landscapes into a short and, apart from a couple of steep cliffs, mostly easy walk. The route passes some of Britain’s best beaches, swaying marshes, caves, castles and churches. Landscape highlights include Worm’s Head and Three Cliffs Bay. It’s impossible to get lost and walkers find plenty of accommodation and luggage transfers available.
Why it's best for beginners: Flat, gentle canal-side walkingDistance: 36 miles/58kmDuration: Two to three daysDifficulty: Easy
One of the UK’s quietest, least known canals isn’t even connected to the rest of the network but offers a leafy, flat, easy walking adventure through the Usk Valley. Historic towns like Crickhowell and Abergavenny provide en-route facilities while walking highlights will include an aqueduct, tunnel, locks, lifting bridges… and fine Brecon Beacons views.
Why it's best for beginners: Easy-going day hikes and moderate ascents up SnowdonDistance: Various day walksDuration: Two to three daysDifficulty: Easy to moderate
Snowdonia’s answer to Ambleside is another outdoor centre nestling among trees amid an inspiring mountainous landscape. The picturesque riverside town is a tourist honeypot but walkers can avoid day-tripper crowds by setting off on a wide choice of routes in all directions, then return for quieter evenings among a wide choice of restaurants and accommodation. Highlights could be easy but impressive waterfall walks or tackling one of many routes up Snowdon.
Why it's best for beginners: A huge range of walks for all abilitiesDistance: Various day walksDuration: Two to three daysDifficulty: Easy to moderate
Basing a walking holiday in a popular Lake District centre like Ambleside means you have a vast choice of accommodation, outdoor shops and walking routes. It can be crowded and won’t feel like ‘getting away from it all’ but with all those resources on hand it can be perfect for beginners. Walkers can find paths ranging from tricky fell ascents to gentle hikes around lakes, right from their doorstep.
Best for: easy-going long-distance pathDistance: 62 miles/100kmDuration: Three to six days - or shorter segmentsDifficulty: Easy
Generally flat, although with more ascents than the Norfolk Coastpath, this way-marked coastal walk offers a pleasant and easy-going route through nature reserves, broad sandy beaches and dunes, and across low rocky headlands.
Landmarks like Lindisfarne and Bamburgh Castle are highlights but walkers will also appreciate a series of unspoilt coastal villages and towns, all with friendly pubs and B&Bs to eat and stay.
Best for: flat and easy-going walksDistance: 84 miles/135kmDuration: Six to eight days – or shorter segmentsDifficulty: Easy
The Norfolk Coastpath is 84 miles in full and can be completed in six to eight days, or in shorter segments. Norfolk is famously flat and perfect for a beginner's walking holiday. But this coastal path proves that flat doesn’t have to mean boring. The route from Hunstanton to Hopton-on-Sea explores misty marshes, pine woods, sandy beaches, grassy dunes and atmospheric coastal villages.
En-route facilities are good and the walk’s highlights may include the grey seals at Blakeney Point, Hunstanton’s red-and-white striped cliffs and Holkham’s sandy shores, sometimes voted Britain’s best beach.
If you want something truly different, I can highly recommend the Cape Wrath Trail: the UK's most challenging long-distance trekking route and probably my favourite place to trek in Scotland.
With many pathless sections through rough terrain, across rivers and mountain passes, it really lives up to its reputation. The route starts in Fort William, finishes at the Cape Wrath lighthouse, and takes in many of northwest Scotland's best mountain landscapes.
There are a number of variations on this route. For our guests we break the route into three stages, the Knoydart Expedition (57 miles), Cape Wrath Trail South (81 miles), and Cape Wrath Trail North (101 miles). Each section is between six and eight nights, including several nights wild camping, or they can be combined into one single mega expedition!
Distance: 82 milesDuration: Six to eight daysStart/end point: Fort William to AviemoreDifficulty: Moderate
I love the East Highland Way as a much quieter alternative to the famous (and heavily marketed) West Highland Way. This trail follows the valleys eastwards through forests and loch side tracks, and into some remote mountain glens. It's not waymarked and is much less well known, so I recommend it for visitors looking for something a little different but not too difficult in the Highlands.
The Northern Isles feel a world away from the mainland UK—both Orkney and Shetland are closer to the Arctic circle than to London—yet these rugged archipelagos at the collision of North Sea and Atlantic Ocean are surprisingly accessible.
Most walkers here come for centre-based holidays, although there are some 'official' long distance footpaths even up here, such as St Magnus Way and the island-hopping Shetland Walks. There are a handful of walking companies that offer both guided and self-guided holidays on Orkney and Shetland. Keep in mind that longer walks from most rural locations will require a car.
On Hoy, the ‘High Isle’, walk from Moaness to Rackwick Bay through Orcadian novelist George Mackay Browne’s “hidden valley of light.” Continue along a cliff path toward the towering sandstone sea stack, the Old Man of Hoy. The newly developed St Magnus Way pilgrimage route follows the 55-mile journey of the martyred Earl of Orkney as it crosses Egilsay, then zig-zags across the Orkney mainland. On Shetland, ferry to the Island of Noss National Nature Reserve for a challenging 5-mile coastal loop and some of the best birdwatching in the Northern Isles.
Towards the west coast, the wild Knoydart Peninsula is for true backpacking expeditions, largely accessible only by foot or by boat to the village of Inverie. Guided hiking is advisable for all but the most competent navigators. A good challenge for experienced hillwalkers is climbing the three munros of Luinne Bheinn, Meall Buidhe and Ladhar Bheinn.
In the Cairngorms National Park you’ll find 1,748 square miles of protected heather-covered moorland and mountains cut by meandering burns (small streams). Long-distance walks like the 65-mile Speyside Way and 64-mile Cateran Trail run through the park, and its challenging terrain makes it a popular base for centre-based walking holidays.
Within Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, 3,196-foot Ben Lomond is a good start to any Munro-bagging mission. Slightly to the east is 3,547-foot Schiehallian, easily-scalable on a fine day and where scientists first attempted to weigh the world. With their proximity to the cities of Scotland’s Central Belt, both of these areas are fairly easy-to-reach making them great for a shorter Highland escape.
Distance: 134 milesDuration: 10 daysStart point: HelensburghEnd point: DunbarDifficulty: Moderate
For a less-trodden slice of Scotland, I can highly recommend the 134-mile John Muir Way which traces the emigration route of the famous Scottish-American naturalist. The moderate coast-to-coast walk is normally done from Helensburgh in the west to Dunbar in the east. The well-waymarked route takes roughly ten days to complete and cuts through the rolling landscape of the Central Belt, following part of the Forth and Clyde Canal, touching the banks of Loch Lomond, and hugging the coast along the Firth of Forth.
Distance: 156 milesDuration: 12 daysStart point: Vatersay, BarraEnd point: Stornoway, Lewis & HarrisDifficulty: ModerateSuitable for: All levels
In the westernmost reaches of Scotland, embrace Gaelic culture, archaeological wonders, and remote and wild landscapes. The Outer Hebrides island chain stretches from Barra in the south past North and South Uist, to Harris and Lewis in the North, with smaller islands dotted throughout. This is Scotland at its wildest, and The Hebridean Way makes for an excellent long-distance walking holiday, island hopping over no fewer than ten islands over around 12 days.
If you feel an urge to go further west still, take a boat to the island of St. Kilda where a 3.5 mile loop walk takes you to the highest point on the Hebrides – 1,410-foot Conachair – passing abandoned villages, and surrounded by Europe’s largest seabird colony. You can also visit the Callanish Stones in Lewis, dating back to 2900 BC, and don’t leave without sampling Stornoway Black Pudding, so coveted it now has its own protected status.
Calmac ferries depart from Oban, Mallaig, Ullapool, and also from Uig on Skye. You can then travel the 130-mile length of the islands by connecting ferries and causeways. An easy way to island-hop is with Calmac’s Island Hopscotch ferry ticket, running from Oban up through the islands and back to Ullapool. Like the Inner Hebrides, island accommodation and car spaces on ferries books up extremely quickly, so it’s best to make your plans well in advance. Travellers can fly with Loganair to Benbecula, Stornoway or Barra (the only airport in the world where scheduled flights use the beach as a runway.)
Best for: hill walking holidays
Perhaps the most famous walking region in the UK, the Lake District offers a chance to wander lonely as a cloud amid impressive landscapes of mountains and water.
The choices for walkers range from England’s most serious climbing routes to gentle lakeside circuits. The two main hazards to consider are that the main roads and towns get very busy with day trippers and tour buses in the summer months, while the fells include challenging terrain to be taken very seriously.
Across the Lakes the transport network can be a limiting factor. Roads are narrow and sometimes jammed. Nevertheless there is a huge range of places to stay, from farm B&Bs and hostels to luxury hotels and suiting either inn-to-inn or centre-based walking holidays.
Best for: classic English countryside walking holidays
For a glimpse of classic English limestone countryside with rolling hills, leafy vales, dry stone walls and pretty, if sometimes twee, villages, try some of the paths criss-crossing the Cotswold region. Footpaths are generally good quality, waymarked and well maintained, and the en-route facilities are good.
The region suits either point-to-point trails or centre-based walkers. Walkers may find the honey-pot villages too busy with day-trippers at peak times but the comprehensive network of footpaths makes it easy to escape the crowds that rarely go beyond the teashops and car parks. Avoid the tour-bus problem altogether by sticking to the picturesque fringes of the region, like Warwickshire and South Gloucestershire.
Expect accommodation generally on the pricey but exquisite side. Gentrified gastro-pubs are plentiful, but you’ll need to search hard for traditional ‘working village’ pubs.
Considered by some to be the best long-distance walk in the UK, Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Path has many remarkable qualities, but it’s the walker camaraderie that is my stand-out highlight of this hugely popular cross-country hike.
The scenery is at times stunning – looking at you, Lake District – but the sense of community you experience with fellow walkers is felt here on this walk perhaps more than on any other in Britain.
This is largely due to the fact that many, if not most walkers tackle the Coast to Coast Path in one go (or at least in two halves), rather than dipping in and out of it on day- or weekend-hikes as many people do for Britain’s other long-distance trails. The result is that you’ll bump into the same people again and again over the course of your two-week walk, in pubs, cafes and hostels along the route, where you can share a drink, and compare blisters whilst drying your bog-drenched toes in front of a roaring log fire.
The Coast to Coast isn’t an official National Trail. Instead, it was the brainchild of the legendary fell walker and guidebook writer Alfred Wainwright, who in 1973 decided to plot a walk-to-remember across the width of the country which, as far as he knew, wouldn’t break any trespassing laws. Two-thirds of the trail is spent walking through three of England’s 10 national parks (The Lake District, The Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors) and the route includes some of the most dramatic upland scenery in England. Prepare to be blown away by the beauty of some of the Lake District sections. Prepare also for quite a lot of rain.
My recommended itinerary breaks the route down into the following segments, walking from west to east. You can do it all in one straight shot, but lots of people break it up into weekend hikes.
Whisper it quietly; this might just be the best coastal path in Britain, and one of the UK’s best walks overall.
If you ask me, Pembrokeshire has it all – dramatic clifftop vistas, seemingly endless beaches, secluded coves and tiny fishing villages, but best of all; almost no one knows about it, so you get pretty much all of it to yourself.
You’ll need two or three weeks to complete the trail in one go, and, as with most coastal paths in Britain, you’ll have to endure a lot of ups and down as you climb from clifftop down to cove and back up to clifftop, time and time again. But the rewards are plenty; as well as the sensational views, there’s wildlife to spot (seals, dolphins, all manner of seas birds), historic sites to explore (including no fewer than 11 castles), and exotic Welsh cuisine to fuel those tired legs (oggy and faggots, anyone?).
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