Walking in England
Early morning sunlight slants through unfurling leaves as you stroll through the forest. The delicate scent of the countryside rises gently in the tranquil woodland setting. A glimpse of some unexpected wildlife; a herd of deer on the edge of a field, or a buzzard soaring high in the clear blue sky. No wonder so many of us enjoy walking in England.
We have a selection of walking products on our online shop including guide books and MP3 tours.
East Midlands
How does a tranquil walk along arguably the most beautiful river in England sound? The River Dove is surrounded by the remains of ancient coral reefs, which rear up in strange shapes to form the region of Dovedale – described by some as the ultimate ramble. Writer Izaac Walton popularised the river, famed for its trout, in his classic The Compleat Angler.
Then of course there's the mighty Pennine Way, which follows the spine of England north from its start point at Edale. Look out for the stunning mountain plateau of Kinder Scout – site of the Mass Trespass of 1932, which led ultimately to our modern right-to-roam laws!
A 12-page booklet providing an illustrative map - showing where a total of six creatively themed routes are located can be obtained by telephoning 0870 2255 450, or can be ordered online at www.visitpeakdistrict.com/walk. Each one offers its own particular highlights from gritstone edges and real-ale country pubs to traffic-free paths, quiet country lanes and unspoilt countryside.
Places to walk in England's East Midlands
Accommodation for walkers in England's East Midlands (www.enjoyengland.com/book/accommodation/searchresults.aspx?Sec=accommodation&advsrch=1&Rad=3&Reg=East%20Midlands&FcWkr=true&durat=1&room=1&adult=1&child=0&RtValArr=1,2,3,4,5&display=list)
England’s Northwest
Footpaths and organised trails criss-cross the countryside from the Solway Coast to Cheshire giving you more freedom than ever to explore and enjoy this region's gloriously varied landscape. The choice is endless, from classic Lake District routes and dreamy canal paths to trails kids will love and even a stroll around Manchester's music shrines.
Discover Manchester’s Countryside, a genuine alternative to urban Manchester, now with 18 new walks and trails to help you explore some of the 500 square miles of quiet, secluded green spaces.
Fancy a long hike? Follow in Hadrian's sandals and walk the Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail. Try the north-south valley bottom route of the Cumbria Way, from Carlisle to Ulverston (or vice versa). If you like the seaside, why not wander the Cumbria Coastal Way (www.cumbriacoastalway.co.uk/) between Milnthorpe and Carlisle? And there are of course the many walks recommended by Wainwright, taking in all the key mountain and fell tops.
For those of us who prefer an easier stroll, preferably between pubs or tearooms, the Lake District has plenty to choose from. Easy ambles around Buttermere or Grasmere, admiring the stunning views above; low level routes such as the Coffin Route from Rydal Mount to Dove Cottage (www.wordsworth.org.uk/) or potters along the banks of the River Eden; or perhaps a woodland walk through the Grizedale Forest, suitable for prams and wheelchairs.
More about walking in England’s Northwest
Accommodation for walkers in England's Northwest (www.enjoyengland.com/book/accommodation/searchresults.aspx?Sec=accommodation&advsrch=1&Rad=3&Reg=North%20West&FcWkr=true&durat=1&room=1&adult=1&child=0&display=list)
Heart of England
The Heart of England region is well known for its variety of walking routes coupled with excellent accommodation. Experience rolling hills, deep valleys and woodland walks or wild meadows, riverside paths and breathtaking views. The Heart of England has thousands of miles of paths, from the challenging 177 miles-long Offa's Dyke Path to the 11-mile Forest of Mercia Way, which has easy-access sections for wheelchair access.
Shropshire, with its dramatic hills and a warm welcome, offers days of fantastic walking around the Long Mynd ('Long Mountain') area with the Stiperstones, Clee Hills, Wenlock Edge and the ancient Portway, plus Michelin-starred restaurants to fill you up ready for the next adventure.
The region boasts one of the most extensive canal networks in the world and there are few better ways of discovering the countryside or the towns and cities of the region than following the canal on foot. Handily, there is a multitude of excellent waterside pubs offering everything from a simple sandwich to a meal fit for a king, so you'll never be far from a good feed and a refreshing drink. Many of the paths are suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Acommodation for walkers in the Heart of England (www.enjoyengland.com/book/accommodation/searchresults.aspx?Sec=accommodation&advsrch=1&Rad=3&Reg=Heart%20of%20England&FcWkr=true&durat=1&room=1&adult=1&child=0&display=list)
North East England
Northumbria offers limitless possibilities for walking up hill and down dale! How about a hike along Hadrian's Wall Path (www.nationaltrail.co.uk/hadrianswall/)? Or head for the bridleways of Derwentside? The Coast to Coast walk straddles both Cumbria and Northumbria as it winds its 190 mile way from the Irish Sea to the east coast. Camping is always fun, or stay in one of the many 'walkers welcome' B&Bs along the way.
If you want to scale a hill or two, head to Northumberland National Park (www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk/VisitorGuide/default.htm) and up the Simonside Hills. They have the great combination of being a relatively easy climb, while still having spectacular views. In a similar vein, further south east, on the edge of the North York Moors National Park (www.moors.uk.net/), lie the Cleveland Hills, which are the first thing the wind hits as it comes off the sea. For even more hills head west to the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The coastline is truly spectacular with sandy beaches and magnificent castles such as Bamburgh and Warkworth. Some of the region's best beaches have a fine view of one of Northumbria's powerful castles - for example, Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh Castles are visible for miles along the Northumberland coast, bringing a whole new perspective to the idea of 'sandcastles'! Holiday cottages, cosy inns and small hotels make a great base for exploring the quietly impressive Northumbrian coast.
More about walking in North East England
Accommodation for walkers in North East England (www.enjoyengland.com/book/accommodation/searchresults.aspx?Sec=accommodation&advsrch=1&Rad=3&Reg=Northumbria&FcWkr=true&durat=1&room=1&adult=1&child=0&display=list)
South East England
Walking South East England is perhaps the best way to gather a bountiful harvest of experiences and memories from this very typically English region. The variety of stunning scenery and the frequency of an amazing range of attractions, both natural and man-made, is arguably world class. In the seclusion of its woodlands, the gently lapping of water against the river banks or the panoramic views from the top of heady hills, there is a real sense of escape from the pressures of the everyday world.
There are no less than twelve Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the South East, covering nearly a third of the region, the highest concentration anywhere in England. These include the North Wessex Downs, South Hampshire Coast, Chichester Harbour (www.conservancy.co.uk/), Sussex Downs (www.southdownsonline.org/), High Weald (www.highweald.org/), Kent Downs and nearly half the Isle of Wight. A network of long-distance paths criss-crosses the countryside, creating a unique variety of exceptional walking. You may want to tackle a long trek or just a leisurely stroll - the choice is yours! Many routes are suitable for wheelchairs, buggies and pushchairs and are extremely child-friendly. Go quietly and you may spot shy animals and rare birds such as the Red Kite.
Accommodation for walkers in South East England (www.enjoyengland.com/book/accommodation/searchresults.aspx?Sec=accommodation&advsrch=1&Rad=3&Reg=South%20East&FcWkr=true&durat=1&room=1&adult=1&child=0&display=list)
South West
This region is home to Britain's longest trail, the fantastic South West Coast Path which runs from Minehead in Somerset to South Haven in Dorset – taking in some of the most stunning coastline this country has to offer along the way. A holiday along the coasts of the South West offers you the chance to experience the exceptional marine life that makes the coastline its home either above the water or through diving excursions which will bring you into contact with seals and dolphins.
The 365sq miles of Dartmoor National Park (www.dartmoornationalpark.co.uk/) combine high moorlands scattered with granite Tors, deep sheltered valleys and sparkling waterfalls with picturesque surrounding towns in which to spend the night and enjoy a meal out. Bodmin Moor (www.bodminmoor.co.uk/) is one of the last great unspoilt areas in the South West. Scattered with prehistoric and medieval remains, Bodmin is also famous for its legends, ghosts and enigmatic 'Beast of Bodmin'. Not to be outdone, Exmoor National Park (www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/) – made famous by Blackmoor's romance Lorna Doone - is home to the famous Exmoor ponies and a perfect place to enjoy the outdoors.
Not as wild, but no less beautiful, people travel miles to experience the unforgettable charm of the Cotswolds. Famous for gentle hillsides and sleepy villages such as the delightful Broadway and Bourton on the Water, this is a gorgeous place to enjoy a walk or walking holiday in the South West.
Bath & West Country Walks are an award winning walking holiday company offering guided and self guided holidays in the Cotswolds, Exmoor, Somerset and Wiltshire. Their holidays enable you to discover the countryside at your own pace.
UK walking specialist Foot Trails offer guided walking weekends in the South West, which include great walks, fantastic floral displays and peaceful scenery. Foot Trails has scoured the region to find the most impressive displays of bluebells, orchids and white wood anemone and the results are breathtaking!
Visit Foot Trails website
Accommodation for walkers in England's South West (www.enjoyengland.com/book/accommodation/searchresults.aspx?Sec=accommodation&advsrch=1&Rad=3&Reg=South%20West%20England&FcWkr=true&durat=1&room=1&adult=1&child=0&display=list)
Yorkshire
Walking in Yorkshire takes you to a different world, to an elemental place shaped by the forces of nature. Ingleton waterfalls (www.ingletonwaterfallswalk.co.uk/), for example, where the action of water on limestone rock over countless centuries has created a breathtaking sight. Or Malham Cove, where the ghost of a prehistoric waterfall flows over cliffs that have been dry for thousands of years. And over the hill there's a lake, marooned on the high moor that was formed during the last Ice Age.
Yorkshire is a patchwork of many different landscapes. The soft chalk in the Yorkshire Wolds has been moulded into a subtle, seductive landscape of rich, fertile farmlands quite unlike anywhere else in Britain. In contrast, the tough gritstones of the Peak District have weathered to create a serrated skyline of craggy tors. And up in the North York Moors you'll feel as if you're walking on air, not heather, when you stride out into those refreshing open spaces set beneath large open skies.
There's over 130 miles of seashore in Yorkshire, ranging from sheltered coves to spectacular bays, shifting sands to towering headlands. Take a salty stroll along the beach at Bridlington. Fish around in rock pools at Robin Hood's Bay (www.robin-hoods-bay.co.uk/). Or explore haunting Spurn Point on the mouth of the Humber - in some places only 164ft/50m wide: an intriguing, ever-moving stretch of sand and shingle.
More information on walking in Yorkshire can be found at www.yorkshire.com
Accommodation for walkers in Yorkshire (www.enjoyengland.com/book/accommodation/searchresults.aspx?Sec=accommodation&advsrch=1&Rad=3&Reg=Yorkshire&FcWkr=true&durat=1&room=1&adult=1&child=0&display=list)
