Best walks in Britain
The 18 greatest walks in England
Discover the beauty of the English countryside on foot – from quiet country lanes and flower-banked rivers to spectacular hills and dales.
Three Cliffs Bay walk, Gower
Follow a footpath past bone-filled caves, a romantic ruin and a winding river, down to a beach bathed in sunlight
Hilbre Island walk, Wirral
Wrap up warm and head out across the sands of the Dee Estuary to visit a charming island on the England-Wales border
Devil’s Bridge, Ceredigion walk
Discover Devil's Bridge falls, the Devil's Punch Bowl and the gorgeous Avon Mynach valley on this 6.8-mile walk in the Wales
Sugar Loaf walk, Monmouthshire
In its relatively modest 596m, the summit of Sugar Loaf in the Brecon Beacons National Park encompasses much that is magical about mountains, hills and woodland. Here, we reveal two excellent five-mile circular walks to the summit of this Welsh peak.
Scotland's best walks
Explore the Highlands, Scottish Isles, Borders and more with our guide on the best walks in Scotland. Whether you're looking for long-distance Highland hikes, coastal treks or short river walks and loch-side strolls we have walking routes for all abilities.
Chee Dale, Miller's Dale and Wye Dale walk, Peak District
This four-mile loop walk along the River Wye in the Peak District includes an exhilarating stretch along the Chee Dale's magical stepping stones.
Walk: Tegg’s Nose and Macclesfield Forest, Cheshire
Straddling the western border of the Peak District National Park is a patchwork of wild woods, flowering meadows, deep reservoirs and high crags – explore Tegg's Nose Country Park and Macclesfield Forest on foot with a 7.5-mile hike.
Walk: Caer Caradoc Hill, Shropshire
A 4.5-mile walk from Church Stretton train station to the summit of Shropshire's magnificent Caer Caradoc Hill.
Walk: Llanthony and Hatterall Ridge, Monmouthshire
Get your heart racing with a 4.5-mile circular walk, ascending from a valley of ancient architecture to the sweeping mountain views of Offa's Dyke Path in the Black Mountains.
Walk: Balmoral, Aberdeenshire
Walk the woodland trails and loch-side paths of Scotland’s splendid Balmoral Estate, cherished by the royal family and hikers alike
Best walks on the Isle of Wight
An astounding variety of landscapes, from marshes and estuaries to chalk downs and limestone cliffs, make the Isle of Wight a walker’s paradise. Delight in the geology, wildlife, history and sheer magnetism of the island with our favourite county walks
Walk: Blackburn to Hoghton Bottoms, Lancashire
Billowing woodland, a rocky chasm and rumbling rapids enliven Lancashire’s industrial heartland threaded by the unsung River Darwen.
Walk: Gawsworth, Cheshire
Keep your eyes peeled for Shakespeare's Dark Lady and jocular Lord Flame in a secluded village in the Cheshire countryside
Walk: Mellor Moor, Greater Manchester/Cheshire/Derbyshire
Seek out the shades of travellers long-past along old ways high above the Goyt Valley
Walk: Belstone, Devon
Discover the delicate tones of the skylark, and many other Dartmoor delights, on this remote ramble through the national park's northern moors and tors.
Walk: Preseli Hills, Pembrokeshire
Nordic walking – somewhere between hiking and running – is a great way to explore the British countryside. Try it for yourself with a ramble through one of the most captivating prehistoric landscapes in Wales: Pembrokeshire's Presell Hills
Walk: Cribyn, Powys
Often overshadowed by its towering neighbour, Pen y Fan, this verdant mountain in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales is one of Britain's most understated peaks
Walk: Dartmouth to Dittisham, Devon
Walk from the hustle and bustle of Dartmouth through ancient oak woodland and along country lanes to the sail boats and colourful cottages of Dittisham, with lovely ferry rides on the way
Walk: Clapham to Ingleborough Cave, North Yorkshire
This waterside walk along the Ingleborough Nature Trail follows Clapham Beck from the village of Clapham to Ingleborough Cave in the Yorkshire Dales National Park
Walk: Falmer to Lewes, East Sussex
After the hustle and bustle of Christmas, reconnect with the slow rhythms of the land on this scenic hilltop ramble through the South Downs National Park
Walk: Horsey, Norfolk
Enjoy a moderate circular walk around the village of Horsey in the Norfolk Broads National Park, discovering marshland, wild coast and grey seals
Walk: Rhosgadfan and Moel Tryfan, Gwynedd
Enjoy this nine-mile mountain walk through open hills and slate quarries in the Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park
Walk: Zennor Head, Cornwall
This circular walk heads through farmland and woods before emerging on to the towering granite cliffs of Cornwall's north-west coast – a dramatic section of the South West Coast Path, home to seabirds, wildflowers and Atlantic waves.
