spring walks
Britain's best spring walks
The arrival of the spring equinox this March signals the start of longer, warmer days. The countryside is awash with colour and wildlife – a perfect season for hiking. From magnificent meadows and wildflower woodlands to springtime hills, here is our guide to the best spring walks in the UK.
Cricklade North Meadow National Nature Reserve, Wiltshire
In spring, North Meadow blushes purple with thousands of the snake's-head fritillaries – just one of many wildflower species to thrive in this Wiltshire reserve
Britain's best daffodil walks
The cheering sight of daffodils is a sure sign that spring has sprung. Here is our pick of the best daffodil walks to enjoy this spring.
The first signs of spring
From snowdrops to the dawn chorus, the first signs of spring promise new life and warmer, lighter days. Our seasonal guide explore the signs to look out for across the British countryside, parks and gardens.
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: 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: Glen Tanar Estate, Aberdeenshire
The aromatic scent of Scots pine permeates this spring stroll, accompanied by a varied soundtrack of birdsong, including capercaillie and the sweet tones of the Scottish crossbill
Walk: Roseberry Topping, North Yorkshire
Quilted with banks of bluebells, sorrel and stitchwort, Yorkshire’s Matterhorn in the North York Moors National Park is a spring masterpiece
Walk: Plessey Woods, Northumberland
From the bright-yellow celandines of the woodland floor to the drumming woodpeckers of the high canopy, this country park offers the perfect spring escape
Walk: Castle Caldwell Forest, County Fermanagh
The lustrous yellow petals of the buttercup glowing beneath a fresh spring sun are just one of many highlights on this short amble along Lower Lough Erne’s sinuous shoreline
Walk: West Tanfield, North Yorkshire
Follow the gentle meanders of the River Ure, where woodlands of yellow aconites and swaying hazel catkins lead to tiny Yorkshire hamlets and quiet country lanes
Walk: St Catherine’s Hill, Hampshire
Walk to the top of the tree-topped beacon of St Catherine's Hill in historic Winchester with this easy four-mile stroll