Walking Routes in England

England is covered with hundreds of well signed walking paths and trails passing through some of the most beautiful and unspoilt parts of the country.
We have organised these routes by county with an overview map also available.

Please use the links below to view the currently mapped routes.

County	No. Routes	County	No. Routes
Bedfordshire	35	Berkshire	42
Buckinghamshire	68	Cambridgeshire	39
Cheshire	70	Cornwall	70
County Durham	40	Cumbria	155
Derbyshire	126	Devon	126
Dorset	92	Essex	63
Gloucestershire	110	Greater London	128
Greater Manchester	71	Hampshire	94
Herefordshire	30	Hertfordshire	47
Isle of Wight	17	Kent	99
Lancashire	90	Leicestershire	41
Lincolnshire	42	Merseyside	27
Norfolk	52	Northamptonshire	44
Northumberland	56	Nottinghamshire	37
Oxfordshire	59	Rutland	8
Shropshire	51	Somerset	99
Staffordshire	67	Suffolk	59
Surrey	80	Sussex	101
Warwickshire	54	West Midlands	36
Wiltshire	79	Worcestershire	49
Yorkshire	281

National Parks, AONB and Other Regions Walking Routes

Park/AONB	No. Routes	Park/AONB	No. Routes
Arnside and Silverdale	9	Blackdown Hills	5
Bodmin Moor	11	Cheviots	9
Chilterns	33	Dartmoor	41
Exmoor	30	Forest of Bowland	16
Forest of Dean	16	High Weald	15
Howardian Hills	9	Keswick	19
Malvern Hills	11	Mendip Hills	22
New Forest	29	Nidderdale	20
North Downs	21	North York Moors	54
Northumberland National Park	17	Peak District	121
Quantocks	13	Ribble Valley	14
Shropshire Hills	13	South Downs	50
Surrey Hills	31	Cotswolds	93
Lake District	125	Wye Valley	13
Yorkshire Dales	74

Latest Walking Routes

Houghton Mill	2 miles (4 km)	Explore the delightful water meadows at Houghton Mill on this lovely walk in Huntingdon. It's a lovely area with views of the River Great Ouse, pretty streams, weirs and beautiful countryside. The walk starts from the National Trust car park at Houghton Mill. �The working 18th-century watermill�is set in an idyllic location on an island in the Great Ouse River. Follow the footpaths south along the water towards Battcock's Island and Hemingford Grey. Here you have the option of visiting Hemingford Grey Manor which dates from the 12th century. The interesting house and gardens are open to visitors. The route then turns north to pass along another stream before picking up the riverside path to return to the mill. After your walk you can enjoy refreshments at the lovely tea room which overlooks the mill. You can also buy some freshly ground wholemeal flour from the shop.
Arlington Reservoir	2 miles (3 km)	Enjoy a nice easy stroll around the pretty Arlington Reservoir on this short circular walk near Hailsham. There's parking on the western side of the reservoir and a good path running around the perimeter. The walk includes a woodland section at the start before reaching the dam where there are fabulous views across the Downs and the Long Man of Wilmington, The area is also a nature reserve and excellent for bird watching with 173 recorded bird species and a wintering population of up to 10,000 wildfowl. Look out for great crested grebe,�swallow,�mallard,�pied wagtail and cormorants.These can best be observed from the bird hide. The reservoir can also be easily accessed by train - get off at Berwick station and a short walk north takes you to the start of the walk. If you'd like to continue your walking in the area then you could pick up either the Vanguard Way or the Wealdway which both run past Arlington. About a mile to the east you will find the pretty Abbot's Wood. There's two nice waymarked walking trails to try in the bluebell woods.
Froggatt Edge Circular Walk	4 miles (6 km)	Enjoy splendid views over the Dark Peak on this climb to the gritstone escarpment of Froggatt Edge. There's interesting rock formations, sheltered birch woodland and lots of lovely heather to see in the late summer. You can start the walk from the car park just to the south of Nether Padley on the A625. Grindleford railway station in Upper Padley is also very close by. From the car park you can pick up footpaths heading south along the escarpment toward the village of Froggatt. It's a nice path with attractive woodland, a pretty stream and splendid views to enjoy. The route then descends to the village of Froggatt which has a pub and a�quaint 17th-century bridge. At the bridge you can pick up the Derwent Valley Heritage Way to take you along the river toward Grindleford. Here you turn east to follow woodland trails through Hay Wood back to the car park. Near here you can enjoy refreshments at the The Grouse Inn which offers a good selection of meals.
Sennen to Lands End Walk	3 miles (5 km)	A beautiful section of coast with some unique birdwatching opportunites. It's about a 3 mile circular walk with some moderate climbing along the cliffs. On the way look out for a variety of pretty wildflowers and seabirds including�fulmars, kittiwakes and guillemots. Start the walk from the Sennen Harbour car park next to the lifeboat station. From here you can pick up the coast path heading south west to Maen Cliff and Maen Castle. The�Iron Age�fort includes a stone rampart, ditch and counterscarp bank built across the neck of the headland, with almost sheer cliffs on two sides and a steep slope on the third. You continue south to Dr Syntax's Head and then to the�most westerly�point of England at Land's End. Here you turn inland, passing Trevescan Cliff to pick up a section of the Cornish Way. This will take you back through the countryside to Sennen Cove with more great views from the elevated path. The little village has a number of pretty cottages and a beautiful long beach which is popular with surfers. There's also a nice beach cafe and a typical Cornish pub for refreshments after your exercise.
Hayle to St Ives	5 miles (8.5 km)	This walk explores the Hayle Estuary and Carbis Bay on the South West Coast path in Cornwall. It's a stunning area with lots of wildlife to look out for on the estuary and wonderful beaches with views of St Ives Bay as you approach St Ives. It's a fairly easy 5 mile walk with only a few fairly easy climbs along the way. Starting at the train station in Hayle, pick up the coast path to take you past the pretty quays and harbour. The path bends around the estuary to Lelant Saltings and then through Lelant, before coming to Porth Kidney Sands. You pass along the beautiful beach to the golden sands of Carbis Bay. The route then comes into St Ives, passing Porthminster Beach on the way. In St Ives you can visit the Tate gallery and the Barbara Hepworth Museum which includes a fine Sculpture Garden. You can also catch boat trips to the nearby seal colonies on the Carrack Rocks and other locations along the coast.
Thurstaston Common and Coast	5 miles (8 km)	This walk explores Thurstaston Common before heading to Wirral Country Park on the coast. It's a varied walk with woodland trails, pretty heather, hill climbs and wonderful coastal scenery to enjoy. You can start the walk from the car park in Royden Park and then pick up the footpaths heading south across the common. Here you'll find woodland, heathland and a viewpoint at Thurstaston Hill. There's lovely views over the Dee Estuary, the city of Liverpool and the Welsh coast from here. Also look out for the striking Thor's Stone, a large�sandstone�outcrop and a place of romantic legend. After taking in the views the route descends to Thurstaston Hall where you follow Station Road to Wirral Country Park. The coastal park is the first designated country park in Britain, opening in 1973. You can climb the 60 feet high, boulder-clay cliffs where there are splendid views of the Wirral Peninsula. There's also a visitor centre and a number of pretty ponds where you can look out for a variety of wildlife. Follow footpaths south east through the park and you will see another path leading off to the north east. This will take you to 'The Dungeon', a wooded ravine with a small waterfall. Turn left here and you will soon arrive back at the village and the common.
Little Venice London Walk	2 miles (4 km)	This canal-side walk takes you from Little Venice to Camden Town in London. The start point is in an area of London where the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal�meets the�Regent's Canal. It's an attractive area with lots of narrowboats, tree lined paths and houses dating from the Regency period (early 19th century). Other notable highlights include the child friendly Puppet Theatre Barge and the ornamental Rembrandt Gardens.There's also a number of restaurants, shops, theatres, pubs and nice waterside cafes. If you are coming by public transport then Warwick Avenue tube station is just a stone's throw from Little Venice. Starting at Little Venice the route follows the Regent's Canal north east, passing Maida Hill Tunnel and Lisson Grove Tunnel. On this section you can take a small detour and visit Abbey Road where the Beatles famously posed for Album Cover photo. The studios and the zebra crossing are located just a short distance to the north of the canal at Lisson Grove. Lord's Cricket Ground is also in the same area. The canal continues past Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, passing close to London Zoo at the northern end of the park. You could take a detour here and climb Primrose Hill for splendid views over the city. This route continues along the canal to Camden Lock where you can visit the famous Camden Market. Products sold on the stalls include crafts, clothing,�bric-a-brac, and�fast food. It is the fourth-most popular visitor attraction in London, attracting approximately 250,000 people each week.
Elsecar Reservoir and Canal Walk	3 miles (5.5 km)	This nice waterside walk takes you around Elsecar Reservoir before picking up a footpath along the Elsecar Branch Canal. Along the way there are lots of interesting old buildings related to the village's mining history. You can find out more at the excellent Elsecar Heritage Centre�which contains the only�Newcomen steam engine�in the world to have remained in its original location. The walk starts from the parking area in Elsecar Park. From here you can pick up nice footpaths taking you around the pretty park with its woodland, flower beds and bandstand. Trails then lead you around the reservoir which is also a nature reserve where you can look out for a variety of wildlife. The route then passes the heritage centre and the train station belonging to the Elsecar Heritage Railway. The railway runs steam and diesel locomotives, between�Rockingham station�(at the back of the�Elsecar Heritage Centre) and Hemingfield Basin. Just past the station you can pick up the canal-side path and follow it to Wombwell.
Roche Abbey	1 miles (2 km)	Explore the atmospheric ruins of Roche Abbey on this short walk in Maltby. The Grade II listed abbey was founded in 1147 and is now in the care of English Heritage. The abbey is surrounded by attractive grounds with nice footpaths taking you to woodland, ponds and hills. The grounds were landscaped by 'Capability' Brown in the 18th Century and include a pretty stream with four waterfalls. You can start the walk from the car park next to the ruins. Then pick up the paths around the site to appreciate the remaining fine gothic architecture. This includes the�surviving transept walls, the ruined hall and a section of the gatehouse. After exploring the site you can follow the paths past the Laughton Pond and up into the Slade Hills for nice views over the area. There's also the option of continuing along the paths to the nearby village of Laughton-en-le-Morthen. Here you can visit the fine church with its distinctive spire and enjoy refreshments at one of the nice pubs. Alternatively you can bring a packed lunch and enjoy it in the on site picnic area.
Worcester Riverside Walk	6 miles (9.8 km)	An easy riverside walk along the River Severn from Worcester Cathedral to the nearby village of Hallow. The walk is very flat and lasts for just over 6 miles, there and back. It follows a section of the Severn Way long distance trail which runs through the city. The walk starts next to the cathedral and heads north past Worcester Bridge to Sabrina Bridge. Cross to the western side of the river and follow the Severn Way past the Worcester Racecourse and Northwick to Hallow Park. Follow the trails through the woods to the village of Hallow where you can refresh yourself at the local pub before starting the return journey.
Poets Walk Clevedon	1 miles (2 km)	This short walk in Clevedon follows the Poet's Walk footpath along the cliff tops to the west of the town. The walk is inspired by some of the poets and writers who have visited Clevedon. These include�Coleridge�in 1795 and�Tennyson�in 1834. It's also a�local nature reserve�and includes calcareous grassland, coastal scrub, woodland, with fine views over the Bristol Channel. The walk starts in a lovely spot at the pretty Marine Lake at Salthouse Bay. From here you can pick up the little path heading south west along the coast. It runs down to Wain's Hill where there is an univallate�Iron Age Fort. The hillfort is defined by a steep, natural slope from the south and north with two ramparts to the east. You can follow footpaths round the hill to the noteworthy St Andrew's Church. �Parts of the original 12th century church remain with 14th and 15th century additions also.�It's located in a fine elevated spot overlooking the�Bristol Channel, and has been designated as a Grade I�listed building.
Portishead Nature Reserve Walk	2 miles (4 km)	An easy circular walk around the Portsbury Wharf Nature Reserve in Portishead. The attractive 113 acre site provides�a vital buffer of green land between Portishead and the Portbury Dock industrial complex. You can start the walk fro the Portishead Marina car park, located next to the reserve. Here you can pick up footpaths heading east onto the site, which includes two large pools, several ponds, grazing marsh, hay meadows and hedgerows. There's also a number of bird hides where you can look out for a variety of wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for�curlew,�dunlin,�redshank�and�shelduck as you make your way around the site.
Amble to Warkworth Walk	3 miles (5 km)	This walk explores the Northumberland Coast around the town of Amble before following the River Coquet to nearby Warkworth. The walk is quite easy, running for about 3 miles on flat paths. The route starts from the car park on the coast at Amble Links, just to the east of the town. From here you can pick up the Northumberland Coast Path and follow it north towards the harbour with views of Coquet Island as you go. The�island is home to several varieties of nesting sea birds, including�puffins�and the rare�Roseate tern. Access is restricted but you can catch boat trips around the site. At the harbour you come to the mouth of the River Coquet and the north and south piers. Follow paths around the marina which will lead you to the main road. A shared cycle and walking path runs alongside the road and the river leading you into Warkworth. Here you can enjoy riverside paths taking you past the medieval bridge to the fine ruined castle.
Warkworth River Walk	2 miles (2.8 km)	Enjoy a nice stroll along the River Coquet on this easy circular walk in the popular village of Warkworth. The walk starts from the ancient bridge of two arches which crosses the river, just north of the castle. The medieval bridge also includes an old�fortified gateway. Head west along the river and you will soon come to the noteworthy�St Lawrence church. The large Norman church dates from the 12th century with construction started in 1132. It was built not only as a holy place but also as a sanctuary for the villagers in dangerous times, such as the battle of Alnwick in 1174. You continue around the bend of the river to Warkworth Castle. The substantial ruins of the medieval castle sit next to the river in a very photogenic spot. Follow the path along Mill Walk Wood to Howlet Hall where you leave the river and follow a footpath south. Another path then heads east taking you to the castle where the walk finishes. English Heritage own the site so you have to pay a fee to fully explore the castle. Upon entry you can see how�the powerful Dukes of Northumberland, the�Percy family lived. There's also great views of the river and coast from the castle walls.
Redcar to Saltburn Beach Walk	4 miles (6.6 km)	A nice easy coastal walk from Redcar to Saltburn via Marske-by-the-Sea. The route runs for about 4 miles along a beautiful stretch of beach. Start the walk at Redcar Sands close to the train stations. Head south east past Redcar Rocks to the viillage of Marske-by-the-Sea. The village is a nice place to stop for refreshments at one of the cafes at what is roughly the half way point of the walk. It also includes the impressive, Grade I listed Marske Hall which was built in 1625. Continue from Marske and you soon come to Saltburn where you can enjoy a stroll along the pier and catch the funicular railway up to the town. The railway was opened in 1884 and is the oldest operating water-balance cliff�lift�in the United Kingdom.
Pegsdon Hills	2 miles (4 km)	Enjoy a climb to Deacon Hill and enjoy wonderful views over the Chilterns on this walk in the Pegsdon Hills. The hills are also a designated nature reserve so there's lots of intersting flora and fauna to see as well. There's a series of footpaths to follow across the site where you will find chalk hills and wildflower meadows with orchids and�moschatels. In the summer months the flowers attract butterflies such as dingy�and�grizzled skippers. There are fine views of the surrounding Chiltern Hills from the high points which reach nearly 172 metres at Deacon Hill. Start the walk from the car park on the Pirton Road just to the east of the site. From here you can pick up the Icknield Way Path and follow it towards Deacon Hill where there's a trig point and wonderful views to enjoy. The route then follows other footpaths across the hills before picking up the Icknield Way to return you to the car park. On your walk you may see a deer and various birds including skylark, buzzard and fieldfare.
Whitchurch Canal Walk	6 miles (9.7 km)	Enjoy an easy waterside walk along the Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal, from Whitchurch to Marbury. It's a lovely section of the canal with lots of pretty locks, old bridges and nice views of the open countryside of Cheshire and Shropshire. Starting in the town centre you can follow The Marches Way and the Shropshire Way west past Jubilee Park to the start of the Whitchurch Arm. Follow the towpath round to the north, passing Danson's Bridge and Grindley Brook lock. You continue past Willeymoor Lock to Quoisley Bridge before coming into Marbury. The village is a lovely place for a stroll with a number of attractive meres to visit. Here you can look out for a variety of wildlife including gadwall,�garganey�and�ruddy ducks at the Quoisley meres. Great crested,�red-necked�and�Slavonian grebes,�great�and�little bittern,�Canada�and�pink-footed geese,�coots,�moorhens�and�mute swans�can be seen at the Marbury meres.
Hitchin	12 miles (20 km)	The Hertfordshire town of Hitchin makes a great base for exploring the lovely north eastern corner of the Chiltern Hills. This walk visits the nearby Pegsdon Hills using a number of the waymarked long distance trails which pass through the area surrounding the town. The walk starts in the town centre and picks up the Hitchin Outer Orbital Path to take you to Oughtonhead Common. It's a very pretty area with the views of the River Oughton and the Oughtonhead Nature Reserve. You can look out for wildlife including�kingfishers, water rails and woodcock in this area. Shortly after passing the common you pick up the Icknield Way Path and follow it west to the village of Pirton. The route continues to the Pegsdon Hills on the border between Bedfordshire and�Hertfordshire. The attractive area includes chalk hills and wildflower meadows with orchids and�moschatels. In the summer months the flowers attract butterflies such as dingy�and�grizzled skippers. There are fine views of the surrounding Chiltern Hills from the high points which reach nearly 600ft (180m). After rounding the hills you pass Tingley Wood and pick up the same trails to return you to Hitchin.
Porthcurno to Lands End	5 miles (8 km)	Follow the South West Coast Path from the village of Porthcurno to Land's End, the�most westerly�point of England. It's a splendid section of the coast with fabulous cliff top views and lots of beautiful beaches along the way. The walk starts in the parking area in Porthcurno and heads to the beach and the wonderful Minack Theatre. The wonderful open air theatre is positioned above a gully with a rocky granite outcrop jutting into the sea. The path heads west to Rospletha Cliff and Porth Chapel beach at St Levan before coming to the coastal village of Porthgwarra. Here you can walk through a tunnel to visit a delightful little cove. The next section takes you around Hella Point to Gwennap Head. The headland is a great place for seeing unusual wildlife such as basking sharks�and�ocean sunfish. It's also favoured by�birdwatchers�with many travelling the length and breadth of Britain to track rare seabirds. Look out for gannet,�Manx shearwater,�guillemot,�razorbill,�fulmar,�shag�and�cormorant as you make your way around the headland. The route continues north past Port Loe to Pordenack Point, passing the attractive beach and cove at Nanjizal on the way. From here you continue to the finish point at Land's End.
Oakamoor	5 miles (8.2 km)	The pretty Staffordshire village of Oakamoor makes a great base for exploring the beautiful Churnet Valley. This walk makes use of the Staffordshire Moorlands Way and the Staffordshire Way to explore the wooded valleys surrounding the village. You'll first visit the lovely Dimmingsdale where there's a waymarked trail to follow along a series of streams and pools. The route then heads to the National Trust's Hawksmoor Wood Nature Reserve. The ancient woodland is located just to the west of the village and is a great place for�wild flowers and wildlife spotting. On the walk you'll enjoy nice views of the River Churnet and miles of peaceful woodland trails. The area looks particularly stunning in the autumn months.