Walking tours in Britain

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To many people, Britain might seen like one of those countries where you end up staying inside a pub, a shop or a museum most of your holiday, because the notoriously bad weather will usually keep you from going out exploring the countryside or parks, but contrary to the expectations, yes, there can be good weather in Britain, and yes, there are lots of amazing places to explore.

Walking tours in Britain are becoming increasingly popular, and many people choose to hike or bike from inn to inn and enjoy the natural beauty of the British Isles. So here are the top places where you can go on walking tours in Britain.

The Lake District

The Lake District is famous for being the inspiration for the so-called Lake Poets, a group of 19th century poets including Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey. The breath-taking landscapes of the Lake District are best appreciated at a leisurely pace. The fells in this region are the closest Britain has come to having mountains, and serious hikers won’t think much of them in terms of hiking difficulty. Some of the most interesting attractions in the Lake District are the home of Beatrix Potter, the famous children’s books illustrator, and Claife Station on the shores of Windermere, the largest lake in Britain.

Kirkby Moor

The heather-covered expanses of Kirkby Moor are no part of a specific national park, but they are accessible and easy on the eye. The moor is very close to the border of the Lake District, and once you are there you can take one of the many paths that will take you across it.

Since the area is not included into the national park, some parts of it are literally full of windmills. The village of Kirkby-in-Furness, located roughly at the center of the moorland is a great starting point for self-guided walking tours.

Bute Island, Scotland

The island of Bute in Scotland is like a time capsule with only a pinch of the modern world: the little town of Rothesay, on the east coast of the island. The villages on Bute are peaceful and scenic, and they are close enough to each other that they make perfect stops during a walking tour. The best way to explore the island is by bike, which you can rent near Rothesay. The Kyles of Bute are one of the most picturesque places in Scotland,located between the villages of Tighnabruaich  and Kames, on the mainland.

Tamar Valley

This nook of a valley located between Cornwall and Devon is one of the most beautiful places you will ever see, and it is one of the 41 areas of ‘outstanding beauty’ designated by the UK Countryside Agency. Many of the landscape features in the valley are named after the devil (e.g. the Devil’s Frying Pan), but folklore says that as opposed to neighboring Devon, he never came to the valley.

Since the valley itself is rather extensive, covnering about 75 square miles, there are several spots that you can make the headquarters of your walking tours: Yelverton, Callington, Saltash.

Forest of Bowland, Lancashire

Another area of outstanding beauty, the forest of Bowland is a protected area with potential for countless walking tours. The charming stone village of Slaidburn is one of the must-see locations in the Bowland region, and the visitor center at the village can offer you more information about the historical and natural heritage of the area.

The Bowland Wild Boar Park is excellent for walking and biking tours. The town of Clitheroe is the perfect staging post for visiting the Bowland area.

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