Brits love getting out and exploring this green and pleasant land – and now the best walks to take across the nation has been named.
There are incredible routes to be found in England, Scotland and Wales – with a popular West Country destination coming out as the overall winner.
The research saw consumer group Which? pick more than 50 walks that could be easily trekked in a day – no more than 13 miles (20km).
It then asked its members to rank them on everything from the scenery along the route, the food and drink opportunities along the way, and peace and quiet.
There’s also an ‘ease of walking’ category that judges how difficult they are to hike.
The Lizard peninsula circuit, in southern Cornwall, is named the best walk in the UK, with a total score of 87 per cent.
The seven-mile route usually takes around three hours from the village of Lizard, and is described by Which? as ‘the place to head for a blow-away-the-cobwebs walk’.
‘Visitors told us they appreciated the dramatic scenery, the abundance of wildflowers and the possibility of spotting a red-legged chough or bobbing seals and basking sharks in the tumbling waves,’ it adds.
Brits love getting out and exploring this green and pleasant land – and now the best walks to take across the nation have been named
The Lizard peninsula circuit, in southern Cornwall, has been named the best walk in the UK by Which?, with a total score of 87 per cent
The best walk in Wales, which also scored 87 per cent and is another coastal course, is the Rhossili headland walk
The best walk in Wales, which also scored 87 per cent and is another coastal course, is the Rhossili headland walk.
The Gower Peninsula loop, with a difficulty rating of two out of five across its 3.5 miles, takes in a long sweep of Rhossili beach and views of Worm’s Head, a tidal island.
Which? recommends a meal at the Worm’s Head Hotel following the stroll, where you can expect traditional pub food with local highlights, such as Welsh rarebit, cockles and laverbread.
The Lake District’s Buttermere circuit and the Craster to Dunstanburgh, in Northumberland, came in closely behind, each snatching an 86 per cent score.
The former is judged to be one out of five for ease. It’s flat and great for families, leading between the shore and the dramatic mountains.
As for the Craster to Dunstanburgh route, the romantic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle are in view throughout, and walkers should look out for fulmars and razorbill – and, further out to sea, you might spot a grey seal.
It’s around 2.6 miles, scoring highly for scenery and wildlife.
In Scotland, the best walk is Fife’s Crail to Anstruther journey, four miles along and achieving a score of 84 per cent from Which? members.
The romantic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle are in view throughout the Craster to Dunstanburgh route
Scotland’s best walk begins in the historic village of Crail, in Fife
‘The Fife Coastal Path links its fishing villages with their stone harbours, pantile-roof cottages and Dutch-style merchants’ houses – all of which remain steadfastly unspoilt,’ say the consumer champions.
As for an end-of-walk reward, the town is home to the award-winning Anstruther Fish Bar & Restaurant – known for its light and crispy batter.
Other notable walks include Bottalack Mine Walk in Cornwall, heading up Dorset’s Golden Cap, Malham Cove and Gordale Scar walk in North Yorkshire, The Needles and Tennyson Down on the Isle of Wight, and another North Yorkshire entry with the Whitby to Robin Hood’s Bay trail.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel said: ‘The UK has an amazing variety of walks and our list highlights how there is beautiful scenery to enjoy in every corner of the country.
‘From historic ruins, beautiful shorelines and seal spotting, our research shows you don’t have to be a seasoned hiker and many walks also include cosy cafes and charming local pubs if you do need a rest and some refreshments.’
The results were based on almost 3,000 experiences from 1,310 ‘Which Connect’ members, with the talk score combining overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.
