Good walks in the UK

[PaperFlowers4]

I’d like to make an effort to see more of the UK and would really appreciate some recommendations.

Where could I go from London to do some weekend walks—for example, leaving on Friday evening, walking on Saturday and coming back sunday afternoon?

DH and I don’t drive so we’re looking for places that are accessible by public transport or a reasonable taxi fare from the nearest station.

What towns/villages might be good for this? I’m interested in rolling countryside, the coast, hills, moors...anything really. We could probably spare one weekend every 1-2 months for this so the more suggestions the better

How far do you want to walk everyday?

There is a brilliant book that covers this very thing:

www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Country-Walks-Near-London/dp/1846702216/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?s=gateway&keywords=walks+from+london&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1554668312&sr=8-1

Weymouth to Lulworth Cove, taxi back to Wool station train back to Weymouth. Lulworth Cove to Corefe Castle or longer to Worth or Swanage, this only works July to September when the bus runs between Swanage and Lulworth but is possible at other times, but a bit more of a faff with bus changes, check for army range closing times as they close them at weekends six times a year

About 3-5 hours per day would be ideal, but this is flexible. could do more if it’s not too strenuous a walk.

DDIJ do you have any recommendations for where to stay in the Cotswolds? I have researched briefly but a lot of walks require a car to get to the starting point of the walk, which we can’t do.

Isle of Wight Tennyson Trail/ Coastal path. Train from Waterloo to Lymington Pier, ferry to Island , lots of B&Bs , nice pubs for lunches ..

You could perhaps stay at The Bugle in Yarmouth for a pretty decent mid-range sort of place with good grub , -5 mins walk from ferry (I've not stayed there but eaten there loads and it seems fine, but there are loads of other places to give a go). The Needles Breezer bus starts in the town to the start of a fab downland walk or you can pick up the Island Breezer bus to take you all around the island.

We are lucky because we live here, and the coastal path is 10 mins away

Harumph that book looks great but is it walks that don’t need a car? I bought a book of walks on the Jurassic coast and returned it the next day because every single walk required a car trip to get to the starting point!

FiveGo that looks perfect actually. That’s the exact sort of thing we are looking for. Thanks

Laska I just looked up Isle of Wight travel times from London and it’s so much quicker than I thought. Psychologically it seems so much further away, I guess because it’s an island. I would love to visit, it looks beautiful. This is definitely going on the list!

You could def do sections of the Cotswold way - for instance on the northern section you can get the train to Evesham, then the bus to Broadway and then meet up with the steam railway to either go back to Broadway or go onto Cheltenham and return from there.

Train to Malvern and walk the Malvern hills from there

Have you walked the thames way? More details on getting to it here- www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thames-path/public-transport

you can do bits of it, you don't have to do the whole lot in one go.

The train line from Paddington to Cheltenham is great for this, but you'll probably need to get taxis to starting points. No more than a 90 min train ride.

Swindon- Uffington Castle/the White Horse

Kemble- there's a walk you can do to the source of the Thames. No need for a taxi, and it's a quaint area with some nice pubs. Cirencester is worth spending a morning in before returning to London.

Stroud- there's lots of options from Stroud, including the Cotswold Way. As a starting point, I'd recommend looking at either Painswick or Minchinhampton as bases for walks. Painswick you can get a bus to, Minchinhampton will need a taxi but won't be much.

Walking along White Cliffs at Dover to Deal is a lovely coastal route. Both towns have a station and great pubs at St Margaret's Bay and Deal.

Another walk I like is along part of the Pilgrim’s Way. It’is from from Wye in Kent to Canterbury. It is a gorgeous countryside walk. Again both places have train stations and great pubs en route.

PaperFlowers it is quicker to get to IOW if you go Via Portsmouth or Southampton from London, But if you want walking, the west of the island is best. That's why I suggested Lymington Pier / Yarmouth rather than the other ferries.

But of course there are lots of fab walks in the New Forest.. If you get the same train down from Waterloo ( the Weymouth train) and get off at Brockenhurst you have plenty of good walking. I would recommend The Cottage Lodge at Brockenhurst. We have stayed there a few times now for and cycling /walking in the New Forest.

The Northumberland coast has beautiful walks, as well as Hadrian's Wall.

@Harumphharagh another vote for that book! It’s great! The walks are also all on this website www.walkingclub.org.uk/

@PaperFlowers pretty much all the walks in that book start from a train station so no need for a car. Also look at the London Loop walks tfl.gov.uk/modes/walking/loop-walk

The Lake District. All of it.

Seven Sisters - train to Eastbourne I’m guessing? Lovely walk, stop at Birling Gap for tea and cake.

North Downs Way and South Downs Way could both be good options too, lots of start and finish points and sure someone has worked out best ones if travelling by train.

RoyAl Military Canal, over a series of weekends. Starts at Sandgate, ends at Rye. Ham Street is sort of in the middle, with a station there.

You wouldn't need a car - train to Folkestone on first night, then walk along the coast to the start of the Canal. Ham Street to London via Ashford (or back to Folkestone via Ashford).
There are buses back to Ashford from most villages along the way, then train to Folkestone or back to London.

You could get a train to Sheffield, then a very short train to one of the Peak District villages like Hathersage and walk from there.

The west Highland way. It's beautiful, challenging and takes in some of the best scenery in the country.