Top 10 spring walks

Malvern Hills, Worcestershire/ Herefordshire (pictured above)

Explore the impressive mounds that preside over 3,000 acres in the heart of England. The Malvern Hills are an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty and offer views across the patchwork fields and pretty villages of Worcestershire and Herefordshire. Journey to the top of Worcestershire Beacon – the tallest point in the county – and you’ll be rewarded with vistas of the Cotswolds and the Severn Valley.
www.malvernhills.org.uk

The Ridgeway, various counties

For a day-long stroll that combines ancient history with rich rural settings, make your way to The Ridgeway. Straddling Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Buckinghamshire for 87 miles, it’s thought to be the oldest road in England. Just think of all those prehistoric soles that have trodden the chalk path before you – eerie. What’s also eerie is the burial tombs of Wayland’s Smithy, the stone circle at Avebury and the mysterious chalk White Horse carved into the hillside at Uffington. We recommend finishing this walk before sunset.
www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ridgeway

Hadrian’s Wall, various counties

No holiday in northern England is complete without a pilgrimage to the Roman defence masterpiece that is Hadrian’s Wall. If you’re a keen hiker you can journey along the 73 miles it covers from Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria, in the west, to Wallsend, Tyneside, in the east. On the way, you’ll come across the Roman fort at Segedunum and the River Tyne bridges. If a 73-mile trek sounds too daunting, set up a temporary Roman settlement of your own at Hadrian’s Wall Camping and Caravan Site instead.
www.hadrianswallcampsite.co.uk
www.hadrians-wall.org

Dove Dale to Milldale, Peak District

There’s no better way to explore this hilly terrain – cherished by poets and hikers alike – than on foot. Start your mini-trek at Dove Dale, hopping back and forth on the muchloved stepping stones that cross the River Dove, then soak up views of the sweeping dales and the stone-walled cottages as you slowly make your way to the tranquil village of Milldale, six miles away.
www.visitpeakdistrict.com

Borough and Bankside, London

Southwark is one of the oldest settlements in the UK so, as you’d expect, it’s crawling with history. Start with a pint at the George Inn, thought to be the spot where Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales begin. Next, pass Southwark Cathedral, London’s oldest, and take the steps down to the cobbled back streets, home to the Clink Prison, the 13th-century ruins of Winchester Palace and a colourful replica of the Golden Hinde. For architectural masterpieces galore, meander along Bankside for Shakespeare’s Globe, Tate Modern and views of St Paul’s.
www.cathedral.southwark.anglican.org
www.visitbankside.com
www.visitlondon.com

York, Yorkshire

Walk the Bar Walls of York, and you’ll come across a portcullis, battlements and even a fort. The walls stretch for two miles, making them the longest and most complete town defences of their kind in England, despite coming under attack from Vikings and Normans alike. But for all the remnants of conflict, there are plenty of peaceful spots too, such as the Yorkshire Museum Gardens, which surround the 200AD Multangular Tower. Also, there is York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral outside Rome, with heroic columns and intricate, stained-glass windows.
www.yorkminster.org
www.visityork.org

Hangers Way, Hampshire

Starting in the town of Alton, this 21-mile walk follows the heavily wooded East Hampshire Hangers to the market town of Petersfield and finishes at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Whether you tackle it all or only manage a few miles, you’ll stumble across some fine historic sites. There’s the 15thcentury effigy of Chaucer’s wife in East Worldham, the village of Selborne with its country inns and thatched cottages, plus several Bronze and Iron Age burial mounds. With all this in mind you might end up attempting the whole thing in one go… 
www3.hants.gov.uk/long distance/hangers-way.htm

The Coleridge Way, Somerset

You might feel like writing a poem or two after a walk through this haven for ponies. Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote some of his best poetry after meandering across Exmoor. Follow in his footsteps by walking the 36-mile trail named after the great romantic. You’ll pass the unspoiled Quantock Hills; Horner with its dense woods, and plenty of country pubs and tearooms too. Just as well, the walk takes two to three days so you’ll need regular stopoffs for a pint and afternoon tea.
www.coleridgeway.co.uk

Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire

A child- and baby-friendly walk is sometimes hard to find, but the even pathways along the Riverside Circuit at Ilkley Moor make this ideal for stumbling toddlers and pram-bearing parents. It takes around an hour or two, so the children won’t get bored. In fact, the carved prehistoric rocks will fire up their imaginations no end, while parents can act out scenes from Wuthering Heights – it is Brontë country, after all.
www.yorkshire.com

The Old Man Of Coniston, Lake District

Why not tackle one of the Lake District’s fells? Don’t worry, it’s not the tallest, although it seems pretty high up. As you’d expect, the journey is mostly uphill but the glorious views at the Old Man’s peak, make it all worthwhile. Take a breather at Goat’s Water and Dow Crag, a daunting 100-metre-tall rock face, and carry on to the top for 360-degree views across Coniston Water. You’ll be relieved to know that the route back down is much easier. Phew.
www.golakes.co.uk

For more on exploring England on foot: www.visitengland.com