The best winter walks in Britain
Holywell Bay to Porthtowan, Cornwall
Whether it’s a blue winter’s day or a breezy afternoon, walkers are drawn to one of the most enigmatic stretches of coast in the country. Holywell Bay with its famous Gull Rocks lies just to the south of Newquay on the north Cornwall coast.
The walk following the coastal path south to Porthtowan passes delightful coves, expansive beaches and imposing cliffs and takes about 5 hours. The route will take you through Perranporth, St Agnes and the emblematic Wheal Coates, a former tin mine which looks down on this majestic coastline.
This historic landmark has come to symbolise ‘Kernow’ and man’s essential link to land and sea. With a plethora of great pubs along the way, there is plenty of opportunity to take a breather on this popular winter walk.
Rhossili Bay, South Wales
This ancient terrain is blessed with natural good looks and dotted with Iron Age and Norman monuments to explore in an area that has been treasured for centuries. A great way to take in this fabulous vista is to walk from Worms Head along the coast and then into a circular route around Rhossili Bay.
This eight mile route provides some fantastic vantage points that on a clear day will allow you to glimpse the North Devon coast. The rugged countryside is bordered by a large beach at Rhossili Bay providing an opportunity to follow the tideline as part of your journey across some of the most delightful scenery in South Wales.
Loch Morar, Scotland
This part of Scotland is considered a paradise for walkers, with elevated views of some of the most stunning Scottish mountains including Ben Nevis and across the water towards the Hebrides.
One of the most scenic and popular routes is the 5 mile route along the loch to Tarbet. With a snow capped backdrop against the still, mirror-like waters and on a crisp winter’s day, the views are simply breathtaking. The wild landscape provides a variety of habits to a fascinating array of wildlife. Look out for otters, roe deer and even sea eagles, which can be seen fishing for salmon!
Winchcombe, the Cotswolds
Winchcombe which lies at the heart of the Cotswolds is a great starting point for a variety of walks around some of the most beautiful and historic landscapes in the area. Choose from leisurely two mile routes around Sudeley Castle to more challenging hikes from Winchombe to Hailes, taking in great views of the Malverns and the Vale of Evesham.
Make sure you plan your journey allowing for plenty of daylight to complete your walk. What better way than to round off your winter hike than coming home to light your woodburner in your cosy Cotswolds cottage!
Sheringham to Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk
This eight and a half mile walk is for people who like to feel as if they have entered the wilderness. It starts along rugged sandy cliffs, which then merge into wild shingle beach and salt marshes, where you can expect to spot some interesting wildlife.
Further along the trail there are also cley marshes, softly undulating hills and great views of Cley’s windmill and Blakeney’s Church tower. The walk comes to an ideal end at the village Cley-next-the-Sea, where you can enjoy a well-earned cup of tea and cake. This walk is Norfolk at its finest!
Tintagel Church to Trebarwith Strand, Cornwall
This three mile, easy-to-moderate walk takes you through one of the quieter areas of Cornwall. It may not be on the radar of most visitors to Cornwall but this is a truly beautiful trail. It starts off at a picturesque church on Glebe Cliff and then takes you along a coastal path, which offers jaw-dropping views of dramatic cliffs and coastal slate quarries as well as sandy beaches.
The beach at Trebarwith Strand is also a great place to take a break for lunch or even go surfing. You can then follow a quarryman’s trail into the town of Treknow and round off your day by visiting the local castle.
The Grey Mare’s Tail and Loch Skeen, Scotland
This isolated area of Scotland, east of Ayr and south east of Glasgow, is one of the country’s hidden secrets. At less than three miles, this walk can be completed in two and a half hours. The Grey Mare’s Tail is one of Scotland’s most impressive waterfalls, cascading 60 metres in the Moffat hills.
The view even inspired poet Sir Walter Scott to write verse about it. This walk allows you to not only drink in the vistas of the spectacular waterfall but also take in wonderful views of Loch Skeen and the rugged hills that surround the lake. There is some interesting wildlife to experience on this trail too with peregrine falcons and more!
Tonfanau to Tywyn, Wales
Tywyn is not an obvious choice when it comes to walking in Wales but it offers some fascinating routes. This particular one, which is eight miles and takes between three and five hours to complete, follows the Dysynni river and there are some colourful landmarks from the start.
There are some spectacular views once you start this trek- for example at Craig-yr-aderyn (Bird’s Rock) and at the Broadwater lagoon. The wildlife to look out for includes oystercatchers, wigeons, skylarks, buzzards and red kites.
Eastern Moors, the Peak District
The central location of the Peak District National Park makes it perfect for a walking short break. To get a real sense of wilderness and the essential raw beauty of the Peaks, the Eastern Moors is offers varied range of vistas to immerse yourself during a winter moorland walk.
The circular route from Curbar Gap, through Froggat, White Edges and then back to Curbar Gap, takes in some of the most strikingly rugged parts of the Peak District. Expansive moorland home to timid red deer offers vantage points across Derwent Valley and on to the heartland of the Peak District.
