Seven UK walks to wow you

Whether you are a competitor or eventing fan, walking and eventing go hand in hand. When you are not walking cross country courses on beautiful eventing estates and parklands, the UK is a walker’s paradise. Be it an arduous scramble up a sheer mountain or a gentle buggy walk through a field dusted in heather , here's some non-eventing walks for you to explore.

With snowcapped mountains, rugged coastlines, verdant forests and moody moors, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to walking in the UK. But before you fish out those walking boots (neglected or otherwise), determine how long you have to spare – and whether you want more of an amble or a scramble.
 

Walkers after a real endurance test should attempt the Three Peaks Challenge, climbing the three highest peaks in England (Scafell Pike 978m), Scotland (Ben Nevis 1334m) and Wales (Mt Snowdon 1085m). The challenge takes 24 hours, with driving in between.

 

Can’t face the Three Peaks but still after a challenge? Try the Yorkshire Three Peaks instead, a circular route linking Whernside (736m), Ingleborough (723m) and Pen-y-Ghnt (694m) and covering 42km. With 12 hours on the clock, and no driving, it’s easier than the Three Peaks but still a sufficient test of endurance.

 

For something more gentle – but still no picnic – the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path is beautifully windswept and remote, with little villages (and village pubs) en route. At 299km, walkers should allow a comfortable two weeks to complete the trek, taking lots of time to drink in the fabulous landscape.

 

If mountain scrambling and sheer cliff drops aren’t for you, head to the beautiful Cotswolds for a walk that’s more undulated than hilly. From beautiful Bath to charming Chipping Campden, the Cotswold Way walk is more about stately homes and afternoon teas than blisters and wind burn.

 

City lovers might be more at home on The Thames Path, offering photo opportunities of Big Ben, Tower Bridge and The London Eye at the finale. Starting in Cirencester, the walk traverses the heart of classical England – through Henley and Oxford – as well as some gorgeous countryside; the perfect mix of city and nature.
 

If all of the above sounds too much like hard work (and not enough time in the pub), try the Gourmet tour of Southwest England, blending rural landscape, pretty coastlines and quaint fishing villages with a comfortable combination of driving and walking – and heaps of delicious food. Tuck into fresh crab sandwiches, quench your thirst at microbreweries or enjoy warm scones with fresh strawberry jam and gloopy cream, before walking it all off in Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.
 

Haven’t got a week to spare but want to muddy up those walking boots? The UK has plenty of half day walks, including the 2.9km canal walk in Suffolk and the Hatchlands Park track in Surrey.