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WILD COUNTRYSIDE

Waterfalls Country, Brecon Beacons

On the south-westerly edge of the Brecon Beacons, the rivers Mellte, Hepste, Pyrddin and Nedd-fechan tumble chaotically down from the high hills into the Vale of Neath. Their churning waters have carved a series of great gorges deep into the rock – and it’s here that you’ll find the greatest concentration of waterfalls in the UK.

19th-century Nythfa House in Brecon offers a cosy base for exploring the network of trails that lace the woodlands and hillsides of Waterfall Country. Spend a morning visiting the thunderous cascades of Sgwd Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd y Pannwr and Sgwd-yr-Eira on the 5.5-mile Four Falls Trail, stroll the 2 miles up to Sgwd-yr-Eira for a photoshoot behind its watery white veil, or link up three waymarked trails – Sychryd Gorge, Four Falls and Elidir - on a tough-yet-terrific 9-mile day out. Nearby, the Cambrian Way leads on towards wilder walking among the national park’s loftiest summits.

WILD COUNTRYSIDE

Howgill Fells, Yorkshire Dales

Walkers often whizz past the Howgills on their way to the better-advertised delights of the Lake District – but tarry awhile among these rounded, grassy ridges and you’ll discover why it pays to get off the beaten track.

It was the peace and solitude of the Howgill Fells that appealed to guidebook-writing walker Alfred Wainwright, who famously described them as “a herd of sleeping elephants”. Follow in his boot prints to admire the dazzling 360-degree views over the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales from the Calf (676m), highest point in the Howgills. Hike along the River Rawthey to discover Cautley Spout, England’s loftiest waterfall. Or sally forth on a mellow 3-mile amble around Smardale for a photogenic view of the Smardale Gill Viaduct. At the end of a long day’s walking, Grade II-listed Thorns Hall, with its flower-packed gardens and comfortable rooms, is the perfect place to nurse your soles.

WILD COUNTRYSIDE

The Stiperstones, Shropshire

Local legend has plenty to say about the jagged quartzite teeth of Shropshire’s Stiperstones ridge. Were they dropped by the Devil? Does Saxon Prince ‘Wild Edric’ and his tribe of warriors lie buried beneath their roots? Whatever the case, the Stiperstones ooze atmosphere. Spend long enough scrambling among those broken tors, and you might just start to believe the mythical hype.

The ridge itself is nearly 4 miles long with a high point of 536m and you can pick from a whole skein of circular and linear walks that explore different parts of it. Whichever route you choose, aim for sunrise or sunset to capture the Devil’s Chair and its fellow tors in all their glittering quartzite splendour. Extend your trip and bag a trio of Shropshire hills by combining the Stiperstones with Black Hill (441m) and Brown Clee Hill (540m). All are just a short drive away from the home comforts of peaceful Longmynd House.

HISTORY & HERITAGE

St Oswald's Way, Northumberland

This 97-mile pilgrimage from the tidal island of Lindisfarne to Heavenfield battleground is just as divine as its name suggests. Designed to link the spots associated with 7th-century Northumbrian king St Oswald, it follows the outrageously beautiful Northumberland coastline south for over 40 miles before forking inland to explore a lesser-known but equally glorious side to this historic county. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to clamber over the wind-sculpted sand dunes of Holy Island and visit its ruined priory, as well as walking in the shadow of Hadrian’s Wall and filling your memory card with snaps of coastal castles.

It takes between six and eight days to walk the whole thing. For a shorter sample of what the route has to offer, base yourself at Nether Grange and explore the vast, sandy expanse of Alnmouth Beach as it unfolds south towards Warkworth. Keep binoculars on hand for seabird-spotting along the way.

HISTORY & HERITAGE

The Cotswold Way, Cotswolds

The beauty of the Cotswolds doesn’t end with its honey-hued riverside villages. This region of rolling hills, wooded vales and waving grasslands is magical walking country – and the Cotswold Way does full justice to its mellow loveliness. Linking the postcard-perfect market town of Chipping Camden with Bath’s Roman remains and Georgian crescents, the 100-mile National Trail traverses the whole Cotswold region from north to south. Along the way, it climbs up to Iron Age hill forts, descends into valleys bursting with beech trees, runs alongside streams and through wildflower meadows, and visits some of the area’s most photogenic hamlets. It often feels surprisingly secluded and remote, but you’re never far away from a welcoming pub.

If walking the full route over six to ten days is too much of a challenge then there are plenty of bite-sized circulars to enjoy. Explore from a comfortable pied-à-terre at Bourton-on-the-Water’s Grade II-listed Harrington House - the perfect post-walk retreat.

HISTORY & HERITAGE

St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall

Crowned with a fortified medieval castle, the tidal island of St Michael’s Mount is one of Cornwall’s most recognisable landmarks. Its romantic silhouette dominates the seascape from Mousehole to Cudden Point, wowing walkers on this stunning stretch of the South West Coast Path. Get your timings right and you can cross the ancient, cobbled causeway that connects St Michael’s Mount with the clustered cottages of Marazion on the mainland. The island is owned by the National Trust, which manages the castle (a fortified 12th-century priory) and the craggy, wooded slopes surrounding it.

After delving into the history and legend of St Michael’s Mount, stretch your legs on a coastal stroll towards nearby Penzance – or travel the short distance to Cornwall’s north coast for wilder walking on the cliffs around St Ives. Here you can recruit your strength at Chy Morvah, a spacious country house overlooking St Ives Bay.

COAST

Jersey Coast Path, Jersey

The largest of the Channel Islands is a gorgeous mish-mash of secret beaches, rocky outcrops and sandy bays, where seabirds dally overhead and pastel-shaded houses shelter behind high harbour walls. Girdling all this scenic splendour is the Jersey Coast Path, which hugs the island’s cliffs and coves in an epic 48-mile circuit.

It takes four or five days to complete the full trail. Bear in mind that the island has a famously good foodie scene and a pub or a café waits around almost every kink in the path, so leave yourself time to dawdle (and indulge). Don’t worry – there’s plenty of opportunity to work off all that Gallic cuisine as you stomp up and down jutting headlands and enjoy the line-up of cultural and natural highlights, which include Mont Orgueil Castle, the Jersey War Tunnels and a kaleidoscope of coastal views. Most walkers base themselves in St Helier, Jersey’s cosmopolitan capital, and use the local bus service to get around.

COAST

Norfolk Coast Path, Norfolk

This 84-mile long distance trail romps along the North Norfolk Heritage Coast from Hunstanton to Hopton-on-Sea, stringing together some of Britain’s most beautiful beaches along the way. Best pack the binoculars - as well as getting the sand between your toes at Sea Palling, Holkham and other brilliant beaches, you’ll have the chance to spot birds of all description as they flit across the RSPB-managed marshes at Cley and Titchwell. On some days you might find yourself wading through forests of foxgloves or strolling up and down multi-hued cliffs; on others dining in whitewashed gastro pubs and exploring the narrow streets of flint-built fishing villages. As you walk, you’ll quite literally be following in the footsteps of the UK’s first tourists, who left imprints of their feet in the Norfolk clay nearly a million years ago.

COAST

Mawddach Estuary, Snowdonia

Surrounded by the high peaks of Snowdonia National Park, the Mawddach Estuary is a byword for wild Welsh beauty. William Wordsworth called it “the sublime estuary” – and when you’ve taken in the views across those forested foothills, sweeping sandflats and wader-roamed wetlands, you’ll see exactly what he meant.

The scenery here wouldn’t be the same without Barmouth Bridge (the longest timber viaduct in Wales), a historic reminder of the steam trains that once chuffed to-and-fro between Ruabon and Barmouth. And nowadays this old railway line is one of the area’s greatest walking and cycling routes. The Mawddach Trail starts at the former slate town of Dolgellau, meandering gently for 9 miles along the shores of the estuary until it reaches Barmouth Bridge. It’s surrounded by tributary paths that strafe the slopes of legendary Cadair Idris and weave through ancient woodlands on either side of the estuary – link them up on a challenging 50km circuit, using nearby Dolserau Hall as your base.

WILDLIFE

Loch Leven, Scottish Highlands

The silver sliver of water that divides the Munros of Glen Coe from the Mamore Forest is the starting point for some of the wildest and most beautiful walks in the Scottish Highlands. Otters, red deer, golden eagles, mountains hares and pine martens are just some of the species to look out for as you explore the marvels of the surrounding mountains.

Staying at Alltshellach, a comfortable shoreside stately home, you can take your pick from dozens of diverse walking routes. Enjoy a gentle hour-long stroll around the Glencoe Lochan trails, drink in the views over Loch Leven and the Pap of Glencoe on a 2-mile circular that visits the Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall, or ascend the stony dome of the Pap itself for a panoramic outlook across the Mamores and the Ballachulish narrows. Hardened hillwalkers can venture higher still, bagging Ben Nevis or the multiple Munros rising to north and south of the loch.

WILDLIFE

Whinlatter Forest, Keswick

Think of the Lake District and your imagination probably leaps to the high fells or roams among bracken-carpeted lakesides - but this mountainous national park has another scenic face, and you’ll find it among the spruces and firs of Whinlatter Forest. Nine waymarked walking trails wind across the steep, wooded slopes of ‘England’s only true mountain forest’. As you kick through carpets of pine needles, visit peaceful glades and climb to high lookout points with views over Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwentwater, stay on the alert for close wildlife encounters.

Red squirrels and ospreys are both Whinlatter residents – if you aren’t lucky enough to spot them in the forest then there are seasonal wildlife cams in the visitor centre. Derwent Bank country house on the shores of Derwentwater, with its homely rooms and sloping grounds, waits ready to welcome you after a delightful day of woodland wandering.

WILDLIFE

West Highland Way, Scottish Highlands

Arguably Scotland’s most bucket-listed Great Trail, the West Highland Way is a tough 96-mile trek through the mountainous heart of the Highlands. From urban beginnings on the fringes of Glasgow, it becomes increasingly more rugged and challenging as it skirts the bonny banks of Loch Lomond, crosses lonely Rannoch Moor and descends through Glen Nevis to reach adventure capital Fort William. You could even add a stunning sting to its tail by climbing Ben Nevis at the end.

Wildlife is everywhere on this scenic blinder of a route – hen harriers and hobbies above Rannoch Moor, ospreys and golden eagles at RSPB Inversnaid, feral goats around Loch Lomond and red deer pretty much wherever you look. Some walkers complete the route in as little as six days, but it’s best to allow eight or more if you plan to spend time species-spotting.