Walking Holidays in England
Walking holidays in England prove that just a short trip off the beaten track can bring you closer to peace and nature than you could ever imagine.
Hiking Ancient Landscapes
Whether you’re seeking respite out among the hills and mountains, or a meander through quaint seaside villages – set out walking in England and you’ll find a landscape of staggering contrasts.
It could be argued that no one does heritage quite as well as the English, and through the designation of National Parks and National Landscapes (areas of outstanding natural beauty), the UK has earmarked some of the more wild and beautiful aspects of England for conservation. Most of our self-guided walking holidays in England cross paths with these protected areas, ensuring unspoiled scenery and an invigorating environment along the way.
England's Paths
England is generally flatter than Scotland, Wales and Ireland, however you will still find an enormous amount of variety - including vigorous hill walking, coastal walking and gentler hikes through picturesque villages.
For a more challenging walk with dramatic scenery, head to the north of England. There you will find the most mountainous and least populated region of England, particularly as you near the Scottish border. The area is dominated by the Pennines, a mountain range running down the central spine of northern England. To the west is the scenically impressive Lake District, explored via the Cumbria Way, and to the east is the wild landscape of Northumbria. Head north towards the Scottish border, and you’ll find an area of enormous historical significance, best explored via the coast to coast Hadrian’s Wall path.
Those looking for a more easy-going pace, with an abundance of beautiful country villages and green, rolling hills - should head south. The Cotswolds offer particularly scenic walking, whilst other highlights include the South Downs, the Shropshire Hills and the Thames River. Here, you will also generally enjoy the best of the UK’s weather. Excellent coastal walking can be found across England. The Northumbria Coast offers a windswept beauty with misty, deserted beaches, whilst a walk along the South West Coast will take you along white cliffs, green fields and sandy little coves. For a slightly different coastal experience, we also offer a number of island walks including the Isle of Man, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey.
Key Features
Best Time for Walking Holidays in England
England is one of the milder parts of the UK and can be visited at any time of the year. However it is worth noting that it does experience high rainfall and cool temperatures, particularly in late autumn and winter. For this reason the best months to walk are between mid March and late October.
The further north you go, the colder and wetter the weather gets and consequently we would recommend that the north of England is best walked in the summer. In the south of England, temperatures stay warm and dry for much longer, making it an ideal destination for spring and autumn holidays.
The main school holiday period in the UK runs for 6 weeks from mid-July to the end of August, which can make certain touristy spots, particularly around the coast, quite busy. If you would like to travel in summer but avoid crowds, we would recommend travelling in June, early July or early September.
How to get to England
By Plane: The most popular city to fly into in England is London. London has 3 major airports - Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead. All of these airports have excellent connections, however it is worth noting that Stanstead is approximately 1 hour north-east of London and so the least convenient of all the London airports. London airports are particularly useful when visiting the south of England, however they do all have good transport links into central London and then onto every city within the UK.
If you are visiting northern England, you may prefer to choose a closer city to fly into. Manchester is the biggest airport in northern England and is convenient for visits to the Lake District and Yorkshire. Those visiting the most northern parts of England including Northumbria, will find Newcastle to be the most convenient.
By Ferry: Those visiting from Europe may wish to consider travelling to the UK by Ferry. All of the UK’s main ferry ports are located in the south of England. The busiest and quickest is Dover on the South East, which serves Calais. Also convenient is Portsmouth on the south coast (connections to Caen, Cherbourg, Le Havre, St Malo, Bilbao, Santander and the Channel Islands). Both have good bus and train connections into London and onto the rest of the UK.
Eurotunnel: The Eurotunnel connects to the UK in Folkestone on the south-east coast, close to Dover.
By Train: The UK can be reached by train from Paris, Brussels and Lille using the Eurostar. The Eurostar arrives in London, and from there you will find excellent train and bus connections onto the rest of England.
England Client Reviews
4.8/5 based on 1110 reviews
"Professional service and tours, which can be adjusted to personal needs. Would look at other tours with them"
"Knowledgeable, well organised, removed any uncertainties about the best way to arrange everything."
"Celtic Trails were excellent, very efficient. Prompt replies to any queries we had. Good distances planned between places"
"Penny was very responsive to my 1st enquiry & adjusting our trip. Very smooth process"
"HWP was the best tonic I needed for my mind, body and spirit. I had helpful pre-booking conversations and information with Celtic Trails before I went ahead. The 6-10 miles a day HWP0 itinerary was achievable."
"Excellent from start to finish."
"I would say everything that Celtic Trails were responsible for were delivered exactly as promised. Some beautiful places to stay and all arrangements were excellent. Met some great people along the trail and the finish @ Holy Island was very special."
"The scenery far exceeded expectations. I was doing St Cuthbert's Way as a pilgrimage, so particularly appreciated the encounters with fellow pilgrims along the way."
"Excellent! We were all very pleased with every aspect of our holiday."
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