Spring changes the character of a walk. Coastal paths brighten with wildflowers, woodland returns to leaf, and longer days make it easier to take your time on the trail.
Spring can be one of the best times to walk, with fresher air, longer daylight and quieter paths before the main summer season. The routes below each offer a clear reason to walk in spring, from flower-rich coastlines and chalk downs to wooded border country and the gentler mountain landscapes of South Tyrol.
Choose the Pembrokeshire and Cornish coasts for spring colour, the Isle of Wight and Ridgeway for open ground and new growth, or Offa’s Dyke for wooded valleys and far-reaching views along the Welsh border. For a later spring option, the Chestnut Route follows orchards, vineyards and villages beneath the Dolomites.
In spring, sea campion, bluebells and other wildflowers spread across the clifftops of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Between the flowered headlands, the route drops into coves and small harbour towns before climbing again. It is demanding in places, but the longer days give you time to take the repeated rises steadily.
From £275 pp
Spring brings fresh colour to Cornwall’s cliff paths before the busiest weeks of summer. Our sections follow the coast around St Ives, Land’s End and the Lizard, passing fishing villages, coves and traces of Cornwall’s mining history. Expect frequent ascents and descents, particularly on the more rugged western stages.
From £585 pp
Spring suits the island’s mix of chalk cliffs, wooded tracks and coastal gardens. The path passes Alum Bay, the Needles and Freshwater Bay, with more inland walking around the northern coast. Most ascents are manageable, although the southern and western sections include several short, steep climbs.
From £530 pp
Walk Britain’s oldest road as the chalk downs and Chiltern woodlands return to leaf. The route links Avebury, the Uffington White Horse, Wayland’s Smithy and Ivinghoe Beacon, with broad views from the ridge. Gradients are mostly steady, though exposed stretches can feel harder in unsettled spring weather.
From £1200 pp
Late spring brings fresh leaf to the Wye Valley and longer days for the higher stages of Offa’s Dyke Path. From Chepstow, the trail passes Tintern Abbey and border castles before climbing towards Hatterrall Ridge. Some sections are gentle; others involve sustained climbing and exposed high ground.
From £425 pp
From May, the Chestnut Route follows lower trails through South Tyrol’s vineyards, orchards and villages, with Dolomite peaks above the path. It offers mountain scenery without the long alpine ascents or exposed paths of the Alta Via, finishing with a walk across the Alpe di Siusi.
From £1025 pp