The exuberance of spring is impossible to ignore. And for fair-weather walkers, brushing cobwebs off boots and searching out walking poles, it’s like a love affair renewed. Spring walking is a welcome assault on the senses – warmth, light and colour replacing the damp greys and browns of winter.
Everyone has their favourite local walks, but these 25 circular routes have all been chosen for features in the landscape which come alive in spring, whether it be woodlands carpeted with bluebells, wildflowers along river valleys, moorland peaks, coastal paths or National Parks.
Between three and nine miles in length and of varying difficulty of terrain, they stretch from Friston Forest in Sussex to Grizedale Forest in Cumbria, from the Isle of Wight to the Isle of Arran, and from the coast of Cornwall to the coast of Northumbria. These hikes will put a spring in the step of wanderers everywhere.
Woodlands
1. Silurian Way, Grizedale Forest Park, Lake District
A route that takes you across both sides of the Grizedale Valley through enchanting stretches of woodland punctuated by 80 stone and wood sculptures by artists such as Andy Goldsworthy, David Nash and Sally Matthews. Highlights along the way include Grizedale Tarn, the Eagle’s Head Pub in Satterthwaite village, and some stupendous views atop Carron Crag, the highest point in the forest.
Distance: nine miles
Start/finish: Grizedale Visitor Centre. OS Explorer Map OL7.
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2. Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, Ripon, Yorkshire
If you think you’ve wandered into a landscape by an Old Master, in a sense you have. Studley and the neighbouring Hackfall estate were once owned by William Aislabie, a leading light in the “picturesque nature” movement that created landscapes like paintings. The ruins of Fountains Abbey, an 18th-century garden, a Jacobean mansion, surrounding woodland, rivers and follies all make up this canvas.
Distance: eight miles
Start/finish: Fountains Abbey. OS Explorer Map 298.
3. Blickling Estate, Norfolk
Managed by the National Trust, the Blickling Estate is a stunning mix of historic country house and gardens, woodland, and rolling Norfolk countryside which has changed little since the 18th century. In April and May, carpets of bluebells set off its mix of oak, beech groves, and ancient sweet chestnuts. Unexpected curiosities along the way include a pyramid mausoleum and an 18th-century tower built for watching steeplechases once held in the park.
Distance: four miles
Start/finish: Car park, Blickling Hall. OS Explorer Map 25.
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4. Bradfield Woods, Felsham, Suffolk
As ancient woodland goes, Bradfield Woods are about as ancient as you get. Written records go back to 1252 and with nearly 800 plant and fungi species and 1,000-year-old coppiced ash “stools”, it has National Nature Reserve status. Just as well, since around 40 years ago the entire area was nearly bulldozed for agricultural land. Stoats, yellow-necked mice, dormice and badgers all call it home.
Distance: three miles
Start/finish: Felsham car park. OS Explorer Map 211.
5. Friston Forest, East Sussex
Sussex is the most forested county in England and Friston Forest, a mile inland from the chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters, is often overlooked by walkers in favour of its more famous neighbour. Meandering along its myriad trails is always a joy in spring when the beech trees are in bud and its hidden haunts, like the forest fringe above Charleston Bottom, are perfect for picnics.
Distance: five miles
Start/finish: Seven Sisters car park (Exceat). OS Explorer Map OL25.
Ups & downs
6. St Catherine’s Hill, Winchester
Winchester’s multilayered history stretches back to the Iron Age when the Belgae tribe built a fort on what is now St Catherine’s Hill overlooking the Itchen Valley. Starting outside the west door of the cathedral, this walk takes in the 12th-century almshouses of the Hospital of St Cross, the water meadows of the Itchen where the poet Keats once walked, the Mizmaze, a medieval turf labyrinth on St Catherine’s Hill and drifts of wild spring flowers on the chalk downland.
Distance: four miles
Start/finish: Winchester Cathedral, west front. OS Explorer Map 132.
7. Cleeve Hill, Cotswolds
At 1,083ft, Cleeve Hill is the highest point in the Cotswolds with stunning views west towards the Malvern Hills, and north towards Winchcombe and Sudeley Castle. Atop what is known locally as the Cotswold Edge, Cleeve Common is made up of rare limestone grassland and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, known for its wild flowers, birds (skylarks, willow warblers) and butterflies (chalkhill blue, dingy skipper).
Distance: six miles
Start/finish: Cleeve Hill Village car park. OS Explorer Map OL45.
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8. Moel Siabod, Snowdonia, Wales
The views of the Snowdon Horseshoe and the Glyderau and Carneddau ranges from the peak of Moel Siabod are reward enough but the ascent from Pont Cyfyng is also one of the best in the National Park. The trail follows well-defined paths until the final upwards scramble. Along the way you pass Cwm Foel and its glacial lake, a great place for a picnic lunch. The return traverses Siabod’s summit ridge before rejoining the upward trail.
Distance: six miles
Start/finish: Pont Cyfyng A5 lay-by. OS Explorer Map OL17 & 18.
9. Holy Island, Isle of Arran, Firth of Clyde
The complex geology of the Isle of Arran provides some fascinating walks, but Holy Island, off its east coast, with its community of Tibetan Buddhists has a uniquely peaceful atmosphere. Take the short ferry ride from Lamlash to the northern jetty where a volunteer is often available to orientate you. If not, the information centre has all the details. Don’t miss St Molaise’s Cave, the Holy Well and the Tibetan rock paintings.
Distance: four miles
Start/finish: Centre for World Peace and Health. OS Explorer Map OL37.
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10. Warrior Trail, Mottistone Down, Isle of Wight
Warrior, the inspiration for Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse, used to exercise on Mottistone Down and his owner, General Jack Seely, lived in Mottistone Manor. This trail starts at the manor house before climbing onto the Downs past the Longstone, the only megalithic monument on the island. Descending to Brook Bay, the trail follows the line of the glorious beach, where Warrior used to gallop through the waves, before returning to Mottistone Manor and its lovely garden (National Trust).
Distance: six miles
Start/finish: Mottistone Manor. OS Explorer Map OL29.
Coast paths
11. Porlock to Culbone Church, Exmoor, Somerset
Coleridge was famously disturbed by a delivery man from Porlock while writing Kubla Khan at Ash Farm, which you will pass on the return leg of this walk. It’s easy to see the source of his inspiration among the woods, coombes and chasms that close in around the sea cliffs surrounding medieval Culbone Church. At Silcombe Farm take the lane over Culbone Hill and past Ash Farm before dropping down to Worthy Combe and back to Porlock Weir.
Distance: five miles
Start/finish: Porlock Weir. OS Explorer map OL9.
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12. Three Cliffs Bay, Gower Peninsula, Wales
Regularly billed as “Britain’s Best Beach” or “Best View” and designated the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1956, it’s well worth discovering what all the hype is about before the crowds descend in high summer. Central to its appeal is a varied shoreline of sand dunes, salt marsh and signature limestone cliffs not to mention the Neolithic Giant’s Grave and the ruins of 13th-century Pennard Castle.
Distance: four miles
Start/finish: Green Cwm car park. OS Explorer Map 164.
13. Minack Theatre & Gwennap Head, Cornwall
A pilgrimage to the remote clifftops four miles from Land’s End that inspired Rowena Cade to create the celebrated open-air Minack Theatre. Starting at Porthcurno Bay, the trail climbs the cliffs to the Minack before continuing to Gwennap Head via St Levan’s Holy Well. On a clear day you can see the Lizard Peninsula and the satellite dishes on Goonhilly Downs. Loop back round across the fields via St Levan Church.
Distance: five miles
Start/finish: Porthcurno car park. OS Explorer Map 102.
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14. Low Newton & Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland
This stretch of the coast in Northumberland is always a joy whatever the season but in spring sunlight the silhouette of the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle (built 1313) across the expanse of Embleton Bay seems loaded with medieval romance. Beyond it to the south, the sand gives way to grasslands and the village of Craster where the path loops back north across the Heughs (limestone escarpments) with abundant bird life.
Distance: five miles
Start/finish: Low Newton car park. OS Explorer Map 332.
15. Blakeney Point, Blakeney, Norfolk
A rejuvenating spring-time rediscovery of a walk after months of inhospitable winter weather. Blakeney Point spit is a National Nature Reserve whose vegetated shingle is home to rare plant species (horned sea poppy/shrubby sea blight) and is an internationally important breeding ground for birds. Along the way you will pass the Watch House (once a look-out point for smugglers) and the bright blue Lifeboat House, not to mention grey and common seals.
Distance: seven miles
Start/finish: Cley Beach car park. OS Explorer Map 251.
River valleys
16. Eagle’s Nest & Wyndcliff Wood, Wye Valley, Chepstow
Romantic poets Coleridge and Wordsworth and the painter JMW Turner were inspired by the lower Wye Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which is at its best in spring. Wyndcliff Wood is a gorge woodland with ancient beech, yew, lime, ash and hazel coppice. The Eagle’s Nest (365 steps!) has epic views of Wintour’s Leap, the Severn bridges and estuary and, on a clear day, the Cotswold and Mendip hills. The route is waymarked with extensions easy to navigate.
Distance: three miles
Start/finish: Lower Wyndcliff car park. OS Explorer Map OL14.
17. Chatsworth Park Circuit, Derwent Valley, Derbyshire
This section of the 55-mile Derwent Valley Heritage Way passes through Chatsworth Park and its grounds, designed by Capability Brown whose tercentenary is this year. Take the river route south from Baslow with magnificent views of the house and the park, before looping back through the permissive paths of Stand Wood with its 16th-century Hunting Tower and back into Baslow.
Distance: seven miles
Start/finish: Baslow . OS Explorer Map OL24.
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18. Hardcastle Crags, Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire
The first section of this walk on pristine National Trust land passes through Hebden Dale with its mature oak, beech and pine woodland carpeted with bluebells and wildflowers in early spring. The riverside path passes Gibson Mill, a former 19th-century cotton mill, for the past decade a fully sustainable “off the grid” café and visitor centre. Follow the bridleway out of the valley past the Crags to Wadsworth Moor and back down through the beautiful valley of Crimsworth Dean.
Distance: five miles
Start/finish: New Bridge. OS Explorer Map OL21.
19. Lynmouth to Watersmeet, Exmoor, Devon
After their winter hibernation, river valleys spring back into life as leaves bud, wildflowers dance, and shafts of sunlight penetrate the depths. Nowhere more so than in one of Britain’s deepest river gorges where the East Lyn River and Hoar Oak Water meet. Take the Coleridge Way east to Watersmeet and then branch south to Hillsford Bridge returning along the Tarka Trail high up above the woodland on the south side of the valley with spectacular views over the Bristol Channel.
Distance: five miles
Start/finish: Lynmouth. OS Explorer Map OL9.
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20. Four Falls Trail, Brecon Beacons, Wales
Anyone with a passion for waterfalls should make this trail a priority with the added bonus that in spring the oak and ash woodland is awash with bluebells, anemones and sorrel. The route is waymarked so navigation is easy but a few stretches can be slippery underfoot – allow about four hours. Don’t miss Porth yr Ogof, the largest cave entrance in Wales.
Distance: six miles
Start/finish: Gwaun Hepste car park. OS Explorer Map OL12.
National parks (NP)
21. Ennerdale Water Circuit, Lake District NP
The fact that Ennerdale is not one of the Lake District’s celebrity lakes and is the only one without an access road along its banks is part of what makes this walk so compelling. This is the most westerly of the lakes, its youth hostel, Black Sail, farther along the valley, is among the most remote in Britain. It was on the shores of this lake that Bill Clinton proposed to Hillary, in 1973.
Distance: seven miles
Start/finish: Bleach Green car park, Ennerdale. OS Explorer Map OL4.
22. Brimham Rocks, Yorkshire Dales NP
These surreal rock formations scattered over 50 acres of moorland were once thought, rather predictably, to have been conjured into existence by the Druids. In fact they are the result of glaciation and erosion but are no less compelling for that. They have their own visitor centre and it’s well worth approaching them on foot from a distance to fully appreciate their setting.
Distance: five miles
Start/finish: Smelthouses. OS Explorer Map 298.
23. Wistman’s Wood, Two Bridges, Dartmoor NP
Wistman’s Wood, a high-altitude dwarf pedunculate oak woodland, is one of the most powerfully atmospheric ancient forests in the country and could lay claim to being the spiritual home of Tolkien’s Ents. The route north from Two Bridges follows the eastern bank of the West Dart River to the wood, before climbing Longaford Tor and circling back over Littaford and Crokern Tors to your starting point in the disused quarry car park.
Distance: four miles
Start/finish: Two Bridges car park. OS Explorer Map OL28.
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24. Lyndhurst to Beaulieu River, New Forest NP
The New Forest is a captivating mix of ancient woods and heathland and there are nearly 150 miles of public footpaths to choose from, taking you among and beneath the bright green leaves of spring. Historic Lyndhurst makes a good starting point, with several circular routes from Bolton’s Bench, just south of town. Spotting New Forest ponies is a certainty – with glimpses of roe and fallow deer a distinct possibility.
Distance: eight miles
Start/finish: Bolton’s Bench, Lyndhurst. OS Explorer Map OL22.
25. Ravenscar & Robin Hood’s Bay, North York Moors NP
A fascinating mix of coastal cliff-top walking, industrial archaeology and classic moorland landscapes. From Ravenscar head north along the Cleveland Way and through the Peak Alum Works. The view from here over Robin Hood’s Bay is rated one of the best in Yorkshire – a perfect place to pause on a warm spring day. Then turn inland, skirting around Brow Moor to Oxbank Wood and over Spring Hill to Howdale Moor before dropping back down to Ravenscar.
Distance: seven miles
Start/finish: Ravenscar. OS Explorer Map OL27.