Many people dread the onset of winter, lamenting the long nights, bad weather and generally acting as if the beauty of natural Britain has been packed away until April. Yet winter offers outstanding experiences for those who get out and about – and our regular walking writer Fiona Reynolds has written previously about how 'a day without walking feels empty and forlorn.'
So get up, go out and enjoy the great – if chilly – outdoors. Here are some of the nation's best winter walking locations to inspire you.
The Norfolk Broads
The Norfolk Broads aren’t just waterways – they also house an abundance of walking locations, and many of them are at their finest during the winter. Consisting of seven rivers and 63 broads across 117 square miles, the Norfolk Broads offers countless walking routes for all ages and abilities. Both the coast and the broads are incredibly busy during the summer months, making the peaceful nature of the winter even more enchanting. For nature lovers there is a great deal to discover, especially as many species of bird flock to the Broads from across Europe for the winter.
There's everything from simple mile-long nature trails – such as the Hoveton Great Broad nature walk, which follows the natural twists and turns of the woodland that encircles a lake – through to multi-day hikes for those with an adventurous spirit and more time on their hands. Take the 61-mile journey Weaver’s Way from Cromer to Great Yarmouth, for example, which takes in culture and museums as well as the wildlife of the region.
Brecon Beacons
The Brecons are full of beautiful trails. One of the finest is the route up the highest mountain in southern Britain, Pen-Y-Fan, ideal for adventurous walkers of all ages. It may be close to 3,000 feet, but the views across South Wales and Somerset are well worth the effort to get there.
On paper it could seem a daunting task, but the mountain is just an hour from Cardiff and the simple circular route has clear footpaths which are suitable for children. In all, the four-mile round walk should take between three and five hours.
While the winter weather can add more challenge to the trail, that will quickly be forgotten when you reach the summit. The breathtaking views will make this one of the most memorable family walks you will ever have.
Wastwater
In the shadow of Scafell Pike, this breathtakingly vast lake (also pictured at the top of the page) is most commonly used as a starting point for those looking to climb. But Wastwater Valley in Cumbria is a beautiful location for a walk on its own, and is especially quiet during the winter months.
A number of walking routes are available but the most accessible is a short 2.5-mile route that will likely take less than two hours and is suitable for the whole family thanks to the quiet, level tracks. Better still, just a mile from the start/finish point is the village of Nether Wasdale, which has two pubs happy to accept dog walkers and families.
Richmond Park
You don’t have to travel out of the city to find an incredible walk. Richmond Park, London’s largest Royal Park, has views of St Paul’s Cathedral and the City of London alongside roaming deer and a rich and varied natural landscape.
The best way to take it all in is to embark on the Tamsin Trail, a seven-mile track that loops around the park’s edge. There are some climbs and inclines, but not so much that it isn’t also used by cyclists. Deer are a common sight, and after walking for a few minutes in such a peaceful, scenic location, it’s easy to forget how close this woodland escape is to central London.
The route will take around 2-3 hours to complete, but there are a couple of cafes along the way (most notably Pembroke Lodge) and countless photo opportunities. Many people who walk the trail make a day of it.
New Forest
With around 143 miles of tracks just for walkers and cyclists, the New Forest National Park has numerous trails and guided walks depending on what you want to see, with many of them looking their best in the winter.
The strangely spelt Wilverley Inclosure is a simple two-mile route that will take you through conifers and bracken, which look spectacular under a winter frost. You won’t be alone either, as deer are commonly seen making their way through this area.
Alternatively, one of the most popular walks in the New Forest is Whitefield Moor, which is split into two walks, the shorter ‘yellow’ and the longer ‘red’ route. Both lead you through the heaths and woodlands and along Ober Water. It's a spectacular route at any time of the year, but with the added beauty of winter sunrises and sunsets beaming through the branches, the extra miles will be worth the reward.
Credit: David Jackson / Alamy Stock Photo
'A day without walking seems empty and forlorn'
Why Scotland needs more national parks – and why we’ll all gain if it gets them
Fiona Reynolds laments the lack of national parks in Scotland, and explains why the creation of new ones would benefit
Credit: Alamy
A walk in York: Roman walls, battlements, turrets and the most glorious cathedral façade in Britain
Fiona Reynolds swapped the countryside for the city as she walked York's magnificent city walls.
-
Merlins: Britain's smallest bird of prey is a 'swerving, zigzagging, 240mph weighted missile' that's gutsy enough to chase off a golden eagleSize doesn’t matter when it comes to the fighting spirit of the tiny merlin, a fierce parent and favoured hunting accessory of Mary, Queen of Scots.
-
The greatest moment in the life of Jessie Owens: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 13, 2025Breathtaking athleticism and Shakespeare's birthday are among the questions in the final quiz of the week.
-
What do 32 pigeons, 38 dogs, four horses and one cat have in common? They've all been awarded a Dicken medal, and now you can have one tooPunch and Judy, two brave boxer dogs, saved the lives of British officers in Palastine. Now Judy's PDSA Dickin Medal will go under the hammer at Noonans on June 11.
-
Forget catnip, it's all about catmintNepeta, the highly aromatic and pretty perennial beloved of so many country gardens, may be your feline’s favourite fix, but we should be wary of its root, warns Deborah Nicholls-Lee
-
‘It's a bit like a pub, but without the requirement of being drunk’: Why we’re all hot for a countryside saunaThe sauna is the latest wellness trend — especially one immersed in Nature. Lotte Brundle dips into why the pastime has been heating up.
-
'When you are blind, your physical world is only as far as your arms can reach, but with my guide dog, my world is limitless'Tubby little bundles of joy, guide-dog puppies may be irresistibly sweet, but they’ve been expertly engineered to perform life-changing duties, discovers Katy Birchall.
-
Arthur Parkinson: Ruffled feathers and a bad attitude — my guide on how to deal with broody hensA chicken's desire to sit on and hatch a clutch of eggs can be the most effortless way to rear your own birds, but for those who are after eggs and not chicks it can be a real issue.
-
'We don’t expect to catch monsters in British seas': The return of the bluefin tunaIt’s no longer necessary to venture to tropical waters in order to catch a monster tuna, says Jonathan Young, as he attempts to land a big-game fish in Falmouth Bay.
-
From 'Gerroff my land' to 'Get on my land': Farmers are keen to set the record straight with Open Farm Sunday 2025The event — which sees farmers throw open their gates to visitors — returns for its 19th year on Sunday, June 8 with hundreds of farms across Britain will be taking part.
-
Goodwoof: 'The remarkable thing is how few incidents of biting there are, from dogs and owners'Now in its 4th year, Goodwoof could be the canine Glastonbury. Charles Gordon-Lennox, the Duke of Richmond, reveals some of the secrets of its success.
