Friday, March 29

Ten Fantastic Guided Walks Around the UK | Travel


Guided walks in Anglesey

Head to Anglesey this winter and discover how shipwrecks, princes and tragic lovers shaped this idyllic island. Formerly a Bronze Age copper mine, then (thanks to its fertile soil) the breadbasket of Wales, Anglesey today has a coastline nibbled with small coves and fishing harbours, set against a leafy interior where red squirrels thrive. You can design your day around your interests, or combine that guided walk with a rush of exciting experiences, all brought to you by Knowdownia, North Wales’s new self-guided tour company. Try out the world’s fastest zip line, zip through remote bays or admire the Snowdonia mountain range as you zip down winding dirt roads in a gravity-driven quarry kart.
Guided tours available all year. A one-day experience costs from £325 for four people and includes pickup and drop-off anywhere in North Wales; acquaintance.com

Puffin sighting in Northern Ireland

'Wild Beauty': Puffins in Northern Ireland.
‘Wild Beauty’: Puffins in Northern Ireland. Photograph: EyeEm/Alamy

For bird lovers, the half-day guided Gobbins Walk is an absolute gem. After falling into disrepair for decades, Northern Ireland’s classic trail has finally reopened, and winter walking adds drama to its wild beauty. Following a path through narrow tunnels, bridges and stairways into the Causeway’s coastal cliffs, you’ll witness the only mainland colony of puffins in Northern Ireland, as well as kitted gulls, razorbills and guillemots. Add to this the chance to see dolphins, along with atmospheric queues of smugglers and privateers, and you have a perfect family outing.
The walk costs £20pp adults, £14pp children. Book through Ballygally Castle, which offers overnight stays from £60 B&B; hastingshotels.com/ballygally-castle

Foraging in the Malvern Hills

'Dense Woods, Hedges and Rolling Hills': Malvern Hills.
‘Dense Woods, Hedges and Rolling Hills’: Malvern Hills. Photography: Alamy

Join this guided tour of dense forests, hedgerows and rolling hills in the frost-tinted Severn Valley with food writer Clare Knivett, and you’ll learn the kind of advice that was second nature to our ancestors. These walks focus heavily on plant identification and Clare’s knowledge of wild fruits, flowers and plants that can harm or heal is second to none. In January and February, you can expect to look for winter herbs like cleavers (good for stimulating the lymphatic system and helping to prevent seasonal chills), along with chickweed, nutrient-rich nettles, ground ivy, and wild garlic. Then learn helpful recipes and tips for living more seasonally.
This two-and-a-half-hour walk costs £35pp (minimum of four bookings); foodandforrajeo.com

Star gazing on Exmoor

'Some of the UK's best dark skies': Exmoor.
‘Some of the UK’s best dark skies’: Exmoor. Photograph: Chrispo/Alamy

Take your children’s eyes off their screens and into the star filled skies of Exmoor. Thanks to minimal light pollution, Exmoor National Park has some of the best dark skies in the UK, and on a cloudless night you can expect to see thousands of dazzlers, even the Milky Way, just by using your eyes. The Pinkery Center for Outdoor Learning here has a guided stargazing event in February that includes a fun nature adventure. The center has 15 rooms with bunk beds and bathroom with capacity for four to six people.
Pinkery Night Sky and Bushcraft Adventure takes place on February 21. More details from exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/enjoying/stargazing

The bond between mother and daughter in Scotland

'Wonderful': Yellowcraigs Beach.
‘Wonderful’: Yellowcraigs Beach. Photograph: Getty Images

Get over those messy teenage stresses on this guided walk for moms and teens around Lothian’s beautiful Yellowcraigs Beach, known for its sandy stretches fringed by woodland and meadows, and with views of Fidra Island (the inspiration for Robert Louis’s work Stevenson). Treasure Island), this is the perfect setting to help clear any communication web. Led by WanderWomen, the half-day bonding experience diverts attention from burning issues through sessions of mindfulness, reflection, meditation, walks, fire building, sea swimming and forest bathing. And with other mothers and daughters by your side, there is also the possibility of forging new friendships.
The mum and teenage daughter guided walk is on January 23rd and costs £70 per person. (£20 with Visit Scotland discount). More information from wander-women.com

Discover the secret gardens of the City

'Hidden Oasis': Postman Park.
‘Hidden Oasis’: Postman Park. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images

London’s Square Mile is home to 376 open and green spaces, and with offices and tower blocks currently swapped by the WFH, now is the perfect time to discover the tranquil beauty of the city’s hidden treasures. The new City Secret Gardens Walk, led by Blue Badge guide Katie Wignall, explores some of the best and most unusual gardens in the area. Each, from hidden oases to famous landmarks like St Dunstan-in-the-East and Postman’s Park, has a fascinating history.
The walk about February 12 It costs £20 per person. More information in search.london

Walk through the history of Manchester

'Vibrant history': Manchester.
‘Vibrant history’: Manchester. Photograph: R.A. Kearton/Getty Images

To discover Manchester’s vibrant history, join the three-hour Rock and Goal Tour with expert guide Joe. Highlights include discovering how Manchester played a leading role in ending slavery and World War II, the roots of music stars, and finding out where Hollywood movies were filmed. Some of those stairs and sidewalks are pure New York…
The walk runs throughout the winter and costs £9.99pp; tripadvisor.es

Bridgerton in bathroom

'Stunning locations': Bath.
‘Stunning locations’: Bath. Photograph: Chunyip Wong/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Featuring series two of the lockdown favorite Bridgerton due to release on Netflix in 2022, what better time to revisit the stunning Bath locations it was set in? Join the two-hour walking tour of the Bridgerton Experience, and your Blue Badge guide will point you to movie locations as well as break down the social norms of family life during the Georgian and Regency periods, relating them to key Bridgerton scenes as you that moves through the city. Gems include Alfred Street, Abbey Green, The Royal Crescent, Beauford Square and more.
The walk costs £15pp; More information in bathwalkingtours.com

Mind over matter in the Peaks

'Outdoor Therapeutic Experiences': The Peak District.
‘Outdoor Therapeutic Experiences’: The Peak District. Photograph: Pete Rowbottom/Getty Images

There is walking, and then there is healing walking. If the legacy of the pandemic has been anxiety and isolation, consider joining the Mind over Mountains six-hour walk in the Peak District this February. The charity offers outdoor therapeutic experiences for those experiencing mental health issues. Enjoy the company of like-minded young people; seek advice from trained counsellors, or simply let the beauty of Hathersage Moor in Dark Peak work its magic. The route starts at the National Trust’s Longshaw Estate and crosses the rocky outcrops of Higger Tor and Carl Wark, with fantastic views over the Derwent Valley.
The walk of 26 February costs £39pp; mindovermountains.org.uk

Spooky tours of Brighton

'Narrow Cobbled Alleys': Brighton.
‘Narrow Cobbled Alleys’: Brighton. Photograph: Simon Dack/Alamy

Only in Brighton would the locals practically ignore a gentleman in a top hat and elegant Victorian cape. This coastal city breathes peculiarity, reflected in an unusual variety of guided walks. The Ghost Tour of the Lanes is a prime example, with actor Rob Marks dressed as Sherlock Holmes as he tells the eight ghost stories attached to those narrow, cobbled alleyways. The Lanes is the city’s old fishing quarter, best known for its antique shops; but Rob has a different story to tell…
The Ghost Walk of the Lanes takes place on Wednesdays. on Saturdays and costs £8pp, adult; £4 children; family tickets, £20; ghostwalkbrighton.co.uk


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