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During the long drive home from the Kent coast recently, we passed through lots of places that I knew very little about. It got me thinking about the countryside there, and whether there were any interesting outdoor activities.

I also wondered how many counties I’d visited, not simply driven through, but spent time in. I started by Googling the number of counties: turns out there are 48 ceremonial counties in England (source: Kiddle Encyclopedia facts for kids). I found other iterations with different numbers, but decided to stick with these 48.

Armed with my list, I began researching a guide to outdoor activities and adventure throughout the whole of England. Some areas, I knew very well, but for others I was starting with a blank slate so hunted for information on the internet. I discovered there are National Landscapes, long-distance walks, and cycle tracks everywhere.

Note: This series of blog posts covers England only. I may write something in the future for other areas of the UK.

Outdoor adventure activities in the 48 English counties

A few quick notes about this guide.

• It’s in alphabetical order, making it easier to find a county name.

• I’ve included a few ideas for each county to get you started and recommend doing more research for areas or activities that interest you.

• Some National Parks, National Landscapes, and long distance trails span more than one county. If a county already has lots of ideas, I may not duplicate something already covered elsewhere.

• Because there’s so much information, the guide will be four separate posts, split as follows:

  • 1. County names A-D (Bedfordshire to Dorset)

  • 2. County names D - K (County Durham to Kent)

  • 3. County names L - S (Lancashire to Shropshire)

  • 4. County names S - W (Somerset to Worcestershire)

• If I’ve not included an activity that you think others would love to know about, feel free to share in the comments.

• At the end of this blog post, you’ll find helpful links to national websites.
  

Counties 1 to 12: Bedfordshire to Dorset

1. Bedfordshire

The Chilterns National Landscape covers parts of Bedfordshire, and you can find walking trails, cycle routes, and picnic spots here. Check the Forest of Marston Vale for active and outdoor ideas too. For bird watchers, RSPB Sandy nature reserve has heathland trails and is the headquarters of the RSPB.

The Chiltern Way is a 177-mile circular walking route in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire. The Greensand Ridge, is a 40-mile walk crossing Bedfordshire.

Guidebook ideas:

The Chiltern Way >> Find it on Amazon

2. Berkshire

The North Wessex Downs National Landscape extends into Berkshire - check their website for information on outdoor activities.

For cyclists, take a look at Swinley Forest mountain bike trail centre in Bracknell. Also, check one of Cycling UK’s long-distance routes, the King Alfred’s Way, which is a 350km off-road circular cycling, passing through Hampshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire.

The Ridgeway National Trail is an 87-mile walk passing through Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, popularly known as Britain’s oldest road.

Guidebook ideas:

Cicerone: The Ridgeway National Trail >> Find it on Amazon

Big Rides: GB & Ireland - includes King Alfred’s Way >> Find it on Amazon

3. Bristol

Bristol was the UK’s first cycling city and is home to Sustrans, the British charity promoting sustainable travel. The Visit Bristol website has information on walks and cycling around the city. The city also has an annual walking festival with guided and themed walks.

Bike Bristol has some great information on cycling routes in the area, including car free and National Cycle Network routes.

Dave Talbot has a great blog post if you’re looking for rock climbing around Bristol which shares details of different crags.

Guidebook ideas:

Bristol & Bath Hidden Walks >> Find it on Amazon

4. Buckinghamshire

The Chilterns National Landscape extends into Buckinghamshire and has walking, cycling and other outdoor activities.

Buckinghamshire Council’s website has some great information on country parks in Buckinghamshire. Check the National Trust for top walks in Buckinghamshire and Forestry England for outdoor activities at Wendover Woods.

The Chiltern Way is a 177-mile circular walking route in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire. The Ridgeway National Trail is an 87-mile walk passing through Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, popularly known as Britain’s oldest road.

Guidebook ideas:

Cicerone: Walking in The Chilterns >> Find it on Amazon

Circular Walks in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire >> Find it on Amazon

5. Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire is relatively flat and has tons of cycling for all abilities, check these cycling routes in Cambridgeshire on the County Council website. Sustrans also has an 8.2 mile cycle route from Ely to Wicken Fen.

Walking Britain has lots of 3-10 mile circular walks in Cambridgeshire and Walks of Cambridge has city walking routes from 2.5 to 20 miles.

For something a little different, check Visit Cambridge for information about punting on the River Cam.

Guidebook ideas:

Cambridge Hidden Walks >> Find it on Amazon

6. Cheshire

Visit Cheshire has information on cycling trails in the county between 2 to 176 miles, some of which are off-road. Also look at the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge for climbing, cycling, horse riding, and walking.

RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands has guided walks, nature trails, and viewpoints.

Some of the Peak District Ethels are in Cheshire - look for Sponds Hill, Black Hill: Whaley Moor, Croker Hill, Shuttingsloe, and Whetstone Ridge. Cheshire is also on the edge of the Peak District National Park.

Guidebook ideas:

40 Favourite Walks in Cheshire >> Find it on Amazon

Walking Cheshire’s Sandstone Trail >> Find it on Amazon

7. City of London

The CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) has a great round up of London’s green spaces. Footways, a social enterprise aimed at getting people walking also has some quiet walking routes in London.

Check the Ordnance Survey website for traffic free cycling routes from London.

Guidebook ideas:

London: A Guide for Curious Wanderers >> Find it on Amazon

London’s Hidden Walks >> Find it on Amazon

8. Cornwall

Visit Cornwall shares lots of information on outdoor activities in Cornwall, including beaches to visit. For cafe and coastal walk information, take a look at the National Trust website.

There’s plenty of choice for climbing in Cornwall. Check UK Climbing to find Cornish crags, or Climb Europe’s round up of rock climbing in Cornwall.

The South West Coast Path is a popular 630-mile walk around the coastline of England’s south west peninsula, starting at Minehead in Somerset and finishing at Poole Harbour in Dorset

Guidebook ideas:

Cicerone: The South West Coast Path >> Find it on Amazon

Wild Swimming Walks Cornwall >> Find it on Amazon

Paddle Boarding South West England >> Find it on Amazon

9. Cumbria

The Lake District National Park is in Cumbria. It’s a very popular outdoor adventure area and their website has lots of ideas and information.

Forestry England’s Whinlatter Forest is full of walking, running, and mountain biking trails - plus it has a cafe and family friendly activities. For more information about mountain biking, including GPX downloads, take a look at Lakes MTB.

Cumbria also extends beyond the Lake District National Park. Check my blog post about Walking in Alston and the Cumbrian North Pennines.

The Cumbria Way is a 71-mile (112km) walking route across the Lake District from Ulverston in the south to Carlisle in the north. The Coast to Coast footpath is a well-known route stretching for 192 miles from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire.

Guidebook ideas:

Rockfax: Lake District Climbs >> Find it on Amazon

Vertebrate: Gravel Rides in the Lake District >> Find it on Amazon

Standup Paddle Boarding in the Lake District >> Find it on Amazon

10. Derbyshire

Derbyshire is home to the Peak District National Park, another popular area for outdoor adventure. Their website has a a round-up of things to do in the area. Visit Peak District is another great place to look for walking and cycling trails.

Climbing in the Peak District is renowned worldwide, with a choice of gritstone, limestone, bouldering, sport, and trad. Popular crags include Stanage Edge, Burbage South, and Horseshoe Quarry. This blog post from Alplit has great information about where to climb in the Peak District.

The Pennine Way, Britain’s first National Trail, starts in Edale and follows the backbone of England to the Scottish Borders (268 miles / 431 km). The National Forest Way is a 75-mile linear walking route, split into 12 stages.

Guidebook ideas:

AA: 50 Walks in the Peak District >> Find it on Amazon

Vertebrate: Gravel Rides Peak District >> Find it on Amazon

Peak District Gritstone Climbing Guide >> Find it on Amazon

11. Devon

Dartmoor in Devon is the only place in England where there’s a legal right to wild camp. Check the Dartmoor National Park website for a guide to wild camping and interactive camping map, along with a guide to other outdoor activities.

Exmoor National Park also includes part of Devon. There’s also the North Devon Coast National Landscape, and the East Devon National Landscape. Take a look at the individual websites for information on walking, cycling, and other activities.

The East Devon Way is a 40-mile walking trail, and the 630-mile South West Coast Path also goes through Devon.

Guidebook ideas:

Cicerone: Walking the Jurassic Coast >> Find it on Amazon

Cicerone: Walking Devon’s Coast to Coast >> Find it on Amazon

Stand-up Paddle Boarding in Great Britain >> Find it on Amazon

12. Dorset

Dorset is a haven for outdoor activities from water sports to mountain biking. Visit Dorset has an active and outdoor guide, and the Dorset National Landscape website has a page dedicated to exploring the outdoors.

The Cranborne Chase National Landscape spans into Dorset, and the Dorset Wildlife Trust has a list of nature reserves in the area.

Popular climbing crags in Dorset include Portland, Swanage, and Lulworth.

The 630-mile South West Coast Path finishes (or starts) at Poole Harbour in Dorset. For something a little shorter, the North Dorset Trailway is a 14-mile off-road route, perfect for cyclists, horse riders, runners, and walkers. If you love bikepacking, take a look at the Dorset Gravel Dash, an annual bikepacking adventure weekend.

Guidebook ideas:

Rockfax Climbing Guide to Dorset >> Find it on Amazon

Cicerone: The South West Coast Path >> Find it on Amazon

Coastal Pub Walks: Dorset >> Find it on Amazon

Outdoor activities in other English counties

When all four blog posts are live, check here for the links to look at other counties.

• County names A-D (Bedfordshire to Dorset)

• County names D - K (County Durham to Kent)

• County names L - S (Lancashire to Shropshire)

• County names S - W (Somerset to Worcestershire)

Helpful links:

The links below are national websites where you can search for information on a specific area.

• National Parks website: Details of all the National Parks across the country

• National Landscapes website: Details of all the National Landscapes, formerly AONB’s

• National Trails: Details of designated National Trails in England and Wales

• Long Distance Walkers Association: Searchable database of long distance paths in the UK

• Cycling UK: Long-distance cycling routes in the UK

• The Wildlife Trust: Nature reserves, searchable by area

• The National Trust: Details of outdoor activities, split into different areas

• Forestry England: Information on managed woodland across England

• The RSPB: Nature reserves across the UK, searchable by area

• Walk Midlands website: Walking ideas (listed by county) across the Midlands
  

You may also be interested in reading:

Best multi-day walks in the UK

20 of the UK’s best long-distance cycling routes for bikepacking

15 adventures in the UK’s National Parks

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