Guide to outdoor adventure activities in England: county names D-K
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Royal Military Canal, Kent
Rather than write another long introduction for this series of blog posts, I figured you, the reader, would prefer me to dive right in. But, if you’d like to read why I decided to write this series of four blog posts, you can take a look at the original introduction here: Guide to outdoor adventure activities in England: county names A-D
So, without further ado, first the quick notes about using this guide and then keep scrolling to get to the county information.
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 13 to 24: County Durham to Kent
13. County Durham
The North Pennines National Landscape covers parts of County Durham. It’s a great place for all kinds of outdoor activities but also for stargazing because of all the dark sky discovery sites. Take a look at their website to pick up all the details.
Hamsterley Forest, managed by Forestry England, has lots of activities for all the family. It’s also a great place for mountain biking with graded bike trails and a bike park.
The Pennine Way national trail goes through part of County Durham and check the This is Durham website for walking and cycling inspiration. Also take a look at my blog post Walking in Alston and the Cumbrian North Pennines.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Walking in County Durham >> Find it on Amazon
Lost Lanes North: 36 Bike rides in Yorkshire, the Lake District, Northumberland & northern England >> Find it on Amazon
14. East Riding of Yorkshire
The North York Moors National Park covers parts of East Yorkshire. The national park has a mix of coastal and upland moorland areas, so you’ll find a diverse range of outdoor activities here. Visit East Yorkshire has lots of information about water, coastal, and countryside activities.
Spurn Point is a 3 mile peninsula between the North Sea and the Humber Estuary - as little as 50m wide at points. It’s a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve, with a great visitor centre and cafe.
The Greenwich Meridian Line enters/leaves the UK at East Yorkshire (Sand le Mere near Tunstall), and you can straddle the line with one foot in the Eastern hemisphere, and one in the West, just outside Withernsea on the B1362. If you feel energetic, there’s even a Greenwich Meridian Trail walk, which runs for 306 miles (493 km), ending in Peacehaven, West Sussex.
The Yorkshire Wolds are the northernmost chalk hills in the UK. These gently undulating hills are often overlooked but it’s a pretty area to visit. There’s also the Yorkshire Wolds Way national trail, covering 79 miles (127km) from Hessle to Filey.
For cyclists, take a look at the 13-mile Hull to Hornsea rail trail, part of the Trans Pennine Trail. Because it’s a traffic free route to the coast, it’s often used by families visiting the beach.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Walking the Yorkshire Wolds Way >> Find it on Amazon
Yorkshire Wolds, York & the Humber cycle map >> Find it on Amazon
15. East Sussex
The South Downs National Park covers Hampshire, East Sussex, and West Sussex. Their website has information on walking and mountain biking. The South Downs Way is a national trail and runs from Eastbourne (East Sussex) to Winchester in Hampshire. It’s the UK’s only national trail that can be fully done by bike.
Long distance walks include the Greenwich Meridian Trail (273 miles from Peacehaven to Cambridge) and the Royal Military Canal Path (linking East Sussex with Kent). The East Sussex County Council website has information on cycling and short walks in the area.
The Forestry Commission has a map of woods in the area and the Forest Way Country Park is in the High Weald National Landscape.
For anyone interested in a charity bike ride, the British Heart Foundation London to Brighton bike ride is 54 miles long, and goes through Surrey, West Sussex, and East Sussex.
Guidebook ideas:
Walking the South Downs Way >> Find it on Amazon
Vertebrate: South East mountain biking >> Find it on Amazon
16. Essex
Search for nature reserves covered by Essex Wildlife Trust and you’ll get 66 results to get your teeth into. You can also enjoy nature and wildlife in Epping Forest and the Thames Chase Community Forest.
The National Trust website has top walks in Essex. If you’re looking for something longer, take a look at the 81-mile Essex Way.
Take a look at Visit Essex for ideas of outdoor activities in the area. It has cycling routes covering quiet country lanes, coastal paths, canal towpaths, and woodland trails.
Essex has a 350-mile coastline, so there’s lots of opportunity for water sports. Or you could ride the rapids at the White Water Centre, Lee Valley, which was purpose built for the Olympics in 2012.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Walking in Essex >> Find it on Amazon
London & Essex cycle map >> Find it on Amazon
17. Gloucestershire
The Cotswolds is a well-known area of the UK, renowned for picturesque villages and scenic countryside. It’s also a National Landscape, so have a look on the website for activities - there are tons of walking and off-road cycling routes.
The Cotswold Way is a 102-mile (164km) national trail from Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire to Bath in Somerset. The Offa’s Dyke Path is a 177-mile (285km) national trail that crosses the border between England and Wales over 20 times and goes through Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Shropshire.
The Forest of Dean is managed by Forestry England and great for walking, running, and downhill cycling trails. Gloucestershire County Council also has a page with cycling route maps.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Walking in the Wye Valley >> Find it on Amazon
AA: 50 Walks in the Cotswolds >> Find it on Amazon
Vertebrate: Cotswolds mountain biking >> Find it on Amazon
18. Greater London
Greater London has around 3,000 parks and is known for being a green city -it was even declared as the world’s first National Park City in July 2019. The official government website has a page dedicated to the parks and green spaces in London.
You can swim outdoors in public lidos such as Brockwell Lido and Tooting Bec Lido. You can also find information on places to go standup paddle boarding or canoeing on the Canoe London website.
The National Trust has information on walks in London, and the Ordnance Survey website has a guide to 10 traffic free cycling routes from London.
Guidebook ideas:
Paddle boarding London & South East England >> Find it on Amazon
Note: Publication date is 1st June 2025
Traffic free cycle trails London & South East England >> Find it on Amazon
19. Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester Ramblers and the National Trust both have ideas for outdoor activities and walks in the Greater Manchester region.
The Saddleworth Rail Trail is a route following two former railway lines and is great for walking, running, horse riding, or cycling. The Trans Pennine Trail also covers parts of Greater Manchester.
Manchester City Council has details of cycling routes in the city. One is the Fallowfield Loop, an off road route to the National Cycle Centre and Etihad Stadium.
Dovestone Reservoir is located near Greenfield and a popular place for walkers and day trippers. It’s on the edge of the Peak District National Park and you can grab details of miles without stiles around Dovestone from their website.
The GM Ringway is a new 200-mile (322km) circular route exploring all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester. And, last but not least, the Greater Manchester county top at Black Chew Head is one of the Peak District Ethels.
Guidebook ideas:
A-Z Manchester hidden walks >> Find it on Amazon
Urban cycling adventures: Manchester >> Find it on Amazon
20. Hampshire
The South Downs National Park and New Forest National Park both cover parts of Hampshire. Cranborne Chase and the North Wessex Downs are both National Landscapes covering parts of Hampshire too. Check individual websites for lots of information about outdoor activities.
The South Downs Way is a 100-mile (160km) national trail starting in Winchester, Hampshire and can be walked or cycled. The King Alfred’s Way is a 350km Cycling UK off-road loop covering Hampshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire.
For other cycling ideas and shorter walks, check Visit Hampshire and the National Trust websites.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Walks in the South Downs National Park >> Find it on Amazon
Cicerone: Walking in the New Forest >> Find it on Amazon
21. Herefordshire
The Malvern Hills National Landscape covers parts of Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire. You’ll find three signposted mountain bike trails here and their website has other ideas for outdoor activities plus a walking app.
The Wye Valley National Landscape website also has information on outdoor activities from climbing through to canoeing and standup paddle boarding. You may also want to check Forestry England’s Forest of Dean for walking, running, and cycling trails.
The Herefordshire Trail is a 150-mile circular tour around the county. The Offa’s Dyke Path is a 177-mile national trail following the English/Welsh boarder, and crossing into Herefordshire. For something a little shorter, take a look at The Black Hill, Cat’s Back which is a 4.9-mile circular walk on Visit Herefordshire website.
Check the Visit Herefordshire website for more outdoor ideas and, for a day off, take a look at the bookshops in the famous booktown, Hay on Wye.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Walking in the Wye Valley >> Find it on Amazon
Wild Guide Wales & Marches (inc Herefordshire) >> Find it on Amazon
Offa’s Dyke Path >> Find it on Amazon
22. Hertfordshire
The Chilterns National Landscape covers parts of Hetfordshire and their website has details of outdoor activities. The Visit Herts website also has lots of information on walking, cycling, and other outdoor activities.
Hertfordshire County Council has a great map of cycling routes in Hertfordshire. You can also pick up details of other activities from their website, such as The Cole Green Way, an old railway line for walking, running, and cycling. The Alban Way is a flat, traffic-free Sustrans 6.3-mile route between St Albans and Hatfield.
Longer walks include The Hertfordshire Way (a 195-mile trail), The Chiltern Way (a circular route that goes through part of Hertfordshire), and The Ridgeway National Trail (an 87-mile route that passes through Hertfordshire and is known popularly as ‘Britain’s oldest road’).
For something a little different, take a look at water skiing at Rickmansworth Water Ski Club.
Guidebook ideas:
The Hertfordshire Way >> Find it on Amazon
Cicerone: Walking The Ridgeway >> Find it on Amazon
Cycle tours Chilterns, Hertfordshire & Essex >> Find it on Amazon
23. Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a National Landscape and England’s largest island, located just off the south coast.
As a island you’d rightly expect to see lots of water sports, including standup paddle boarding, kayaking, windsurfing and sailing. Check Visit Isle of Wight for ideas of activities. You can also pick up an Isle of Wight cycling route PDF download from here too.
Sustrans has an Isle of Wight cycle map which includes traffic free routes. And, if you fancy a challenge, take a look at the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge. This is a 68-mile coastal path which can be walked, jogged, or run.
Guidebook ideas:
Ordnance Survey Isle of Wight Walking Map (16 walks) >> Find it on Amazon
Isle of Wight Travel Guide (inc outdoor adventures) >> Find it on Amazon
24. Kent
The Kent Downs National Landscape website has information on outdoor activities in the area. Check the Explore Kent website for more ideas, including walking, cycling, canoeing, horse riding, paddle boarding and SUP yoga. Also take a look at the Active Ramsgate and Visit Maidstone websites for more.
RSPB Dungeness Nature Reserve is the largest shingle formation of its kind in Europe. You’ll find migrating birds on the lakes here in spring and autumn, plus trails to explore. It’s also full of incredible weathered huts and railway carriages, part of the old history of the area. Some are now modernised and let out to visitors.
The North Downs Way is a 153-mile National Trail running between Farnham in Surrey to Dover on the Kent coast, following the route of historic pilgrims. For cyclists, look out for the Viking Coast Trail from Cliffsend near Ramsgate to Reculver. This Sustrans route is 72% traffic free and runs for 20.7 miles.
Finally, the Cantii Way is a 234km bikepacking route from Cycling UK. It’s name comes from the Celtic tribe living in the area during the Iron Age and it uses traffic-free cycle paths, bridleways, and quiet roads.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Walking in Kent >> Find it on Amazon
Wild Guide Southern & Eastern England >> 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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