Guide to outdoor adventure activities in England: county names L-S
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Northumberland coast
Here’s the third in my series of blog posts about outdoor adventure activities in each of the English counties. If you’d like to read why I decided to write this series, you can find the original introduction here: Guide to outdoor adventure activities in England: county names A-D
The quick notes below will give you information about using this guide, 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 25 to 36: Lancashire to Shropshire
25. Lancashire
The Forest of Bowland is a National Landscape with isolated moorland and riverside walking. It’s also great for cycling, stargazing, and watching wildlife. Pendle Hill (557m) is a famous hill in the east of the county known for the witch trials of 1612. You’ll find lots of walks around this area.
The West Pennine Moors is 90 square miles of moorland countryside. If sea views are more your thing, take a look at the Lancashire coast. Here, you can head to Morecambe Bay - important: any walks here across the sands should be with an experienced guide due to the fast tides, quicksand, and shifting sands - or tackle the Lancashire Coastal Way. This is a 137-mile footpath following the coastline between Merseyside and Cumbria and goes through the Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape.
For cyclists, take a look at Visit Lancashire for a range of cycling routes from flat to coast to coast routes. The Way of the Roses cycle route is a 170-mile coast to coast route between Morecambe and Bridlington. Lee Quarry near Bacup has around 8km of technical mountain bike trails. Gisburn Forest is a popular mountain bike trail centre in the north east corner of Lancashire.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Walking in Lancashire >> Find it on Amazon
Cicerone: Cycling The Way of the Roses >> Find it on Amazon
26. Leicestershire
The National Forest is a 200 square mile forest covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Staffordshire. Check the website for accessible routes, cycle trails, walks, and family activities. The National Forest Way is a 75-mile linear walking route, split into 12 waymarked stages.
Leicestershire County Council has an interactive map of over 150 walks, and The Ramblers website has a selection of walking routes. The Leicestershire Round is a 102-mile long distance footpath, created by the Leicestershire Footpath Association to celebrate their centenary.
Visit Leicester has details of walking and cycling trails in the county. Snibston Colliery Park has 4km of blue graded mountain bike trails. The Brampton Valley Way is a 16.81-mile Sustrans cycling route that runs between Market Harborough in Leicestershire to Northampton and is mostly traffic-free.
Guidebook ideas:
Leicestershire Footpath Association: The Leicestershire Round Walk >> Find it on Amazon
27. Lincolnshire
The Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape website has ideas for walking, cycling, and horse riding in the area. Visit Lincolnshire’s website is great for finding countryside or coastal walks, cycling routes, reserves and observatories, and more.
The Lincolnshire Wolds Way is a 79-mile (127km) circular walking route, broken down into five stages, averaging six walks per day. The Jurassic Way is an 88-mile (142km) walk from Banbury in Oxfordshire to stamford in Lincolnshire, running along the northern boundary of Northamptonshire. Lincolnshire County Council has details of shorter walks in the county, searchable by distance.
The Lincolnshire Wolds cycle route is a 180km circular route. It travels on country along coastal flatlands and rolling wolds. The Humber to The Wash cycling route (166 miles, 267km) starts in Hull, crosses the Humber Bridge, then follows quiet roads through Lincolnshire to finish in Boston.
The Lincolnshire coast has a number of nature reserves - check Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust to find locations. Lincolnshire is also a great place to learn standup paddle boarding either at a waterpark or on the sea.
Guidebook ideas:
Guide to Lincolnshire Pub Walks >> Find it on Amazon
Lost Lanes - Bike Rides in the Midlands, Peak District, Cotswolds, Lincolnshire, and the Shropshire Hills >> Find it on Amazon
28. Merseyside
Merseyside is in the northwest, bordering Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and Cheshire. It’s best known for Liverpool’s city culture but you can find outdoor activities there too. Crosby beach, north of Liverpool, is the start of 22 miles of Sefton Coastline. It’s also home to 100 cast-iron figures by internationally acclaimed artist Antony Gormley - look for Antony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’ on the internet.
The National Trust website has walks in the area, including Liverpool city centre. The Mersey Way is a 22-mile (35km) walking trail following the River Mersey from Warrington to Liverpool. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal walk is 126 miles (202.7km) - it can also be used for a standup paddle boarding adventure. Check the AllTrails website for details on shorter walking trails in Merseyside.
The Cycling UK website has information on cycling routes and clubs in Merseyside. Visit Sefton and West Lancashire also has 13 themed cycling routes, from 3-10 miles. The routes are signposted and mostly off road. The Transpennine Trail is a coast to coast route of 215 miles (346km) from Southport on the west to Hornsea on the east coast.
The Hilbre Islands is a group of tidal islands at the mouth of the Dee Estuary. It’s a nature reserve and an important stopping off point for migrating birds. Make sure you check the tide times and look at the Hilbre Island website for important access information.
Guidebook ideas:
Standup Paddle Boarding in Great Britain >> Find it on Amazon
A-Z Liverpool Hidden Walks >> Find it on Amazon
29. Norfolk
The Norfolk Broads National Park is a great place for water sports like standup paddle boarding and canoeing. But it also has gentle footpaths and quiet country lanes to explore on foot or two wheels. There are a number of nature reserves run by Norfolk Wildlife Trust covering marshes, beaches, woodland, grassland and lakes.
Visit Norfolk has details of walks and cycling routes, covering coastal and inland routes. The Norfolk Coast Path runs for 84 miles from Hunstanton to Hopton-on-Sea. The Peddars Way is a 46-mile walking trail crossing Norfolk. It can also be linked with the Norfolk Coast Path on a National Trail - Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path.
The Old Chalk Way is a 357-mile (575km) bike packing coast to coast route from Lyme Regis in Dorset to Holme-next-the-sea in Norfolk. It follows the UK’s oldest highway on bridleways, forest roads, old drovers trails, and quiet lanes.
The Rebellion Way is a 232-mile (373km) circular cycling route around Norfolk on quiet, mostly flat lanes and bridleways - the name comes from the area’s turbulent history.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Walking in Norfolk >> Find it on Amazon
Bradt: Cycling in East Anglia >> Find it on Amazon
Cicerone: The Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path >> Find it on Amazon
30. North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is home to two popular National Parks and the Yorkshire coast.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is renowned for its limestone dales and dry stone walls. The website has lots of information on outdoor activities, from fell running, to cycling and caving. It also has a dedicated walking app for the area, plus a specific one for the Yorkshire Three Peaks area.
The North York Moors National Park spans both remote moorland (it’s said to be the largest expanse of heather moorland in England) and the Yorkshire coastline. On the website, you’ll find information on all kinds of outdoor adventures, including rock climbing and surfing. It also has an interactive walking route planner, where you can search for accessible routes, miles without stiles, and refreshment stops.
The Pennine Way National Trail (268 miles, 431km) goes through North Yorkshire, climbing up steps to the top of Malham Cove, once a massive 70m high waterfall. The Yorkshire Three Peaks of Pen-y-Ghent, Ingleborough, and Whernside can be walked individually, or as a 24-mile challenge. The well-known Coast to Coast Walk (190 miles) starts in Cumbria at St Bees Head, but two goes through both the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks to end at Robin Hood’s Bay on the Yorkshire coast. The Dales Way is a 79-mile Walk between Ilkley and Bowness-on-Windemere.
There’s lots of choice for cyclists right across North Yorkshire. In the North York Moors area, there are dedicated mountain biking trail centres at Sutton Bank and Dalby Forest. The Yorkshire Cycle Hub is also a great base for more challenging mountain biking and road cycling. Over in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is the Dales Bike Centre at Swaledale. Here you can download GPX routes, relax in the cafe, or stay overnight. The Yorkshire Dales Cycleway is a 130-mile (210 km) circular route that visits all the major dales in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
North Yorkshire is very well known for both caving and climbing.
Gaping Gill is one of the largest underground chambers in Britain, large enough to fit St Paul’s Cathedral. The Craven and Bradford Pothole Clubs organise annual public winches into Gaping Gill around the end of May and end of August bank holidays. Some of the best known sport climbing venues are Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, and Kilnsey Crag - all known for their difficult routes. But you can also find lots of easier sport and trad climbing areas across the county.
Guidebook ideas:
Rockfax: Northern Limestone climbing >> Find it on Amazon
Cicerone: Walking the Coast to Coast >> Find it on Amazon
Cicerone: Walking the Dales Way >> Find it on Amazon
Vertebrate: Yorkshire Dales Mountain Biking >> Find it on Amazon
31. Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is full of forest, woodlands, and country parks. There are also lots of nature reserves which you can find via the Wildlife Trust website.
The Nene Valley runs from the west of Northampton to Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. It’s a great area for walking and cycling, as well as activities on the river itself. The Nene Way is a 70-mile walk following the River Nene.
The Grand Union Canal, the longest canal in Britain, runs through Northamptonshire. You can walk a 4.75 mile section from the River Nene in Northampton to Gayton Junction.
The Jurassic Way is an 88-mile (142km) walk from Banbury in Oxfordshire to stamford in Lincolnshire, running along the northern boundary of Northamptonshire. There are also lots of shorter walks in the area - check the Northamptonshire Walks and North Northamptonshire Council websites for ideas.
West Northamptonshire Council has a great website page with downloadable cycle routes in the region. You can also find more ideas on the Cycling UK website by searching for Northamptonshire. Northampton Bike Park is a 40-acre specialist mountain bike park with trails from easy to expert.
Guidebook ideas:
The Jurassic Way >> Find it on Amazon
Bradwell Books: Northamptonshire Walks for all Ages >> Find it on Amazon
32. Northumberland
Northumberland is England’s northernmost county, bordering Scotland. The Northumberland National Park is remote from large urban areas and the least visited / least populated. It’s full of outdoor adventure from walking, to cycling, running, climbing, and more - plus it’s a dark skies area so great for stargazing.
The Northumberland coast has some of the most beautiful and expansive beaches in the country. Here you can enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities, including water sports such as kayaking and surfing.
Isaacs Tea Trail is a 37-mile (58 km) circular walk in Northumberland and the remote North Pennines National Landscape. The Hadrians Wall Path is an 84-mile (135 km) coast to coast walk between Bowness on Solway in Cumbria to Wallsend in Tyne and Wear. The Northumberland Coast Path follows the coastline for 62 miles (100 km) from Cresswell to Berwick-upon-Tweed, and forms part of the England Coast Path. You’ll also find lots of shorter day walks in the area.
The Sandstone Way is a 120-mile mountain biking route between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Hexham. Kielder Forest has dedicated mountain biking trails, and an observatory open for visitors. Hexhamshire Common and the Cheviot Hills are also good locations for natural mountain biking routes. If you fancy an overnight cycling adventure challenge, The Land Between is an ultra-distance off-road cycling event in Northumberland.
Climbing in Northumberland is on sandstone, with popular locations including Bowden Doors, Kyloe, and Shaftoe and Rothley crags.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Walking in Northumberland >> Find it on Amazon
Vertebrate: Day Walks in Northumberland >> Find it on Amazon
Trailblazer Guides: Hadrian’s Wall Path >> Find it on Amazon
33. Nottinghamshire
I have to start Nottinghamshire with Sherwood Forest - a nature reserve of 900 ancient oak trees and once the hideout of Robin Hood and his merry men. The forest has walks from 0.75 miles to 4 miles, plus a series of bridleways for cyclists and horse riders. The Robin Hood Way is a 107-mile (172 km) route between Nottingham and Edwinstowe.
Clumber Park is a National Trust venue with 3,800 acres of parkland to explore. It has a cycle hub, and running and walking routes. The Erewash Valley Trail is a 30-mile circular route aimed at both walkers and cyclists - it passes by the Bennerley Viaduct, the longest Victorian wrought iron viaduct in the country (and now open for walkers and cyclists).
Cresswell Crags is an archaelogical park, with lakeside path and walking trails. The caves here contain art dating back to the Ice Age and can be explored by booking a visitor tour. Visit Nottinghamshire is a good place to look for information on off-road cycling routes and walks.
Sherwood Pines has mountain biking trails graded from an easy 4-mile green trail to a difficult 8-mile red trail. There’s also a bike park with a dirt jump area. The Dukeries Cycle Trail is a 32-mile round trip through former ducal estates using a disused railway line, public rights of way, and roads.
If you love water sports, take a look at Holme Pierrepont Country Park, the National Water Sports Centre. Here you can go rafting or tubing to ride the rapids. The lagoon is a great place to try your hand at standup paddle boarding and Paddling Britain (link below) has a paddle boarding route on the River Trent.
Guidebook ideas:
Herbert Publishing: Nottinghamshire Trig Bagger Challenge Logbook >> Find it on Amazon
Bradt: Paddling Britain >> Find it on Amazon
34. Oxfordshire
Three National Landscapes extend into Oxfordshire: The Chilterns, The Cotswolds, and the North Wessex Downs. Check the websites for each of these to pick up ideas for outdoor adventure.
Shotover Country Park covers 117 hectares, most of which is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the nationally important wildlife. It has off-road tails suitable for walkers and cyclists. Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and you can find information about walks from 0.75 to 4.6 miles on their website.
The Experience Oxfordshire website has details of walks in the region, and you can also download an Oxfordshire Walks app with 250 walks. For more walks, it’s worth searching for an article from the Oxfordshire Guardian Top 20 Walks in Oxfordshire.
The Chiltern Way is a circular walk which goes through Oxfordshire (along with Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Hertfordshire). The Jurassic Way starts in Banbury, Oxfordshire and ends 88 miles later in Lincolnshire. The Ridgeway National Trail (87 miles, 140km), known popularly as Britain’s oldest road also passes through Oxfordshire. The western half of this trail can be cycled.
Check the Cycling UK website for details of family friendly cycling routes in Oxfordshire, covering distances between 2 and 15 miles.
Guidebook ideas:
AA: 50 Walks in Oxfordshire >> Find it on Amazon
Cicerone: Walking The Ridgeway >> Find it on Amazon
35. Rutland
Rutland is England’s smallest county, covering 151 square miles. Rutland Water is the UK’s largest man-made reservoir and is similar in size to Lake Windermere.
Oakham in Rutland is the finishing point for The Viking Way, a 149-mile footpath which starts in Humberside. The Rutland Round is a 65-mile (104 km) circular walk around the county. For shorter walks in the area, check the Discover Rutland website.
Rutland Water is great for water sports such as sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, and standup paddle boarding. It also has a 23-mile circular cycling route which is mainly off road.
Guidebook ideas:
Bradwell Books: Circular Walks in Leicestershire & Rutland >> Find it on Amazon
36. Shropshire
The Shropshire Hills is a National Landscape and great for walking and cycling. Visit Shropshire has some great information on outdoor activities too, along with the Visit Shropshire Hills website.
The Shropshire Hills National Landscape website has details of 50 Shropshire Hills with grid references, so you can pick a favourite or tick them all off as a challenge.
The Offa’s Dyke Path is a 177-mile (285km) National Trail along the border of England and Wales, crossing into Shropshire. The Shropshire Way is a 200-mile path covering the Shropshire Hills in the south and historic towns in the North.
Forestry England’s Hopton Wood has short mountain biking trails of different grades. The Long Mynd mountain bike trail map has way marked routes which allow you to create your own ride. The steep gullies on The Long Mynd are known as Batches and Minton Batch is regularly featured in mountain biking magazines as one of the best single track descents in the UK. For anyone wanting a ride to the top of Shropshire’s trails, Pearce Cycles schedules regular uplift days for downhill and trail bikes.
If you’re looking for climbing locations, check Visit Shropshire’s information on climbing and bouldering in the area, which tends to be on the sandstone edges. Also take a look at Shropshire Bouldering which has some great information on local crags.
Alderford Lake near Whitchurch offers paddlesports and open water swimming.
Guidebook ideas:
Cicerone: Hillwalking in Shropshire >> Find it on Amazon
AA: 50 Walks in Shropshire >> Find it on Amazon
Wild Things: Bikepacking on the Wild Trails of Britain (includes rides from the Shropshire HIlls, and along Offa’s Dyke) >> 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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