With lockdown 2.0 upon us, 2020’s favourite activity is back with a bang – the walk rules supreme once again. Those of us living in cities may be finding ourselves feeling, well, a little sick of our local parks. We’re here to bring you some of the UK’s most interesting walks, all from within its cities. You’ll feel that spring in your step all over again!
Parkland Walk – London
London is blessed with green spaces, with 5,000 acres of parkland in its Royal Parks alone. However, once you’ve traversed Hyde Park several times, sought out the parakeets in Victoria Park or found the pelicans in St James’s Park, it’s time for something a little different. The Parkland Walk in North London runs for 3.1 miles along a former trainline between Alexandra Palace and Finsbury Park. This charming walk takes in impressive vistas of the city, ancient woodland in Highgate and railway arches that play host to bats. What a lovely spot in which to enjoy a lockdown stroll!
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Bridgewater Canal – Manchester
For a long walk with a whole lot of history, look no further than the Bridgewater Canal. Built in 1761, this canal has been used as a model for most subsequent canals in the UK. It spans 39 miles between Runcorn and Leigh with an arm into central Manchester too. In the past, the canal was an important route for coal that was drawn along the canal from the mines owned by the creator of this waterway, Francis Egerton, into the city centre. Nowadays, you’ll spot cruising barges, rural surrounds (in parts) and you’ll even walk right past the famous Old Trafford.
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Moseley Bog Nature Reserve – Birmingham
Not only is Moseley Bog a wonderfully pretty spot to spend a morning, but it also has links to one of the UK’s most famed authors ever. J.R.R.Tolkien spent many of his childhood years here, frolicking among the trees. It is believed that this location inspired the ‘old forest’ in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. It really is a magical spot with carpets of bluebells in spring, ancient burnt mounds to discover and woodpeckers to look out for.
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Arthur’s Seat – Edinburgh
Okay okay, we know that Arthur’s Seat is one of Edinburgh’s most famed attractions but did you know that this grassy mound is an extinct volcano? The elevation here is 251 metres and the walk from the bottom to the top takes two hours. We recommend bringing a hot drink in a thermos and some food for a picnic with views across the city and the countryside beyond.
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Limpert Bay to Barry Island – Cardiff
While not technically in Cardiff itself, Limpert Bay is just a short four mile drive away from Cardiff Airport. This coastal walk will have you feeling like you’re miles away from the big city. This seven-mile walk takes in Victorian viaducts, Roman remains dating all the way back to the third century, and of course, you’ll end up in the filming location for much of the popular BBC series, Gavin and Stacey.
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Happy walking!
