In England and Wales alone, there are about 2,500 miles of National Trail. These are glorious pieces of natural terrain that are preserved for your enjoyment and are a great place to take long walks in good weather (if you are lucky!).
Head to Cardiff to visit the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, the single British entry for the top 10 walks in the world, and rated as number 3 on this coveted list. This promotes the Welsh coast as having the only wholly traversable coastline in the UK as of April 2012. So, if you love the sea and its wildlife, this one is for you.
For the historian and keen walker, consider the Hadrian’s Wall trail, taking 7 days to complete the 83 miles. Beginning at the Segedenum Roman Fort at Wallsend, Tyne and Wear and ending at The Banks Promenade in the village of Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast, you will come across Roman forts, glorious bridges and the Solway salt marshes. Newcastle is the access point for this walk.
Scotland must be included and has trails rated moderate, up to 5 miles; long-distance being walks of more than 25 miles and for the hardier, hill and mountain walks with difficult twists and turns. The Glencoe Lochan trail is great for its moderate distance. This will appeal to the botanist in you as you take in the gorgeous rhododendrons sheltered against the rugged Scottish mountains. Wheelchair users will also find this terrain suitable. The starting point is from the car park across from the River Coe from Glencoe Village and the duration is 45 minutes.
Not to be outdone, Ireland enjoys its walking festivals and a well-known one is The Mourne International Walking Festival from 22 June to 24 June 2012. Various mountain trails requiring different levels of fitness are interspersed with great entertainment in the evening, with a Ball getting every walker in the Irish spirit.
A bit of island-hopping makes life interesting, and where better to don your walking shoes than on the Isle of Wight? There are 67 miles of well-maintained paths with mild-mannered terrain under your feet. The coastal paths show off the chalk cliffs of the south and west with tremendous sea views.
Walking is fun and enjoyable and it’s never too late to make strides to improve your fitness. Small changes can make a big difference to your wellbeing and hopefully you’ll avoid having to claim on your private health insurance. So get walking on those incredible trails and get fit.
The author of this article is a part of a digital marketing agency. The content contained in this article is for information purposes only and should not be used to make any financial or health-related decisions.
