This area comprises the eastern half of the region, and takes in the BH, GL, SN and SP postcode areas, excluding SP7 and SP8 districts around Gillingham and Shaftesbury.
Neighbouring regions are
Note also some of the most convenient hubs for multi-day walking on different routes.
Routes
Use the alphastrip below to jump to the appropriate initial letter for a selected route within the list. If there are no routes with a particular initial letter, the jump will have no effect.
0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Avon Valley Path
Length <60km
Max transport gap <10km
A 55km walk between Salisbury and Christchurch, following the course of the River Avon.
Castleman Trailway
Length <60km
Max transport gap <20km
A 27km walk along a former railway trackbed, between Upton Country Park and the edge of Ringwood.
Cotswold Way
Length >60km
Max transport gap <20km
A 166km walk between Bath and Chipping Campden.
Image: Pulteney Weir and Bridge, Bath
Greater Ridgeway
A 605km walk which chains the four paths which link Lyme Regis with the North Norfolk coast — the Wessex Ridgeway, The Ridgeway National Trail, Icknield Way Trail, and Peddars Way.
Hardy Way
Length >60km
Max transport gap >20km
A walk of 344km from the birthplace of Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) to the spot where his heart is buried (the ashes of the rest of him are in Westminster Abbey).
Image: Thomas Hardy by William Strang
(public domain)
Heart of England Way
Length >60km
Max transport gap <20km
A 166km walk between Milford (in Staffordshire) and Bourton-on-the-Water.
Image: Baddesley Clinton manor
Kennet and Avon Canal Path
Length >60km
Max transport gap <20km
A walk of 157km along the towpath of the Kennet and Avon Canal between Reading and Bath.
Macmillan Way
Length >60km
Max transport gap > 30km
A 474km walk between Boston and Chesil Beach at Abbotsbury.
Monarch’s Way
Length >60km
Max transport gap > 30km
A 936km walk between Worcester and Southwick, following the route taken (following the Battle of Worcester) by King Charles I (1600-49).
Image: Charles I, after Anthony Van Dyck
(public domain)
Llwybr Clawdd Offa
Offa’s Dyke Path
Length >60km
Max transport gap >20km
A walk of 286km between Chepstow and Prestatyn.
Image: Devil’s Pulpit, looking towards Tintern Abbey
Oxfordshire Way
Length >60km
Max transport gap >20km
A walk of 109km between Bourton-on-the-Water and Henley-on-Thames.
The Ridgeway
Length >60km
Max transport gap <20km
A walk of 136km between Overton Hill and Ivinghoe Beacon.
Image: Goring Bridge, crossed by the route
Llwybr Hafren
Severn Way
Length >60km
Max transport gap > 30km
A 338km walk between the river’s source on Pumlumon Fawr and the upper boundary of the Bristol Channel at Severn Beach.
Shakespeare’s Avon Way
Length >60km
Max transport gap >20km
A walk of 151km following the Warwickshire Avon from its source at Naseby to its outflow into the Severn at Tewkesbury.
Solent Way
Length >60km
Max transport gap <20km
A 97km coastal walk between Milford-on-Sea and Emsworth.
Test Way
Length >60km
Max transport gap <20km
A 77km walk following the River Test between Inkpen Beacon and the Solent.
Thames Path
Length >60km
Max transport gap >20km
A walk of 440km between Greenwich and the river’s source.
Image: Whitchurch from the bridge
Wessex Ridgeway
Length >60km
Max transport gap >20km
A 220km walk between Lyme Regis and Marlborough.
Llwybr Dyffryn Gwy
Wye Valley Walk
Length >60km
Max transport gap >20km
A 223km walk between Rhyd-y-benwch, near the source of the river, and Chepstow, where it empties into the Severn.
Hubs
Some places lend themselves to being hubs, where you may pitch up for a few days’ car-free walking, fanning out on a different route (or part of a route) each day. The hub becomes a walking-place for recreation at walking pace. Hubs in this area include
| Bournemouth | Bournemouth is the obvious hub for the coast and its hinterland within the area. |
| Gloucester | Gloucester (or Cheltenham) will serve as a hub for the north of the area. |
| Salisbury | Salisbury will serve as a hub for the southern part of the area away from the coast. |
| Swindon | Swindon will serve as a hub for the central part of the area. |
Guided and group walks
Saturday Walking Club
This online-driven group has been well established in the London area for some years, but the reach of their walks goes far beyond the M25. Their walks are all free (the word “club” may be a bit misleading) and there are walks on other days of the week. You may download a route from their extensive catalogue to enable you to walk on your own — you are expected to carry your own copy of the route-map if you join a group walk.
Image: Sheffield Park
Disclaimer and advisory notices
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