8 beautiful walks around the UK and Ireland
These suggestions might inspire you to get out of the house and get some fresh air!
Here are some walks to blow away the cobwebs.
1. Gullane Bay, East Lothian
Gullane Bay
This walk takes in one of the finest beaches in East Lothian. Starting from Gullane Bents car park, head down to the sand dunes, then onto the beach. You can walk along to North Berwick via Yellowcraigs beach if your Christmas pudding hasn’t weighed you down too much. There are some suburb golf courses in the area and the beaches near the village of Gullane are popular with windsurfers. Other nearby attractions include the village of Dirleton, with its ruined castle and Museum of Flight.
2. Blenheim Palace Christmas Trail, Oxfordshire
Blenheim Palace at Christmas
The Christmas Trail at Blenheim Palace is open until January 1, transforming the gardens landscaped by the famous Capability Brown into a magical illuminated wonderland. The hour-long trail includes Christmas trees that sing, a swaying lawn of fibre optic colour and sparkling hedgerows. The Great Lake will be aglow with brightly-lit bobbing boats and don’t miss the ‘cascade of fire’ dancing in time with Christmas classics.
Tickets are £16.50 for adults, £10.50 for children (5 – 16 years), and £13.00 for a family ticket (two adults and two children). Book here.
3. The Waterford Greenway, Munster
Waterford
This 46km off-road cycling and walking trail, the Waterford Greenway, is along an old railway line between Waterford and Dungarvan in the south of Ireland. It runs along a route that’s rich in Irish heritage, and passes through the famous Ballyvoyle tunnel and Kilmacthomas Workhouse built in 1850.
4. Castle Fraser Estate, Aberdeenshire
Castle Fraser Estate
We couldn’t not include a Scottish castle. There are two great walking trails around the Castle Fraser Estate – the Alton Brae Trail and Miss Bristow’s Trail. The castle itself is closed from late October to March but don’t let that stop you from exploring the beautiful grounds.
5. Holkham Beach, Norfolk
Holkham Beach
Invigorate the senses on Boxing Day on one of the broadest and most unspoilt beaches in the UK. Holkham Beach is part of a huge nature reserve and in winter it’s chock full of migrant birds. Soak up stormy seas and share the scenery with larks, finches and pink-footed geese. Holkham featured in Shakespeare In Love – Gwyneth Paltrow walked across the sand at low tide during the closing scenes, and it was once named the best beach in the UK.
6. Holy Island circuit, Lindisfarne, Northumberland
Holy Island circuit
If you’re local to the area, you could burn off those Christmas calories with a six-mile walk along the Northumberland coast. Holy Island is both an island and a picturesque village, with a wealth of rich Viking history in its tidal walls. There’s a 16th-century castle and Edwardian mansion with views of the Northumberland coastline. The winter wildlife on Lindisfarne’s National Nature Reserve is guaranteed to provide some good sightings, with thousands of migrating birds and, if you’re lucky, grey seals, porpoises and dolphins.
7. The Giant’s Causeway clifftop walk, County Antrim
The Giant’s Causeway clifftop walk
This new five-mile route starts at the picturesque ruin of Dunseverick Castle and leads you along the clifftop path to the UNESCO world heritage site Giant’s Causeway, with the dramatic nine Glens of Antrim as a backdrop. The clifftop experience guided walk departs daily from the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre at 10:15am, when the bus heads off to Dunseverick Castle.
8. Dunham Massey After Dark Illuminated Trail, Cheshire
Dunham Massey
The seven-acre winter garden at Dunham Massey is the largest of its kind in England with over 700 different plant species and 1,600 shrubs, trees and evergreens. Until the end of December, visitors can experience the mile-long illuminated winter trail after dark. The sparkling path winds through the historic woodland, complete with Christmas decorations, a scented ‘fire garden’, singing trees and a canopy of over 100,000 fairy lights. Warm up afterwards with toasted marshmallows around a fire pit, a drink and roasted chestnuts.
The Winter Trail is open from 4.45pm – 10pm. Adults £16.00, children (5-16 years) £10.00, children under five years of age go free. Book here.
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