HD Britain's Favourite Walks Top 100 (with Julia Bradbury & Ore Oduba) (2018) but with subtitles
walking is one of britain's best love pastimes with around nine million of us enjoying pulling on our hiking boots and heading for the great outdoors every month with over 150 000 recognized footpaths across the uk there is a walk out there for everybody whether you are a hardcore scrambler like julia here or more of a casual ambler [ __ ] me and here in britain we're blessed with the perfect playground for walkers to put their best foot forward but which trail is the nation's favorite it's one of the best walks you'll do i promise you that with the help of outdoor heavyweights the national trust ordnance survey and the ramblers we asked the british public to choose their number one walk whoa and with over 8 000 of you voting this is by far the biggest poll ever done on the uk's hiking habits you lot are hardcore so tonight with the help of some extraordinary walkers and familiar faces definitely one of the best walks anywhere in britain this is just in my dna really we're walking the whole of britain it's like having mini arizona but in yorkshire to count down the very best hikes our country has to offer as voted for by you you can't beat a view like this come with us as we power through the definitive top 100 walks across the nation this is just the start wait till you see what's coming so which of your best loved hikes will take the top spot there's only one way to find out let's get walking we begin with a trip to the seaside coastal strolls are a big draw for us brits and by 2020 you'll be able to walk the entire english and welsh shoreline first up tonight is one section of that path which runs along the south east you voted it in at number 100 ramsgate to margate via broadstairs is a seaside walk to suit all ages and abilities i love a coastal stroll and this fantastic walk is a really great way to kickstart our top 100. the iconic sights and sounds of the british seaside are all around us i'm starting a walk amongst the georgian splendor of ramsgate in the mid-1800s schools of visitors from london came here for the clean sea air a tradition appreciated by ramsgate's own walking club who hit the sands of the coastal path every single day come rain or shine try and sum up the joy of walking for you we moved here 11 years ago and i came down to this beach and i just fell in love with ramsgate so for me it's relaxation but it's also probably the healthiest thing i do all day long so what's the best bit of this walk what's the best stretch do you reckon uh for me i really like because we you pass around just before you get to broad stairs you walk around the bay with the chalks cliffs on your left-hand side and then broadstairs comes into view this is really nice here and the local walkers who set me on my way aren't wrong pushing ahead two miles north i arrive in broad stairs this was a favorite holiday spot in the 19th century for author charles dickens in fact dickens frequently took a dip here on viking beach and while most of us struggle even to write a postcard on holiday he managed to pen david copperfield you can imagine him can't you in his trunk scribbling away result happiness heading north from broad stairs the coastal path leads me to the secluded sandy cove of botany bay where i'm greeted by a wonderful surprise this artwork to celebrate our countdown has been created by local sand artist ross andrews and it lasts for one tide only hi ross you've been busy i've been a little bit busy here this morning i've been putting a few footprints in yeah this one i haven't done yet okey dokey so what's the trick of sculpting with sand then i suppose it's about just having the kind of understanding of size and the scale without looking at it and you know you're sort of governed by the tides you've got to time it correctly some people might think oh well why did you bother because you spend all that time working on something and then it's just gone i kind of find that part the most satisfying i don't know why people find that quite strange but it's just i mean even now just watching it wash away yeah i love it so this walk is number 100 so it's in the top 100 which is good that's good news what do you love about walking around here for me you know we often walk along the cliff tops right the way along the coast never tire of it just could be out here every day i fell in love with the seaside i'll handle my charm with time and sleight of hand from botany bay it's just two miles further west to margate currently the holder of the best british seaside town title and a suitably fitting ending for this beautiful coastal walk well this little stretch of coastline has certainly got something for everyone one down 99 to go on the seaside season there are 69 cities in the uk and seven of them have made it into our countdown with their urban walks starting with the historical city of oxford it's a meandering stroll that takes in the oldest university in the english-speaking world and it's particularly great for film fans with around 60 feature films having been set right here around 2.6 billion visits are made to parks across the uk every year and it's a london park stroll that's the first one to hit our countdown the richmond park circular walk offers the chance to experience one of the capital's finest green spaces with two breeds of deer and ancient trees to see along the way the park is also rich with history and mythology which makes it so special for superfan of the warg katie wignal at the highest point of richmond park you have king henry's mound and the story goes that henry viii was standing here with his third wife james seymour looking across london to the tower of london when a cannon was being fired and that meant anne boleyn had just been executed stepping back on the countdown path and northern ireland makes its first entry with the most visible landmark in belfast cave hill the short but demanding route through this country park takes in caves nature reserves and spectacular views of the city the peak district is the oldest of the national parks and home to the walk you voted in at number 96. this one is a moorland saunter across the gritstone plateau of stanton moore to the bronze age relics known as the nine ladies stone circle and hopping back to northern ireland you voted in the country's largest mountain range the sparings this route is a long distance trek through the region and saw mountain is its highest peak walkers can also get close up to another bronze age marvel known as the beckmore stones now it is very clear from our poll that stunning scenery features pretty highly when it comes to choosing our walks in fact 74 of you said it was a key factor in helping you select your hikes and there is one thing that you just can't seem to get enough of water and there's plenty of the wet stuff on our first trip to scotland for a walk along the fourth and clyde canal this is an easy four-mile canter starting at the only rotating boat lift in the world and finishing at the largest equine sculptures in the world known as the kelpies bryce face and linking the two is a specially created selfie trail making it the perfect walk for children and a firm favorite of local family the whites we'll be doing this walk for for many years to come happy face angry fish from a canal to the sea where there's more selfie opportunities along the northeast shoreline the durham coastal path starts in crimson and ends in siem where most of the coast is a designated national nature reserve helping protect its wildlife and natural habitat there are over 2 000 miles of canals to be walked in england and wales and at 92 you voted for this little gem in gloucestershire this walk follows the waterway that connects the roman city of gloucester to the english port of sharpness when it was built in the 1800s it was the broadest and deepest canal in the world and it's another canal walk at 91 this time between the two cities of worcester and birmingham the route tracks the tow path through the west midlands and offers walkers plenty of flat ground to get in their daily steps and on one stretch of the canal at proms grove you might just catch sight of an especially energetic walking group nordic walking is derived from cross-country skiing we need a pair of poles and the outdoors is our gym good julie good lovely lovely lovely do the technique properly nordic walking uses 90 of the body's muscles excellent work you're so beautifully in time keep on walking and it's yet another canal stroll up next this is one of london's best kept secrets the peaceful towpath runs from little venice through regents park to the river thames taking in some of the top attractions the capital city has to offer from london we head down to the east sussex coast for a quintessentially english walk at number 89 this tranquil coastal route takes you from the medieval town of rye through to the sweeping camber sands for 20 years this area has been home to cold feet star robert bathhurst and this walk is his favorite way to relax i love just walking along the coast in all weathers it's the most fantastic place to walk setting out from the start of the walk in rye robert is heading south to the nearby nature reserve where there have been over 300 sightings of rare and endangered birds dr barry yates has been the manager of the reserve for over 30 years and is the town's expert twitcher okay barry can you find me an oyster catcher let's have a look there's a big flock of them just here on this island and they're sitting there because it's now high tide right beautiful the birds are changing every week and at the moment the winter birds are arriving and so there's uh ducks that have come from the the arctic to enjoy the warmth yeah and there's uh sandaling out here and dunlin what's that that's a curling it's in my phone can you hear those widgeon whistling out there yeah it's not your telephone is it not today continuing on another mile and a half to win chelsea beach there's a poignant tribute to some fallen local heroes oh this is really bleak and it's so beautiful it's almost at its best on a really cold gray day bitter wind this place is a monument to the 17 lifeboat men who died on the mary stamford a boat in 1928 it was a wild wild night in november and they went out to rescue a ship which got rescued by other people people were sending up flares to try and tell the life of them that they were to come back but they didn't see that and they lost their lives 17 of them capsized they were found and this boathouse stands as a monument to them and their bravery continuing two miles further north is rye harbour and it's a place with a special connection for robert i first came here with a small boat to try and catch some mackerel and there's nothing i like more than taking it out so i can read the newspaper and listen to the test match and it's really peaceful the walk ends on camber sands which doubled as normandy in george clooney's blockbuster film the monuments men yeah camber sands so beautiful it's wonderful but the real appeal here for robert is the chance to follow in the footsteps of british cinema's proper a-list do you think that this is the place where they filmed carry on follow that camel oh stop messing about that now don't take your hiking boots off yet we're just getting started keep walking britain get out there and there are plenty of the nation's very best walks still to come this could be your next big adventure you are going to be blown away welcome back to our journey to find britain's best loved walk the country has been casting their vote so we can reveal the definitive list of the nation's 100 finest trails so julia what is it that makes a walk for you it's got to really be the nature for me fresh air it's about the largeness of the landscape yeah i like anywhere that i can take my family and if it finishes with a pint all the better i think the nation will be agreeing with you on that and we continue toasting the uk's best walks with one of the 12 scottish hikes in our countdown this is one for wildlife fans it's a circular stroll around the captivating falls of clyde if you visit keep your eyes peeled for badgers several species of bats and otters next we head south to wiltshire for a stone cold classic that you voted for at number 87.
there are over a thousand surviving stone circles in the uk and this atmospheric amble leads you from the town of amesbury to the nation's most iconic for druid leonore a super fan of this walk what makes it so special is the chance to approach 5 000 year old stonehenge just like our ancestors did we're now at the avenue which was the processional route to this temple it's only a couple of miles but it's a walk of history it was the way to get to stonehenge knowing that you're walking in the footsteps of the ancient ones it's magic and that's why it should be one of the top walks in the country we're flying north at 86 to lancashire for the first of 11 trips we'll be making to the north west in our countdown the pendle witches trail is a circular hike around the villages and moors in the shadow of the brooding hendell hill the trail gives walkers the chance to explore the history around the infamous pendle witches trial in 1612 when 10 local women were accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death this walk has always been a favorite of coronation street star and local lancashire lass catherine tyldesley i wanted to come and do this work because i've not done it for a while i love walking i spend a lot of my time cooped up in a studio so this is ideal the walk through the villages around pendle takes catherine to roughly where there's a statue of alice nutter one of the women accused of witchcraft it says here that she pleaded not guilty but she was hung along with nine others at lancaster in august 16 12. to find out more about the women's story catherine is meeting local historian simon entwistle simon where did this all start well these people lived in the forest and were looked on as being rather unusual two of them were over eight five years old and really at that period of time life expectancy would be 35 if you were lucky was there any firm evidence that they were well we do know that these little clay pictures as they were called like little clay dolls with human hair and human teeth were found and these were brought in evidence against them so far so sinister or maybe not many people believe that they were falsely incriminated this is a typical example of persecution of women in many ways okay so do you think they were treated quite harshly i think they were treated very very harshly and i would look at them really as local herbalists and really peasants that lived away from society after speaking to simon it seems that these women were in fact independent probably very intelligent women that operated in alternative medicines and it's just so sad that they were absolutely born in the wrong time having explored the villages catherine hikes to the end point of her walk the moorland beneath the hill that has come to symbolize the story of the accused women pendle hill itself pretty much dominates the landscape it's very atmospheric it kind of looms over everything and it is incredibly beautiful despite the sadness behind the story it's a fantastic walk if you get chance to come it really is enjoyable our next walk takes us through leicester's sweeping brad gate park the circular hike here skirts around most of the parks beautiful 850 acres when you visit look out for the 400 deer that roam free through the park cambridge wins your boat race at number 84. with quick access from the city station this walk is the perfect route for a day trip to the heart of british academia and takes in several of the university colleges that back onto the beautiful river cam bristol follows next with an urban walk around one of the city's iconic landmarks the clifton suspension bridge walk goes both over and under the famous span across the avon gorge which is the handiwork of illustrious victorian engineer isambard kingdom brunel and from the southwest we're making tracks to the northwest for the walk you voted in at number 82. this one offers the chance to hit the beach and take in one of the uk's finest art trails known as another place the hundred life-size figures by sculptor sir anthony gormley were installed here in the sand in crosby and liverpool in 2005. picking a path through this human chain has proved a popular stroll ever since for walkers of all abilities oh fantastic that wind hits you when you come around the corner it messed up my hairstyle amar latif is a keen walker who's traveled all over the world and he's here to experience this sensory rich trail for the first time with his friend liz you know i've heard about these statues and there's a hundred of them hopefully i'll get some description from liz and see what all the fuss is about so we're coming up to one of the statues now wow so what color is it it sort of looks like rusty so it's quite brown so his eyes are set back yeah oh he's bald like me the sense of touch is so important for me when i feel the statue i get a shiver down my spine it's like i guess it's my way of seeing and it's it's just incredible don't you just feel so alive the wind's just hitting us it's beautiful i feel like grabbing you and just running into the water i'll run on the sand dunes but i'm not running into this okay that's it that's a deal isn't it okay right okay it's a deal often sighted people i find whip out their ipads and cameras and they take a picture and sometimes by describing the place to me it makes them feel like they're more present in the moment you tell me when to jump i'll jump less let's run go freedom this place is just out of this world it's just so peaceful the sun's shining just absolutely brilliant at 81 there's another watery walk along the longest single canal in the country this stretch of the leeds liverpool includes a visit to the town of skipton famed for its award-winning market and on route at bingley you'll pass the steepest flight of lox in the uk and down on the south coast an iconic landscape has strolled in at number 80 on our countdown the kent coastal walk runs east from the famous white cliffs of dover all the way to deal and henry viii's 16th century castle it's a ramble that's a real favorite for skye and her proud owners stuart and joe kenny skye spends her whole life with me she's my pet it's just that when she puts on her jacket she becomes a search dog that's right skye isn't just any old dog she is a search and rescue superstar okay that way go on up again along with stuart and joe who also volunteer for kent search and rescue it's skye's job to track down walkers who've gone missing or are injured along this famous but dangerous route when you find someone the job satisfaction is really really high good girl go on rescue me good on you skye there are 46 designated areas of outstanding natural beauty in the uk places which are recognized for their spectacular landscapes the walks in this countdown crossed 23 of these gems and climbing in at 79 is one of them a walk through staffordshire's canik chase the route takes in the sherbrooke valley with its mix of open heathland and woodland and it's home to around 45 species of rare winged visitors so keep your binoculars handy and if birds are your thing a hill walk through the stiper stones in shropshire won't disappoint not only does this hike feature some remarkable geology it also takes you through the natural habitat for the world's fastest animal the mighty peregrine falcon but britain's favorite walks aren't just for wildlife fans there's plenty for art lovers too our beautiful british landscape has always been an inspiration to some of our best loved artists the village where john constable grew up was the place that inspired him the most he wrote about our next walk all that lies on the banks of the stower they made me a painter and that walk is a perfect stroll for art fans around the beautiful suffolk countryside it's a ramble from manning tree through the quintessential english vistas of flatford and it was here at the turn of the 18th century where john constable created his canvas masterpieces in at 76 is a short heathland hike through the devil's punch bowl in surrey it's a walk through a natural amphitheatre that's a well-known haven for wildlife top tip look out for rare beetles and butterflies and next we head to buckinghamshire where ore is on a stroll from the beautiful village of great missington for walk number 75. that's right julia this one is a delightful ramble that takes you through the best of the chiltons the route begins in great missington itself a place with a very famous former resident the man who created some of the nation's favorite stories lived in this very village and that author was roald dahl the dahl family home is here as is the writing hut where he penned his world famous stories and there are dial references everywhere this old petrol station could remind you of danny the champion of the world and this house was the snorfnage from the bfg and in angling spring woods a place dull strolled for inspiration you can go on a mini literary themed walk with storyteller chip culhoon [ __ ] i hear stories of a famous slug ah we see there was once a woman who had a yellow coat and a purple hat she had been getting smaller and smaller and smaller until she became a slug and it lives right here in angling spring wood who's that for a slug hunt yeah come on this place is incredibly special to you isn't it well dahl is an incredibly special storyteller he's left a legacy for um children and generations in the future to follow if you're right here it's almost like capturing some of his imagination and being inspired yourself and there's plenty to inspire the little people on this walk too i like spending time with my mum and dad and building dens someone's lost a shoe has anybody lost a shoe i really like to play their leave and kick them and run around leaving the woods and those beastly kiddles behind five miles further on is the end of the walk and the staggering views from coombe hill i've been joined by historian lauren johnson to get the inside word on an iconic british building you can see from up here that is checkers which is the prime minister's country home oh they picked a good spot yeah well we think of downing street being like the seat of power for prime ministers but actually checkers is hugely important it's here for instance that winston churchill wrote some of his most famous speeches we will fight on the beaches it's a really important source of inspiration for the people of britain and more recently david cameron has actually used it as a uh spot for a rave ah i should have brought my glow stick we could have had a rave here should we have a race i'm having it let's just do it we're having a rave in the line of sight of checkers lauren i can't believe i've brought you up here to have a rave i've enjoyed it to be honest you know it doesn't matter whether you're recreating your favorite roald dahl story or raving on a hillside we're all just big kids at heart aren't we and this walk has been a really lovely reminder of that welcome back to britain's favorite walks we're almost a quarter of the way through your top 100 hikes tell me what are you expecting at the top i think it's going to be a three-way fight oh go on between the lake district yes scotland okay and wales right is that narrow down no we're heading off the mainland to the beautiful silly isles for walk number 74.
this hike around the coastal path of saint mary's is the most southern walk in our countdown look out for stunning white sand beaches and beautiful azure seas an amble in the cotswolds is also a favorite for many of you this circular walk begins and ends in the worcestershire village of broadway but it's the 18th century tower the handiwork of landscape architect capability brown that is the route's best known landmark also standing tall at 72 is another walk to a tower on a hill this ramble takes in leith hill in surrey the highest point in south east england on a clear day here you can see all the way to central london and if you like a beautiful vista you'll be enchanted by the long distance norfolk coastal path the national trail here runs from hunstanton east to hopton on sea on route at home dunes there's even a chance of a close encounter with the endangered natter jack toad marching on and we head north to another long distance classic that's sitting pretty at number 70. the 34-mile sandstone trail runs from the market town of woodchurch in shropshire all the way to fredsham in cheshire but it's delamere forest near one end of the trail which is the favorite spot for a huge fan of this walk gemma and that's because it's the perfect training ground for some of britain's hardest working dogs i've been coming to the sandstone trail for around 20 years it's got fantastic scenery and it's lovely and peaceful it's fantastic for training the guide dog puppies because you've got a diversity of environments for them they're all tired now i think after that long walk it's fantastic to prepare them for their life as a guide dog good girl next i'm off to yorkshire to explore one of our best loved literary trails the bronte way the section i'm walking runs from howarth to the old ruins of top withens taking in some of the bleak and windswept landscapes made famous by a writer born here 200 years ago that writer was emily bronte and this is where she lived with her famous sisters the walk i'm doing today leads right from here into the heart of the landscape that inspired her epic novel weathering heights full of dark passionate wild romance i've always been a huge fan of the brontes and i'm not alone for this section of the hike i'm joining keen walker lauren and her friends for whom this route is a real pilgrimage so lauren how many times do you think you've headed out on this walk oh it's probably going to pinch the hundreds at this point but i bet you don't get bored well you can't the seasons here are a lot more pronounced in some parts of the country so it's always something a little bit different leaving howarth behind a mile and a half of walking soon puts us up on peniston hill the gateway used by the brontes to access the stunning moors beyond oh here you go this is that moment isn't it it all opens out just expands and you suck in the landscape and this is what inspired the bronte sisters very much so you'd start to feel at this point that you are walking in their footsteps yeah you really do nearly two miles on and we reach a favorite stopping point on the walk for the brontes themselves the small waterfall here of which charlotte wrote it is fine indeed white and beautiful it wouldn't be a walk without a good picnic now that is an essential part of any work i have to say i think this is one of my favorite places because we know the brontes came here but it is because this is the setting for all all that bronte literature exactly and their lives as well that people love to come here if you're a lifelong bronte fan but you live in south america or you live in japan you might get one chance to come here so it really is like coming to a special place it's one of the best walks you'll do i promise you that leaving lauren and her friends behind i'm now on the final section of the walk it ends up high on the moor at top withens the ruins of a farmhouse believed to be the inspiration for the earnshaw family home in wuthering heights this location this walk is all about a sense of place it's all about letting your imagination run wild in this brooding landscape and treading in the actual steps of the bronte sisters it's a cracker now many of the walks you voted for offer the chance to see some incredible wildlife and this coastal walk at number 68 is no exception it's safe to say that this stroll along blakely point in norfolk has some of the best in breeding season this sand and shingle spit is a playground for a colony of 500 seals we're off to the beautiful lancashire countryside for the walk you voted for at number 67. this forest of bowland hike takes in the ancient woodland of gisburn and stocks reservoir a popular haven for bird watchers it's also a favorite spot for local food forager adrian rose a walk in the frost of bowling is ideal for foraging it's everything from wild garlic the fungi of berries it is an incredible sort of ladder of food to take here and this is the golden chanterelle mushroom if you're going to buy them in the shop you'll be looking probably somewhere around about 20 pounds but here you know walking around across the boulder we found them for free next in the countdown we're heading across the water to northern ireland this challenging hike in the dramatic moon mountains takes you up sleeved on art the country's highest peak at 850 metres at the summit walkers are rewarded with spectacular views stretching as far as whales if you're looking for a slice of paradise this next walk on scotland's west coast might be for you a stroll along the silver sands of mara gives walkers the chance to experience the scots answer to the caribbean and it was also made famous as a film location for the movie starring bert lancaster local hero and just in front is another scottish trek the great glen way is a vast 74 mile coaster coast hike which for the majority of the route is accessible to all abilities with the iconic loch ness as a highlight it's a firm favorite oh is that messy from scotland we're heading back to the south for the third of the london walks in our countdown the thames path is a scenic route through the capital along one of britain's most famous rivers it's basically like going for a walk across the opening titles of eastenders which is why we thought we'd invite ex-ender larry lamb and his broadcaster son george to guide us through some of their favorite hot spots down by the water and they're beginning their river walk at the thames barrier did you not work round here yeah when i first started work i worked at maybanks just over here in deptford with uncle bill my uncle bill yeah i just absolutely love being here i guess it's because it sort of links you to the world you know down there is the world the history of the place is what the river conjures up for me you know this was 50 years ago when i was working down here it's absolutely fascinating to see the change and to think of everything that's gone before this is the thames path sunshine right and as you head further into london the iconic sights come thick and fast i grew up in west london so i spent my whole life kind of walking along by the river and it's one of the few places in london you get a bit of kind of perspective it's a treasure next is a stop at the south bank for a detour down memory lane look at that the national how long since you've worked here no it was 2007 it was kind of a big point really because i'd done you know about 10 shows in the west end all of a sudden bang national theater the one thing i wanted to do and there i was and would you walk in here every day or yeah yeah a lot of the time i go for a walk right the way over black flies bridge and do a big loop around every night and just get myself all jazzed up and ready to go so it was perfect and if you're not walking the parkings are good at the national vehicle from the south bank larry and george continue to head west on the thames path as they leave the capital's best-known sites behind the walk starts to give way to the west london suburbs six miles upriver in putney imagine the amount of times we've been down here you probably pushed me along here in a buggy yeah without doubt i'm sure one of these is where i did my first ever rowing lesson yeah well first and last rowing listener exactly it wasn't a huge success that was it there you go it could have been me if i'd have just persevered i tell you man we're so lucky having this in london i know it's wonderful a walk along the river path is just an extraordinary geography and history lesson and for me definitely one of the best walks anywhere in britain always has been and always will be you ready for a beer yeah let's go come on mate ah the perfect end to any stroll nice one boys a city walk is all well and good but for me a real adventure starts somewhere a little more rugged and it seems that you agree because more than 90 of the walks that you voted for are away from the bright light this next one is a coastal classic in scotland that's right julia and it's the east coast that's home to this long distance trail you voted for the stunning fife coastal path is a showcase for the rich and historic landscape here and the chance to take in some of the best bridges in the land and we continue our countdown in yorkshire the best represented region in our top 100 this walk from grassington to conestone is a rambling romp which takes you through this small but beautiful corner of the yorkshire dales your love of britain's canal ways continues in wales for the walk where you'll need a head for heights the tlangkotlan canal links wales with england and on this stretch if you're brave enough you can walk britain's highest navigable aqueduct we're making tracks up to northumberland for our next walk which is a ramble with a difference by day this long circuit through kilda water and forest park over easy ground is a hiking hot spot but what makes it unique is that it sits bang in the middle of europe's largest dark sky park which means it's perfect for a stargazing amble one of the biggest fans of this walk is astronomer and avid photographer gary files who founded an observatory here 10 years ago the kielda wharton forest park is so spectacularly beautiful during the day but at night it takes on a whole new meaning so to walk through the forest when it's dark and starry it's just brilliant now if trees are your thing then this next walk in the new forest is for you this simple stroll is a labyrinth of rambling trails they take in ancient woodlands that are home to some of britain's oldest trees from the new forest we ramble west to dartmoor in devon for a rugged moorland classic this granite stack known as bauman's nose inspired arthur conan doyle to write the hound of the baskervilles and also inspires outdoor bloggers fee and lucy who go by the name of two blondes walking i'm lucy i'm blonde one and i'm fee i'm blonde too the walking loop that the ladies love starts out from the rock formation bauman's nose before heading south towards hound tour a deserted medieval village the best thing about this walk for me is as you just come up over the edge of the hill and you see bauman just in front of you there he is and he really does look like he's waiting for you to come and have a chat with him he's looking all dark and mysteriously he is yeah from bauman the ladies head one mile south to the old village ruins at hound tour hello ponies they're wagging their tails do you think we should rug our tails as well fee and lucy like to bring a fun element to walking and write about slightly different things to the usual ramblers ramblings if we do something silly we like to tell people if i fall over and have to slide down a hill on my bottom i'll tell them we don't take ourselves too seriously the two blondes always end this four mile circuit back where they began for one last encounter with their hero bowerman now the mist's gone i wonder what he's looking at yeah it's a nice place to just come and enjoy dartmoor in all its glory if i'm feeling a bit low it always puts a smile on my face it's our happy place right you behave yourself see you again we're nearly halfway through our countdown but there are plenty of the nation's best love landscape we're still to set for tom keep watching to find out where our favorite walk is it features an iconic british landmark and i don't mean carol mcgiffin welcome back to our definitive countdown of britain's top 100 walks we're celebrating one of the nation's favorite pastimes with a massive hike across the uk trying to find the best path to set foot on there are 23 coastal walks in our countdown and at 56 you voted in a beauty in northern ireland the awe-inspiring north antrim cliff path takes in some of the country's best shoreline and wind its way to the legendary giant causeway 40 000 interlocking stone columns that spill out into the sea from the irish coast to the english coast in northumberland for another shoreline stroll this three-hour walk takes you from the golden sands of olmouth beach to the medieval marvel that is walk with castle and at number 54 r.a is exploring a wainwright classic lucky devil yes julia i'm heading for the stunning long distance northern trail that pulled in plenty of votes in our countdown it was legendary walking writer alfred wainwright who first mapped the 192 mile coaster coast route from scent bees in cumbria to robin hood's bay in yorkshire his walk was designed to be split into 12 manageable stages taking around two weeks to complete today i'm walking a ten and a half mile section in yorkshire's upper sweldell from wreath to richmond one of the great things about walking is that special time you get to bond whether it's with a friend it could be a dog or even alone with your own thought i'm going to meet a guy who chose to walk side by side with an altogether different companion meet jethro the mule and the man who chose to walk coast to coast with him in 2017 hugh thompson well hugh it's an absolute pleasure to meet you and jethro they're joining me on the first part of my walk as i leave wreath behind and follow the river downstream the question is why are you in a mule i've worked a lot of mules in in other countries and love that and there's a kind of romance of going along with mules and all the little bells tinkling behind them and i thought why not just do it here so you wanted to bring a little bit of latin america to the yorkshire desserts exactly well i just think it's the greatest walk in britain it's an amazing stretch of countryside you get it all you get you know mountains lakes and it's very traditional for pack animals like jethro be honest with me did a few people think you're a bit bonkers a lot of people thought i was completely mad i mean it's not just walking from murals walking 200 miles from a mill right through the heart of the most difficult bit of england but it was worth it leaving hugh and jethro behind i continue nine miles west from reef to hudswell woods hiking is well known to relieve stress but i'm meeting a walker who uses these peaceful surroundings to achieve a higher state of relaxation kelly i've been enjoying this walk but when it comes to forest bathing you've lost me so forest bay they know shinrin yoku is basically having a mindful walk through the woods away from whatever's stressing you out so the invitation is for you to get to know this tree for five minutes you're using your senses so your sight you're using your touch using your smile my heart rate has gone down i'm generally quite a stressed person not right now thank you kelly for sharing your aura of calm it's the first time i really i really held onto a tree well you know you should do it more because these guys are vital for our survival so even if you're just saying you know what mate she is thanks very much i appreciate that thank you beach tree and feeling this relaxed means it'll be a gentle half hour amble to the end point of the walk in historic market town richmond walk number 53 is the next stroll on our countdown and it's a rugged gem in staffordshire this easy route takes in the roaches a dramatic grit stone ridge perched high above the peak district offering panoramic views at number 52 we're visiting somerset to take in a georgian jaunt in the city of bath the route features some of the finest architecture britain has to offer from portly bridge to the sweeping grandeur of the royal crescent and this is a city which likes to roll out the red carpet for visitors with free walking tours courtesy of the mayor good morning and welcome to the mayor of bath walking tour great to see you all i'm nick nick gaine is one of more than 80 bath locals who run the tours as part of the historic mayor's guides it's fantastic to be able to show over 40 000 people around bath so here we are in the magnificent circus there are 525 symbols going all the way around in this freeze bath city walk is really unique there are magnificent buildings to see great green open spaces once you've been here for a day you will want to be here at least three weeks next is an ancient trail from west to east some cuthbert's way stretches from the scottish borders to the northumberland coast this beautiful route ends with an unforgettable crossing at low tide to the holy island of lindisfarne and further south down the same coastline into yorkshire we find another of your favorites at number 50. this walk follows the path along the towering chalk cliffs at bempton to flamborough head and offers a fascinating mix of nature and history with 50 classic walks down we are officially at the halfway point of our countdown but the highest ranked hikes from 10 different regions are still to come yorkshire has taken five of the spots in our countdown so far and we're back in the dales for the walk sitting at number 49.
this hike is one of a number of routes you can take to the captivating gritstone formations of bremen rocks and it's also a favorite of broadcaster and journalist janet street porter i've lived in this area for nearly 40 years i discovered it quite by accident i was driving nils from leeds and i came through nidadale and i just thought it's a fantastic place it's just beautiful janet's favorite route up to brim and rocks starts in the pretty village of paley bridge in the heart of nidadale when i first visited paigley bridge my friends who lived locally said be sure you go to both butchers they both make excellent pork pies so you don't want to fall out with either of them you have to alternate traditional just traditionally there you go a section of janet's route to brim and rocks follows long distance footpath the nidadale way a 53-mile circular track that takes in some of the dale's most breathtaking views from the moment i first came here i didn't want to live anywhere else and one of the best things about being up here uh particularly in the high up spots is uh there's quite a lot of areas with no phone signal which is a plus eventually the rolling hills of the dales become punctuated by the star of the show bremen rocks what's spectacular about brim and rocks are the mad shapes of the rock it's like having mini arizona but in yorkshire to me they're all just magical shapes and they look like sculpture they looked as if someone's chiseled them out but it's been done by the wind and the elements it might be a touch wet in yorkshire today but for janet there's no place she'd prefer to be i could be selling it in nice or skiing but i'd rather be eating a pork pie in bremen rocks next on your countdown is a journey over the highest point in northumberland this is a strenuous walk over the imposing cheviots the long trail of hills straddling the england scotland border there are also easier routes if you want to enjoy the views we head south next for walk number 47 a stroll along cornwall celebrated southwest coastal path this route between morgan porth and harlan shows off a stretch of the uk's best shoreline and takes in the dramatic rock stacks of bedruthon and we're staying in the southwest for a long distance walk you voted in at number 46. the ridgeway is britain's oldest road it dates back around 6 000 years and stretches across four counties taking in the ancient stone circles at avery and the famous white horse at huffington this 85 mile national trail is also fairly flat for long stretches which makes it popular with one particular walking group val and her friends are all members of the disabled ramblers and love the ridgeway we see such a lot of beautiful scenery the feeling you get once you're on your scooter is one of freedom and it just takes away all your worries but when val joined the group she got much more than she was expecting she got bomb when i first saw the power i thought nice looking lady i was immediately attracted to her and we started sort of talking to each other val and bob have been hitting their favorite stretch of the ridgeway together for the last eight years we think ourselves very lucky what we have both complement each other in what we do he's the brawn she's the brain on the brawn isn't that a lovely view coming to the ridgeway i would recommend to anybody because it's a magical experience it's got a special feel about it i love it and i can't imagine being without it at number 45 we're in northern ireland for the fifth of our eight city walks this route is a short mile-long amble around the 17th century city walls of derry londonderry it's known to be one of the finest walled cities in europe striding on into central england and we're in shropshire your next favorite stroll this is a near 10 mile jump through the gorgeous wildlife ridge heathland which features throughout the long mind and carding mill valley and from the midlands we head north to scotland's historic capital city edinburgh this unusual city walk offers the chance to hike up an extinct volcano that erupted 350 million years ago there are a number of different routes up to arthur's seat which sits proudly overlooking the city and its castle it's a favorite spot for piper rich gordon who enjoys nothing more than heading to the top to stir up some national pride arthur street's a very good work for people to do it's well worth it when you reach the summit of the hill it's a very very proud feeling to stand here and see the city below me as i play and it's a walk in norfolk that takes the next spot on our countdown with another coastal stroll this saunter on the shore at wales next to sea has miles of sandy beaches as well as pine woodland walks and funky beach huts to explore from norfolk to the english welsh border for the walk you voted for at number 41. the office dike is the unique path which runs the full length of the ancient man-made ditch spanning the border of the two countries you can either jump on the dike in small sections or if you're feeling more adventurous take on all 107 miles of it like this all action explorer i'm ash dykes british adventurer and extreme athlete based in north wales in 2013 me and my friend walked the entire length of the office bike from south to north in the dead of winter you know it was pretty hardcore conditions hail rain snow quite demanding to say the least you know ash completed the whole path in just nine days three days faster than the average walker but when it comes to demanding hikes ash eats them for breakfast for the past eight to nine years now i've been taking on pretty big expeditions around the world all of my training i do in the office dike and what i like best about it is the rugged and sometimes harsh conditions if you take on this long distance path you'll find lots of varied terrain but that makes it the perfect ground for ash to get ready for his hardcore walks around the world i tend to jog up hills with a weighted worksite pulling 120 kilograms of weight on my back so that's the same weight as a baby elephant the office diet does really help to toughen you up you know mentally and physically ash we salute you but i think most people would rather stick to a sunday afternoon stroll we're counting down the most popular walks in britain today as voted for by you mountains coastal and woodland we've got them all and if you like cascading water too you're definitely in the right place there are over 100 named waterfalls in the uk and on this next stroll you can tick off four of them that's because at number 40 is the four falls walk in the brecon beacons the route takes in the upper and lower clinguin panora and era falls it's an exciting gorge trail that features plenty of thundering water so remember to pack your waterproofs to yorkshire next for another family favorite you voted for in our countdown grow monte gotheland is a spellbinding short stroll across the north yorkshire moors and a real treat for movie fans because it ends at goathland station famously used as a location for hogsmeade station in the first harry potter film and here's station master john bruce to tell us why he thinks this walk is magical the grommet the ghost and walk is part of the original railway before this line was built one of the advantages is you can walk from ghost into grommet or vice versa then catch one of our trains back to where you started sounds good see even us muggles need a break from walking every now and again we're steaming up to the glens for our seventh walk in scotland this one follows the river gary from pitt lockery to the highland village of blair athol where you can take in the famous blair castle recent location for the drama victoria from the north we head south to where the counties of worcestershire herefordshire and gloucestershire meet the beautiful melvins there are a number of possible routes in the hills here but the highlight is a walk to the top of the 425 meter worcestershire beacon the climb to the summit is a favorite of 88 year old bill poole who's hiked up the beacon over a hundred times i first came to the malvin hills in i think 1937 but i always enjoyed trips to the moment to something a bit special if you realize that keeping going is going to make your life a heck of a lot better you just do it i think well said bill from the midlands we trek north to yorkshire for the walk that got your vote at number 36 and it's a waterfall spectacular the ingleton falls circular route takes around 3 hours to complete with several major falls to see along the way most consider it a fairly easy ramble but for vicky bausch and her mum karen beginning their walk from the entrance to the falls is a step into the unknown i've not done a walk like this yet i think it's gonna be quite challenging because it's different terrain so i think my mum's gonna have to help me quite a bit this is the first time that vicky has been back to engleton falls since she had a serious accident at alton towers in 2015. the crash happened at two o'clock in the afternoon but paramedics were still treating the seriously injured five hours later we got to the first hill and crashed into the stationary car with nobody on it in front i ended up losing my right leg through knee and my left knee is very damaged i was in an awful lot of pain and i didn't know if i'd be able to walk again i had no idea so what the future held 130 000 walkers complete this route every year but vicky's goal today is to get just over a mile up the track to pekka falls the first big stopping point on the trail it's hard when the steps are a little bit slanted so my knee wants to bend it's always been very important for me to push myself but i never felt the need to as much as i do now after a challenging 30-minute walk vicki has reached her target it's a rehabilitation milestone for her this time last year i didn't think you built or anything like this but you've pulled on leaps and bounds yeah sort of hypnotizing isn't it watching the water i can't wait for maybe in a year seeing how far i can get this time and seeing how much after i enjoy it from the yorkshire dales we're heading 80 miles south to derbyshire where i'm visiting the rock star you've voted into our countdown the stunning standard edge with nearly 9 million visitors a year the glorious peak district is the third most popular of our national parks from the holland bank car park it's a short walk up the gripstone crag that dominates this part of the peaks until the early 20th century stanage edge was a millstone quarry and there are still plenty of signs of its past life left behind no that's stan right there these days it's a honeypot for walkers following the classic route along the craggy outcrop and when this hike takes you to the top of the edge you can see why this place is i mean it's epic one man who knows what makes this walk so special is bill gordon he's retiring after spending 35 years here as the national park ranger oh bill it is a glorious back garden you have here do you get bored of it never never been bored these rocks are magic you've got to look at it like a child would see something it's the most wonderful panoramic views you can possibly imagine every hour it can change you can stop off at lots of points along this route to admire the view but my guide has his own favorite phil where are you taking me i'm taking you to a secret place gosh have a look at this whoa this is robin hood's cave it's a wonderful view from here they'll hold a derby show right in front of you this is incredible i think we can tick standard edge off the list at number 34 is another of the nine fabulous waterfall walks on our countdown this one is an enjoyable circular route in the heart of the rugged durham dales it takes in both high force and low force falls along the river tees there are over 700 islands off the coast of scotland and one of the most popular with walkers is the isle of skye this short ramble is a loop skirting the foot of the black coolant mountains but the real draw here are the famous fairy pools and their crystal clear waters from one island to another for walk number 32 and one of the 10 welsh hikes in our countdown the long distance anglesey coastal walk offers ramblers the chance to do a full circuit of this magical island off the coast of north wales along the way expect a captivating array of beaches cliffs and woodland and we're staying in wales at number 31 as we head to the picturesque snowdonia village of beth gellert this walk begins in the village takes you through the dramatic valley and ends at a nearby tribute to a legendary tale that story is about gellard the ancient dog of 13th century prince llewellyn who killed the hound after mistakenly believing he had attacked his infant son in fact faithful gullet had saved the child's life from the real culprit a raging wolf today local walkers like roger and his friends come here with their pooches to pay tribute to this four legged legend lovely it's a good tale and the reality is actually it's just a wonderful walk it's a wonderful piece of snowdonia the walk down the valley is absolutely awesome so i think the tale of the dog is just a sort of a nice little extra and it's a great one for the tourists when we return we'll be hitting the dizzy heights of the best 30 walks in the country and some of the finest are still to come just look at it you won't be disappointed if you come here welcome back to britain's favorite 100 walks the nation's finest hikes as chosen by youth we're picking a route through the top 30 and the competition is hotting up so what do the keen walkers of the nation guests will be sitting on the summit i think a walk in the pete district surely has to take the top position i would have thought snowden would be up there as one of the favourites my money is on cresta i think melon yeah mallom i like cat bells hellfelling for me it could be snowden in north wales done it fantastic brilliant well we'll find out soon enough the final 30 is made up of walks across seven regions so your walk could still be in with a chance up next is one that sits on the mighty pennine way that walk is around high cup nick in cumbria known as the grand canyon of the pennines this route is a breathtaking valley hike and it affords some of northern england's most glorious views at number 29 is a walk steeped in both beauty and history this short trail features an old fort and a memorial to writer alfred lord tennyson but the highlight is a view of the iconic isle of wight rocks known as the needles and we're staying on the coast for our next walk the gower peninsula in wales this is a meander through the ancient landscapes and stunning beaches surrounding rossili and it gives you a great view of local landmark worm's head well after a long wait for fans of the lake district this heaven for hikers is about to make its presence known at last in our countdown the lakes receive over 15 million visitors a year which may explain the six hikes from the area that you voted for as your favorite walks the first of those is a number 27 and runs from ambleside to grasmere the coffin route is a gentle stroll which takes its name from the 13th century trail the dead used to be carried on to a grasmere church this lakeside walk offers great views and also takes in two former homes of poet william wordsworth next up is the dovedale to mildale route in the peak district one of the most popular short walks in this neck of the woods it's famed for its spectacular limestone gorge and the river dove james key has been a super fan of this walk since he was just eight it just never fails to take your breath away when you get to the top of here looking down what a beautiful view with the river dove snaking through the valley and with a peace and quiet it makes any troubles of the world see him a million miles away in fact james loves this hike so much that when the local hotel which had become a family favorite was about to close he decided to dig deep and buy it good afternoon chelsea how are you i'm quite a sentimental person and it really saddened us that the special memories that we had we couldn't add to them now that i've bought the hotel i'm up here every week and what better way to start the day than hiking up the mountain behind me nice walk to work james good one at 25 we're off to one of yorkshire's three peaks and ingleborough is the mountain from the white rose county which has climbed into our countdown this tough route takes you right to the summit of the second highest of yorkshire's three major peaks there are several other ways to the top but this hard hike from the village of clapham is a great one to tick off and at 24 julia is off towards a sunset on the cornish coast and that walk ra is a stretch of the celebrated southwest coastal path from saint ives to zenna it's one of three cornish classics in our countdown the walk from some ives to zenna is all about this it's about sucking in the sea air listening to the waves and appreciating our fantastic coastline this beautiful and rugged landscape has got it all on the way you'll find a picturesque fishing harbour rolling surf sandy bays on wildlife all along a rocky shore but it's much more than that for one local man i'm meeting at the start of my route instant ives for matthew stevens this walk has been a lifesaver i walk this with my parents a young child the connection is just more than skin deep you know recently i've walked it because i had a heart attack 11 years ago and i had to recover i had five months off work and walking was the big thing i could do you know i had to lose weight and i had three exercises so i just have a little plaque hanging around your neck saying this walk saved my life yeah virtually yes this bit from here to zener i think is exceptional it's a wonderful wonderful place to be and there are plenty here who would agree with me i'm not going surfing but as i press on for the next four miles i am going on a bit of a safari the carracks a group of rocky islets halfway into the walk are the favorite playground as some of our rarest mammals grey seals this stretch of the route is patrolled by ash a ranger for the national trust gorgeous grey seals just bobbing around out here and there aren't very many of them left no there are fewer uh gray seals than african elephants which is quite an interesting statistic that's an amazing
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