Hiking vacations in England

Pilgrims and avid walkers have followed the 200km route between Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire to Canterbury Cathedral in Kent for centuries. If you’re familiar with the satirical characters of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, this is the journey they’re on. Mostly flat, with a few uphill bits, the Pilgrims’ Way flaunts its literary connections, taking you past the former homes of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Expect stunning North Downs scenery and choice pubs to stop at for lunch, including the wittily named Dirty Habit in Hollingbourne. It’s a two-week jaunt, but like most long-distance walks can be easily broken into sections.

The decline of traditional industries such as tin mining and fishing has hit many Cornish coastal communities hard, as has a rise in second home ownership. Our responsible walking vacations on the South West Coast Path bring valuable out-of-season income to guest houses, pubs and restaurants along the route, as well as providing needed employment. And don’t be put off by the crowds around popular sites in Cornwall – there are many lesser-known but equally lovely locations along this long-distance route, such as Saunton Sands, Bideford and Croyde, that attract just a fraction of the visitors.

The South Downs Way between Winchester and Eastbourne can be undertaken on a gruelling 24-hour, 161km marathon, but it’s best appreciated at a much more leisurely pace. Self guided walking vacations let you flit from village to village, making use of excellent public transport connections for much of the way, with daily distances of no more than 18km and generally easygoing gradients. Your luggage will be transported between locally owned B&Bs, benefitting small communities, so you can walk these undulating, idyllic landscapes with just a daypack. And naturally, our vacation organisers are full of recommendations on pubs, bakeries and restaurants en route.