South England resources

Southern England

The long-distance trails of southern England offer varied experiences, ranging from the delights of the clear bracing air on the South West Coast Path to the broad skies of the Greater Ridgeway; from the wild yet accessible stretches of the North Downs Way to the feelings of bonding with a great river while following the Thames Path from London to its source deep in the Gloucestershire countryside.

Walking a long-distance path in one expedition is an immensely rewarding experience. However, if time is limited, the majority of these trails can be tackled in a week or weekend, using public transport to drop you at your chosen start and finish points.

Southern England may not offer the walker the height of the northern mountain regions, but large stretches of beautiful unspoilt countryside can be found, such as the New Forest, the heathlands of Surrey and Sussex.

The Cicerone guides to southern England cover all the designated National Trails, as well as offering selected walks in many of the counties, and a compendium of walking possibilities in and around Greater London.

South west England enjoys the mildest climate of the British Isles, and so offers the walker the greatest chance of good weather year-round. The best known walking areas are the South West Coast Path and the moorlands of Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin, but take any footpath, and you are sure to be enchanted.

The walking possibilities in this region range from the demands of the lengthy yet stunningly beautiful South West Coast Path and walking on Dartmoor, to the tranquility of walking on the Isles of Scilly, where gentle walks can be combined with bird and sea-life watching. The Channel Islands also offer an interesting mixture of history and seascapes, combined with the feeling of visiting a foreign land.