Last of the summer walks

Countryside

Brimham Rocks, N.Yorkshire

A weird and wonderful collection of intriguingly named rock formations are on offer in this unspoilt corner of the country, like the Dancing Bear, the Turtle and the Gorilla.

Some provide excellent clambering territory for children, and even a rock formation known as the Smartie Tube to crawl through! Anything to use up those energy reserves, eh?

Walks in the area take you through a variety of backdrops including meadows, moorland and woodland.The rocks sit within the Nidderdale ‘Area of Outstanding Beauty’, which offers an array of stunning views. And don’t miss the hooting of the owls at dusk... 

Dog-friendly

Bodmin, Cornwall

As a nation of dog-lovers, how could we not include a suggestion for pooch-friendly promenades? If you’re lucky, your dog is energetic enough to essentially pull you along, saving you some of the effort without denying you that smug feeling of having done something healthy.

Pencarrow House dates back to the 1760s while the gardens are made up of both formal landscaping and au naturel woodland – ideal for off-lead walks. Dogs are welcome at the Peacock Café (not inside, but in the outdoor seating area and the picnic area) and there are water bowls dotted around plus a free dog biscuit for all four-legged visitors. There are even shady car parking spaces for those with dogs. Walkies!

City walk

Oxford

Tourists flock from the furthest-flung corners of the globe to visit the elegant and majestic city of Oxford. The perfect place, then, for a city walk – almost any direction you walk in will reward you with breathtaking bridges, lofty spires, hidden cobbled alleyways and courtly squares.

Look out for Christ Church College – the biggest of Oxford’s colleges and home to Oxford’s cathedral; the Bodleian Library – one of the oldest in Europe; the Saxon Tower of St Michael – dating back to 1040, it’s the oldest building in Oxford; and Blackwell’s Bookstore, which houses the renowned Norrington Room – the largest book-selling room in Europe.

Coastal

Fife Coastal Path, Scotland

The famous Fife Coastal Path covers a whopping 117 miles of stunning Scottish seascape, but panic not – we’re not suggesting you do the lot!

The route offers a variety of walks from the ultra-challenging and hair-raising (possibly from the stiff coastal breeze) to the serene and tranquil (more our thermos of tea, frankly).

Try starting out at East Wemyss, which is home to the MacDuff’s Castle ruins and a grouping of archeologically renowned caves, made famous (OK, maybe not quite famous) by the Time Team series in 2005. From there. head north for an 7-mile walk through Buckhaven (check out the museum there) and Leven, with its indoor activity centre and play-parks, if you’ve brought the grandkids with you.

The all-rounder

Arundel, West Sussex

Fancy a bit of everything? The Arundel area offer it all: history, coastline, a national park and a winding river to meander along. Arundel boasts a beautiful castle dating back to the 11th century, built by Earl of Arundel at the time, Roger de Montgomery.

Just round the corner is the city’s Catholic cathedral, atop a steep-ish hill – don’t say we didn’t warn you! Well worth the climb, though, the cathedral is small but pretty and atmospheric.

Finally (and what more could you want?), the Arun river, which cuts through the peaceful South Downs National Park, offers some relaxing, possibly muddy, family walks, too. Try starting (or perhaps ending?) at the village of Burpham with its recently refurbished 17th century pub, The George. It serves food. Nuff said.

Other things you might like:

5 things to do before summer ends	Find your local site

Images: Shutterstock