Discover England
When you walk along the historic wonders of Hadrian’s Wall, or down a Cotswoldian valley where an ancient inn, local ale and roaring fire await, you realise that England’s ups and downs don’t always have to refer to its political upheavals. Its uplands and lowlands both proffer something very special and, being so accessible from its towns and cities, walking holidays in England are often just a heartbeat away.
With more and more people seeking to unplug and have a digital detox these days, active England tours are also helping them escape the noise. Once our walkers hit the likes of the magnificent Coast to Coast Path and its three national parks, or the South West Coast Path with its plethora of peninsulas, cliffs and coves, they see not only England’s fine natural heritage but also an array of welcoming communities committed to sustainability, biodiversity and, ultimately, tranquility.
Popular tours in England
Top regions and trails
England: where to go
Hadrian’s Wall Path
Unlike the Coast to Coast Path, people usually walk Hadrian’s Wall Path from east to west, starting in Newcastle on the North Sea and completing their Roman ramble of 135km at Solway Firth on the Irish Sea. Also a UNESCO site, walking Hadrian’s Wall Path is a journey not only to historic sites such as Vindolanda and Housesteads Roman forts but also through natural triumphs such as Northumberland National Park. One of the final stretches is walking along the River Eden into Carlisle, the ancient city just 13km south of the Scottish border.
Cotswolds
Walk the wilder spots of the ‘wolds’, meaning gentle hill in ancient English, or wander through some of their prettiest market towns and villages on a Cotswoldian circuit starting and ending in Bath. Whichever way you choose to walk in the Cotswolds, walking holidays in England don’t get more quintessentially English than these. The iconic honey-coloured architecture, flower-filled meadows and fecund markets are just some of the big Os that make up the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Cotswolds Way is the perfect way to seek out pastoral perfection, covering an undulating and undeniably charming 163km.
South Downs Way
The South Downs Way is a 160km National Trail open to walkers, cyclists and horse riders. It cuts through chalk escarpment, which has made it historically accessible and, therefore, always been favoured for traditional means of transport. It starts in the cathedral city of Winchester in Hampshire, crosses the South Downs National Park and finishes in the East Sussex coastal town of Eastbourne. The trail is a natural playground of unbroken, undulating utopia, where you follow a route through the many ages of English history. One of the highlights for many is the last section, which takes you along a series of iconic chalk cliffs called the Seven Sisters. Although there are actually now eight, due to erosion. From here the route soon descends into the old Victorian seaside resort town of Eastbourne, where you can have a well-deserved cooling swim, and our holiday includes a night here at the end so you can take it all in.
Coast to Coast Path
Traditionally walked west to east, the Coast to Coast Path leads you between the sandy stretches of St Bees on the Cumbrian Coast and Robin Hoods Bay at the foot of the North York Moors National Park. This is just one of three national parks that the colossal 293km Coast to Coast Path covers, the others being the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. So although this is in no way a walk in just one park, you don’t need to be Bear Grylls to take on the challenge. Walk the whole thing gently in 16 days, or break it up into a west and east segment, staying in charming hotels and inns along the way, while having your luggage transferred for you. The Coast to Coast Path was awarded National Trail status in March 2026.
South West Coast Path
This is a coastal spectacle on steroids, and also the UK’s longest walking trail at over 1,000km that clings to the coasts of Somerset, Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. It’s a piñata of peninsulas, a celebration of coves and joined up thinking at its most joyous. The South West Coast Path is also one of the most outstanding walking holidays in England, with our self-guided tours taking you along five segments of the Path. Take them on separately or combine all five for a bit of slow and sublime south-western wanderlust.
Lake District
England’s largest national park at over 2,362km², its lakes, tarns and peaks are a thing of poetry, art and music. We have natural adventures to suit all ages, including a family adventure holiday based in the national park town of Keswick where hiking, paddleboarding and canyoning are all part of the fun. We also have two dog-friendly holidays: another Keswick-based walking holiday, where each day brings another lakeland landscape, ranging from the heights of Skiddaw (931m) or Honister Pass to the iconic and idyllic circuit of Derwentwater. Or, if you prefer a self-guided itinerary, walk from Pooley Bridge to Coniston, the former on the shores of Ullswater and the latter perfectly positioned between Coniston Water and Old Man Coniston, where you can take on the iconic trek to the highest point of Lancashire at 801m.
St Cuthberts Way
Although this starts in Scotland, the last few days of this long-distance walking trail are in England. On this nine day, self-guided walking holiday, you follow in the footsteps of St Cuthbert, a 7th-century saint who was one of the monks at both Melrose Abbey, in Scotland and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, in England, where the trail begins and ends. St Cuthbert was known as the healing saint, and this walking way is certainly a restorative one. Natural highlights along the way include the Eildon Hills and the Cheviot Hills, the landscapes around the River Tweed and the famous tidal crossing to Lindisfarne. Accessible by rail, and staying in small, locally-owned guesthouses and inns, this tour is also suitable for solo travellers. And the finishing point on England’s Northumbrian coast is one of the finest spots in England.
England: things to do
- Travel solo on one of our self-guided walking holidays in England, supported by expert teams along the way, who not only transport your luggage but are also a daily contact. Many of our English walking holidays, from pilgrimages to long-distance paths, are not too strenuous, and so although you do need to have a fairly good fitness level and be comfortable reading maps, you don’t need to feel concerned about having a fellow walker alongside for guidance or support. Just enjoy the peace and your own pace. Solo travellers are charged a supplement in most places mainly because the cost of transfers isn’t always shared with others, but individual rooms are available in our small, friendly hotels.
- Our canine adventurers will be wagging their tails about the fact that many of our English walking holidays are dog-friendly. From the Lake District to Hadrian’s Wall, as well as one section of the South West Coast Path, there are some wild and wonderful options for you to live a happy life with your dog, even on holiday.
- Pack your swimming gear in your backpack to give our active England tours aquatic added value. You may need a few suits on the South West Coast Path, of course, with glistening bays beckoning at every turn. Wash off the dust of wanderlust in Robin Hood’s Bay after completing the Coast to Coast Path and the Cotswolds have their fair share of lidos, including at Cirencester and Cheltenham. One of the country’s finest art deco lidos can also be found on the South West Coast Path in Penzance.
- Our England tours are not just about walking through the country’s wilder spots, such as the North York Moors National Park or the Lake District, but they are also often topped and tailed by visits to historic towns and cities. Celebrate near completion of Hadrian’s Wall in the ancient city of Carlisle, for example, a walled fortress city that has seen Romans, Celtic and Viking influences. The Romans also played a big part in the development of the elegant city of Bath, the last stop on the Cotswolds Way. The Pilgrim’s Way through the Kent Downs culminates in the great cathedral city of Canterbury, and the South Downs Way starts in the great cathedral city of Winchester, and ends in the Victorian seaside resort of Eastbourne.
Responsible travel tips
- Shop locally for all your needs when you can, from soap to socks, snacks to backpacks. Markets in the Cotswolds, for example, are brimming with local produce, mountain gear shops along the Coast to Coast Path will welcome your business and cream tea shops along the South West Coast Path or pubs along Hadrian’s Wall Path are bastions of English culture.
- One of the joys of our England walking holidays is that many of them can be accessed by train. Leave the car and cares behind at home, starting the Coast to Coast Path by train to St Bees, and heading home by train from Newcastle, or connect with a number of train stations along the South West Coast Path and add the Night Riviera Sleeper train between London and Cornwall into the adventure.
- If you want to include some wild swimming on your walking holiday in England, the water pollution app Safer Seas and River Service, operated by Surfers against Sewage is an invaluable source of information. Always double check that there are no warnings against wild swimming in certain places eg. in the loughs around Hadrian’s Wall, such as Greenlee Lough which is an important bird habitat, and Broomlee. Never swim alone, read up on any tides or current weather information, and always stay close to the shore.
- The conservation and preservation that goes into keeping England’s walking trails green, pleasant and open is thanks to many different organisations, many of which come under different trail umbrellas. Please make a donation to one of them when you have enjoyed the fruits of these organisations’ labour, on the donations page of the South West Coast Path, National Trust’s coastal appeal, National Trails donations, or to the RSPB which protects wildlife habitats across England.
Do I need a visa for England?
It all got a bit complex, to say the least, after the UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020, which changed freedom of movement for many people overnight. One of the most recent changes has been the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for many countries around the world, in January 2025. Although this is not a visa, it has created one more hoop to jump through for many travellers. For nationals of Canada, USA and Australia, for example, who used to travel to the UK without a visa for short trips, they have to get an ETA now. More dramatically for many EU, European Economic Area (EEA) and Schengen country nationals, they also now have to get an ETA, whereas they could travel freely to and from the UK before. Irish passport holders are, however, exempt from the ETA. You can read more about the ETA in our blog.
In terms of actual visas, you do not need a visa for the UK if you are visiting as a tourist for less than six months from the following countries. However, you do need to apply online for an ETA.
- EU/EEA/Schengen countries
- USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
- Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE
- Some Latin American countries including Brazil, Argentina and Mexico
Citizens from the following regions generally require a visa (also called the Standard Visitor Visa) to enter England. Please note that if you have a visa, you do not need an ETA as well:
- Most African countries (except those with visa-free agreements such as Mauritius and Seychelles, although they will need an ETA))
- Most Asian countries, including India, China, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand
- Russia and Belarus
- Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon
- Many Caribbean and Pacific nations
To double check whether you need a visa, see the UK government website, or use the visa tool below.
FAQs
England opens up its green and pleasant lands to adventurers from March onwards, and then shuts up shop again at the end of October. So, to use a well known expression from the London Underground, ‘Mind the gap’, because there is a bit of a seasonal gap when it comes to adventures in England. Our South West Coast Path holidays, for example, are open from March to October, and the trail is at its busiest in June, July and August. Not only on the trail itself but also in terms of accommodation, so you need to book early for the height of summer. Another good reason for going early is the St Ives Food and Drink Festival, which features on two of our South West Coast Path walking holidays, and is one big beautiful beach feast, happening in mid-May.
The South Downs Way has an April to September window, with April bringing bluebells out in woodlands along the way, and May many other wildflowers. One of the finest sights is poppies that pepper the wheat fields, which is around June and July. It’s also just an hour and a half south of London, so it’s a good one to combine with a city break.
Our Lake District holidays are open for travel between April and October, and getting ahead of the summer school holidays, from mid-July until the beginning of September is wise. In addition, September is the Taste Cumbria Food Festival which takes place in the national park in Cockermouth. It’s 50km from your starting point on this Lake District hiking holiday in Pooley Bridge, and takes place at the end of September. But it’s worth having an extra night there to pack up your backpack.
For our Cotswolds holidays, they also operate between April and October. Easter can get busy, and the summer months are also busy, but more so with day trippers to the towns and cities such as Bath. English people like to head to the coast in summer, so this is a good time to do the in-between coasts trail, on the Coast to Coast Path, which is open for self-guided tours between April and September. Although it’s worth giving Easter a miss, when the national parks that you walk through can get busy with day trippers. For more information, see our blog, Best time to visit England.
Although it’s a cliché that it always rains in England, things are changing, with 2025 having had the driest spring in over a century. There is a significant north-south divide when it comes to English weather, although even those gaps are getting smaller. The English do like to talk about the weather a lot, however, because traditionally it’s unpredictable. Heatwaves hit the media big time, even though temperatures have often passed 30C for many years in summer now. Even up in the border areas with Scotland such as on the St Cuthberts Way, although this is still quite rare. There’s an expression among people living in southern England that ‘it’s grim up north’ but far from it. In fact, the cooler temperatures are becoming much more favourable during the climate crisis. In the Lake District, for example, they range from 13C in April to 21C in the height of summer, and stay around 18C in September.
The South West Coast Path has its own temperature rules, particularly in Cornwall, as the southernmost peninsula is influenced by the Gulf Stream. The wettest months are April and May, and it then dries off until around October, but never put your rain jacket away. In the teens years, average temperatures in April were also in the teens, but now they can go well over 20C, hitting high twenties and beyond in the height of summer. The South Downs Way can get very hot in the height of summer too, with temperatures going over the 30C mark over several years now and, as there is little shade in some parts, it’s worth starting out early. Or just book for one of the cooler months, September being perfect. For more information, see our blog, Best time to visit England.
England has a good rail network although, unlike many neighbouring European countries, it doesn’t have one national rail provider, as the system was privatised many years ago. This can make it complicated, as there are different train companies serving different parts of the country. The good news is, however, that many of our tours are reachable by rail and, if they are, we give you details on each tour page, under ‘Getting there’ of how to do so. For example, you can leave the car and cares at home, starting the Coast to Coast Path by train to St Bees, and heading home by train from Newcastle. Or connect with a number of train stations along the South West Coast Path and add the Night Riviera Sleeper train between London and Cornwall into the adventure. Here are all our English holidays that are reachable by rail. And of course, if you are travelling from the Netherlands, France or Belgium, you can also take the Eurostar train across the channel to London, and pick up another train from there. For more information on how to book tickets in England, see our blog, How to book cheap train tickets.
At the moment, we only have one bespoke family adventure in England, and that’s in the Lake District. It’s also worth checking out our easy/moderate level walking holidays to see if they appeal to all family members. If you have older teens, for example, who have walking experience, you may want to explore more moderate level hiking holidays. Our adventure specialists are here to cater for your needs, and we can often adapt a day’s itinerary if you think it’s going to be too hard or too easy.
Most definitely, and we welcome solo travellers on all of our English adventures, with the exception of the Lake District family holiday of course. You may enjoy reading one of our team member’s account of walking solo in the Lake District. Please remember that a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared.
Yes, the water, or waw-uh if you’re chatting with many people in the south of England, is jolly good in England. However, it’s strange how many people who would never normally buy bottled water at home, feel a need to buy it when travelling. So do resist and just fill up from the tap. It’s fine, and totally the norm, to ask for tap water in cafés and restaurants, and most fast food shops will happily fill your reusable water bottle now too. If you are hiking in mountain areas, and want to drink from streams, where there can be a risk of harmful runoff, we recommend investing in a filtered water bottle to ensure water is free of any toxins.
In contrast to drinking water, as mentioned above, outdoor swimming has become more hazardous over recent years, due to pollution. This has been highly publicised and protested against, the cause being badly managed water companies which, unlike many parts of the world, are privately-owned. In short, if there has been heavy rain, many of the water companies have been ignoring regulations and releasing polluted water. If you want to include some wild swimming on your walking holiday in England, the water pollution app Safer Seas and River Service, operated by Surfers against Sewage is an invaluable source of information. Or always ask a local swimmer as regular water users are up to date on these recent outflow issues.
Apart from that, England has no major health risks and it is also rabies-free. No vaccinations are required, but the WHO recommends routine vaccines such as tetanus, measles, mumps and rubella before travelling. Ticks can be a problem when hiking, so you do need to take precautions. Wear long sleeves and trousers, and tuck your trousers into hiking socks when possible. Lyme disease and Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE) are both tick-borne, so always check yourself fully after hiking and carry a tick remover with you too, so that you can catch them quickly.
Always make sure that you have suitable health insurance to suit your adventure travel and England also has an excellent pharmacy system where you can get consultations if you haven’t time to get to a doctor. Which, with NHS waiting lists an ongoing problem, can be tricky sometimes. If you don’t know it already, Boots is an English institution with stores just about everywhere, but there are plenty of other pharmacies too.
Of course, this depends on the region that you are visiting but as with most of our adventures, you may be exploring remote terrain where weather conditions may be unpredictable. For that reason, we have some detailed blogs on packing, which may be of help: What to pack for a cycling trip and What to pack for a hiking trip. As well as that, don’t forget to pack your sense of adventure and plenty of sunscreen (yes, even in England).
We don’t have any winter holidays in England at the moment, as our holidays run mostly between April and October.
We always endeavour to ensure that your accommodations are aware of any dietary needs when we book your trip. England is very switched on to all dietary needs and supermarkets also have large sections of dairy or gluten-free produce. You won’t be looked at strangely in England at all if you ask for your dietary requirements to be catered for, even in rural areas. That’s not always to say that they’ll be perfect, but they are getting better all the time.
It’s the pound sterling, or £, and the currency code is GBP. As England is not in the EU anymore, there is no sign of it adopting the euro anytime soon, unlike its neighbours. So it’s a bit annoying if you have to change currency when travelling between England and say, Ireland, or France.
Although England has produced some of the UK and Europe’s finest chefs, and there are plenty of fine cuisine options, most adventurers in England’s rural areas just want a good two or three course meal at the end of the day, often at a pub, as well as some great picnic food for their backpack. The English love their snack food, and every supermarket has a good collection of sandwiches, wraps and salads nowadays. As do local bakeries, which are always worthy of support. Having said that, England is not cheap compared with some of its European neighbours. A main course at an inexpensive restaurant outside the main cities costs between £12 and £20. And that’s before you add on a drink. A pint of beer is around £5-6 and a small glass of wine can be £6. Fish and chips are not cheap as chips either, averaging £10 per head. A lot of US visitors don’t realise, however, that you can buy a bottle of wine and some snacks, and drink it in a public park, beach or riverside in England, and you are not breaking the law. It’s a lot cheaper, so be sure to pack a bottle opener.
A service charge is sometimes included in restaurants and, if it is, a tip isn’t necessary. Quite often you’re given the option to add on a tip when you pay on a card machine and you’re given various options. If you’re paying by cash, anything between 10 and 12.5% is the norm. Tips aren’t expected in bars.
Generally it’s good and getting better all the time. Although it can still be problematic in some rural areas. In general, however, it has one of the fastest in Europe, with average download speeds of 161Mbps. There has been a governmental commitment to improve connectivity in rural areas, with an aim to have 95% coverage by the end of 2025. There’s also a strategy to have the majority of the population having access to 5G signals by the end of 2027.
Read more about England
Walking the Pilgrims’ Way
Our in-house travel writer shares her thoughts about this walking holiday along England’s lesser-known pilgrimage, taking in the North Downs Way and ancient Pilgrims’ Way, between Rochester and Canterbury.
Top tips for walking Hadrian’s Wall
Our team member Gregor Stewart recently walked Hadrian’s Wall Path and, although we wouldn’t say that he’s obsessed with the Roman Empire, he’s definitely into hiking. Here are his top tips for this iconic Roman ramble.
South Downs Way guide to all its ups and downs
If you aren’t familiar with the word ‘down’, then it can almost sound like a downer. But hiking the chalk hills, which are known historically as downs, by following the 160km South Downs Way, is one of the most positive, and pastorally perfect experiences you can have. Read more.
Our five best hikes in England
Who doesn’t love taking photos of a waymarker in a beautiful location while walking? And England makes some beauties, as you will see on our favourite day hikes. All part of longer, luscious trails.
Everything you need to know about walking the Coast to Coast path
This epic English trek is one of the most well-known long-distance walking trails in the world, and walking the Coast to Coast Path is one of the best ways to explore the country’s three most celebrated national parks.
Top cycling holidays accessible by train
If you enjoy the slow travel aspect of a cycling tour, watching landscapes gradually unfold around you, and taking in the view as you traverse new terrain, then you’ll love travelling by train. Read more to swap contrails for loco-rails.
Best time to visit England
England opens up its green and pleasant lands to adventurers between March and October. Here are some top tips on the best time to hike its varied landscapes, whether you’re going coastal or the Cotswolds, to the lakes or over peaks.
Solo walking in the Lake District
Our adventure operations specialist, Frances Daw, headed up to one of her most beloved parts of the UK to explore the Lake District. Taking on five days of solo walking, she shares her thoughts on exploring in solitary refinement.
Everything you need to know about the South West Coast Path national trail
This is a coastal spectacle on steroids, and also the UK’s longest walking trail at over 1,000km that clings to the coasts of Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. It’s a piñata of peninsulas, a celebration of coves and joined up thinking at its most joyous.
