Suggestions for non-hill walks

[John Walker]

On the SWCP theme how about walking around Portland Bill, lots to see.

Yes, great suggestion from harland.  If you walk round the whole 'island' it's a bit longer (about 15km) than the target 10km but definitely lots to see (views, sea birds, 3 lighthouses, lots of huts, a castle, prisons etc.) and plenty of refreshment possibilities (http://www.greenlives.org.uk/Stage77.html)

An actual non-hill walk on the South Coast (not too far from Bristol) is Holes Bay (http://www.greenlives.org.uk/Holes_Bay.html) starting from Poole Harbour.  About 12km right round the inland bay, no climbing, good path for wet weather, interesting boat building, Country Park with good cafe, nature, sea views and distant glimpses of how the posh people at Sandbanks live .
But so many more to choose from!

[clyoung]

As maturity sets in, an understanding of terrain develops, being able to recognize quality of way suddenly opens up a whole aura of expectation that was once only satisfied by the need to gaze on distance horizons. This has started to give me an understanding of route finding, that does not include the normal objectives normally  featured in popular walks.


My suggestion is look over the hedge, any old hedge, and if you feel you might want to walk there, go for it; you might surprise yourself.

When I look over a hedge round here I'm likely to find a herd of cows looking back    Which was one of the nice things about the Fairbourne walk- no livestock.

[clyoung]

Hi Claire

Here's some of my favourite local(ish) stuff

1. Wickwar to Hawkesbury Upton and back via Lower Woods. For refreshments there is a café in Wickwar at the start/finish that is very nice, in the middle I like the Duke of Beaufort at Hawkesbury. Not entirely flat as you go up onto the Cotswold escarpment.

2. Coast path from Portishead to Clevedon is surprisingly nice! Café at the Lake grounds in Portishead and plenty of choices of Clevedon sea front (Scarletts if my favourite!). I usually do this as a circular walk heading inland a bit for variety on the way back or following the Gordano Round. This would make it longer than you want though. One way its about 5 miles, should be possible to get a bus between the two. It's pretty flat for coast path too.

3.The Dramway path, the whole thing is 9 miles from Coalpit Heath to the Avon, walking as far as the café at Warmley Station and getting someone to collect you could work, not sure about buses?

4.Cotswold Way around Stinchcombe Hill above Dursley. Park at the top nice easy circular with good views, park at the car park opposite the Old Spot in Dursley hill to climb first, choice is yours. Old Spot is a good pub though.

5. Cotswold Way round Hartley Hill and Leckhampton Hill from Seven Springs. Cracking views, look out for Roman Snails and the Devils Chimney. I haven't been in the Seven Springs pub though so no comment on that.

6. Castle Combe circular or the Cake Walk as we like to call it as we buy a cake from the lady in the village who leaves them outside her cottage with an honesty box and eat it half way round at a convenient bench know in our family as the cake bench!
Basically leave the village following the By Brook to Ford where there is a nice pub if you want that rather than or as well as cake, return on a parallel path.

7. Purton ships grave yard is also well worth a look.

8. If your going further afield Lynmouth to Watersmeet is delightful as is the National Trust tea room.

9. Doone Valley (Badgeworthy Combe) Exmoor is also lovely tea rooms at Cloud Farm and in Malmsmead.

Sorry gone on a bit! If you want any more details about any of the above pm me.
Of course you might have done them all already...

Brilliant, thanks. Have done parts of some of those but none of them in full. Lots of new ideas for our Sunday afternoon walks.

[clyoung]

Yes, great suggestion from harland.  If you walk round the whole 'island' it's a bit longer (about 15km) than the target 10km but definitely lots to see (views, sea birds, 3 lighthouses, lots of huts, a castle, prisons etc.) and plenty of refreshment possibilities (http://www.greenlives.org.uk/Stage77.html)

An actual non-hill walk on the South Coast (not too far from Bristol) is Holes Bay (http://www.greenlives.org.uk/Holes_Bay.html) starting from Poole Harbour.  About 12km right round the inland bay, no climbing, good path for wet weather, interesting boat building, Country Park with good cafe, nature, sea views and distant glimpses of how the posh people at Sandbanks live .
But so many more to choose from!

Thanks. The 10km isn't a hard limit, we've walked much further in the hills. Just trying to find some walks that aren't such hard work as climbing mountains.

[clyoung]

Thanks all. My son has reminded me that one of our criteria was no livestock or farm yards with dogs. We've had a few hairy moments.

[Stube]

If you're familiar with Emsworth, you might like to consider the Solent way from Emsworth to Milford on Sea in the New Forest.

         http://www.solentway.co.uk/

It's extremely flat, with the bridge over the Itchen being the highest point. There's lots of nature reserves along the way to balance the endless military history!
 

[clyoung]

If you're familiar with Emsworth, you might like to consider the Solent way from Emsworth to Milford on Sea in the New Forest.

         http://www.solentway.co.uk/

It's extremely flat, with the bridge over the Itchen being the highest point. There's lots of nature reserves along the way to balance the endless military history!

Thanks, hadn't heard of that.

[Annejacko]

So had a chance to think on this some more whilst rather bored painting a garden fence....thought it was better than risking bank holiday traffic!

Here's some ideas from walks we've done on holidays.

1. Swanage to Corfe Castle along the Purbeck Way then steam train back on the Swanage Railway- about 6 miles

2. On the Swanage holiday again we got the ferry from Studland to Sandbanks then another ferry to Brownsea Island. It was October half term so the red squirrels were very active, great to see them, there is also lots of bird life including water birds on the lagoon. The island is only 1mile long by 1 mile wide so really easy to walk around. If you are in to wildlife it's a great place to spend a day. NT tea room too.

3. Lake District get the Ullswater Steamer to Howtown then walk to Glenridding along the lake shore. Wainwright described it as one of the nicest paths in Lakeland and who am I to argue! A tea room has opened in a barn about half a mile after Sandwick which was a pleasant surprise the first time I did this walk last year http://www.becksidefarm.co.uk/cafe/  I enjoyed the walk so much did it again this year on a day when it was blowing a gale up high.

4 You can do something similar on Derwent Water.We got ferry from Keswick went a couple of stops. Got off and walked a chunk of lakeshore path then got the ferry again back to where we started. No café though!

5. Years ago, pre kids, hubby and I walked from Eskdale Green to Ravenglass over Muncaster Fell. Its a low fell only 231m at it's highest. Distance is about 6 miles . You then return back to the start on the narrow gauge Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. Can't remember what we did for refreshments though!

6. Gower- Parkmill to Three Cliffs Bay then round the coast path to Oxwich bus back. About five miles. Ice creams etc available at both start and finish. Beautiful coast path walking, if the tide is out you can walk pretty much all the way along the beach. On a good day you can get there in less than 2 hours so do-able as a day trip from Bris.

7. Again not too far away the Severn Valley Railway could offer opportunities for walks along the river and steam trains. We have been on the railway but the kids were really little so didn't combine it with a walk.

8.One last localish one Symmonds Yat has the hand ferry, link it with a walk to the suspension bridge at Biblins or up into the forest. I had a nice day doing this earlier this year. Pubs by the river and a café up at the viewpoint.

[clyoung]

So had a chance to think on this some more whilst rather bored painting a garden fence....thought it was better than risking bank holiday traffic!

Here's some ideas from walks we've done on holidays.

1. Swanage to Corfe Castle along the Purbeck Way then steam train back on the Swanage Railway- about 6 miles

2. On the Swanage holiday again we got the ferry from Studland to Sandbanks then another ferry to Brownsea Island. It was October half term so the red squirrels were very active, great to see them, there is also lots of bird life including water birds on the lagoon. The island is only 1mile long by 1 mile wide so really easy to walk around. If you are in to wildlife it's a great place to spend a day. NT tea room too.

3. Lake District get the Ullswater Steamer to Howtown then walk to Glenridding along the lake shore. Wainwright described it as one of the nicest paths in Lakeland and who am I to argue! A tea room has opened in a barn about half a mile after Sandwick which was a pleasant surprise the first time I did this walk last year http://www.becksidefarm.co.uk/cafe/  I enjoyed the walk so much did it again this year on a day when it was blowing a gale up high.

4 You can do something similar on Derwent Water.We got ferry from Keswick went a couple of stops. Got off and walked a chunk of lakeshore path then got the ferry again back to where we started. No café though!

5. Years ago, pre kids, hubby and I walked from Eskdale Green to Ravenglass over Muncaster Fell. Its a low fell only 231m at it's highest. Distance is about 6 miles . You then return back to the start on the narrow gauge Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. Can't remember what we did for refreshments though!

6. Gower- Parkmill to Three Cliffs Bay then round the coast path to Oxwich bus back. About five miles. Ice creams etc available at both start and finish. Beautiful coast path walking, if the tide is out you can walk pretty much all the way along the beach. On a good day you can get there in less than 2 hours so do-able as a day trip from Bris.

7. Again not too far away the Severn Valley Railway could offer opportunities for walks along the river and steam trains. We have been on the railway but the kids were really little so didn't combine it with a walk.

8.One last localish one Symmonds Yat has the hand ferry, link it with a walk to the suspension bridge at Biblins or up into the forest. I had a nice day doing this earlier this year. Pubs by the river and a café up at the viewpoint.

Thanks for coming up with some more. Oddly we only did number 8 recently. It was a lovely walk to end a day out.


Like you we did the Severn Valley Railway when the boys were small and didn't combine it with a walk. Eldest would no doubt be very happy to go back, he loves trains. When we went to Keswick, my eldest and I combined a ferry boat trip with climbing Catbells. Would be good to go back and try something different.

[White Horse Walker]

Another vote for the Kennet & Avon towpath here. Bristol to Bath, then to Bradford-on-Avon - train service between these, then on to Devizes which has a bus service back to Bath. You can also walk from Devizes east towards Reading - much quieter, grassy rather than tarmaced.

[clyoung]

Another vote for the Kennet & Avon towpath here. Bristol to Bath, then to Bradford-on-Avon - train service between these, then on to Devizes which has a bus service back to Bath. You can also walk from Devizes east towards Reading - much quieter, grassy rather than tarmaced.

Thanks.

[Maggit1]

I was also going to suggest a canal walk, there are loads around the country so plenty of choice and often nice pubs along them if you fancy stopping

[barewirewalker]

Something I picked up some years ago, when doing some canal walks, look for a junction of canals, this will make two sides of a triangle, then see if there is a suitable route to make up the third side. As canals gives relatively even walking the cross country section can make a refreshing break to the complete route.

[Penygadair]

A few years ago I walked the canal from Streethay near Lichfield to Frradley Junction (for a pint) and on towards Handsacre.


You would have been proud of my trespasses on the return leg. 

[barewirewalker]

As one, who has not been shy of criticizing the access network and it's effectiveness, I feel sure that your route should be nailed to the front door of Country Landowner's Association's premises in Grosvenor Square.