W
ater, wildlife and escaping the crowds are definite themes in our pick of 20 glorious walks to try this summer. Starting in South Devon, Beesands boasts the best of both pebble beach and freshwater ley. Wildflowers abound on the chalk and limestone grasslands of the Isle of Wight, Cotswold and Belfast Hills, drawing butterflies in their numbers throughout the warmer months. As do the woods of Blean in Kent and Savernake in Wiltshire, a stronghold of the elusive purple emperor.
For those who enjoy a mid-walk dip, the serene llyns and lochs of Eryri and Angus await. Or cool off in the spray of some truly magnificent waterfalls at Weardale, Wensleydale and the peaceful Howgill Fells, a stone’s throw and a world away from the Lake District’s tourist hotspots. Coastal wildlife flourishes over the summer too, from nesting seabirds at Stackpole and Sandwood Bay to dolphins and porpoises in the Moray Firth.
• 1. Sellack and Hoarwithy, Herefordshire
• 2. Savernake Forest, Wiltshire
