Suggested routes

1. Thames Path - central London
There are a lot of options for walks here. The Thames Path runs on both sides of the river through central London so it’s very easy to make a circular walk of whatever length you like. Alternatively, there are lots of public transport options if you would prefer a linear walk. How about Greenwich to the London Eye (12km/7.5m) or the London Eye to Putney (12.8km/8m)?

2. London canal walks
A series of walks along the canal network of east and north London. There are plenty of opportunities for linear walks thanks to London’s extensive public transport network.

3. Thames Path - Abingdon to Oxford
The Thames Path follows the river from the Thames Barrier to its source in the Cotswolds so there are lots of options for a beautiful rural walk, many with public transport available for one way walks. Abingdon to Oxford, for example, provides a wonderful rural walk to one of England’s finest cities.

4. Medway Valley walk
There is a good path along the River Medway all the way from Tonbridge to Allington, to the north of Maidstone, a distance of around 18 miles. Train stations at Yalding, Wateringbury and Maidstone right next to the river make shorter one way walks very feasible.

5. Fen Rivers Way
The Fen Rivers Way follows the Rivers Cam and Great Ouse from Cambridge, through Ely to the Wash at King’s Lynn, a distance of almost 80km/50m. The railway from Cambridge to King’s Lynn follows the rivers closely so there are plenty of opportunities for shorter one way walks.

6. Exe Valley Way
The Exe Valley Way follows the Exe valley from its source on Exmoor to meeting the sea at Exeter, a distance of some 72km/45m. Public transport gives some options for shorter one way walks (see website for details) or it could provide a long and challenging weekend walk.

7. Bude Canal
Walks of 1.8km, 3.5km or 4,5km from Bude town centre are available on this website. It would be very easy to extend these walks on other public footpaths, perhaps linking to the South West Coast Path.

8. Bridgewater and Taunton Canal
Another excellent option for families, featuring a very unusual attraction. The Somerset Space Walk follows the towpath of the derelict Bridgewater and Taunton Canal to depict the solar system to exact scale. Starting from Higher Maunsell Lock to the east of North Petherton you can walk in either direction along the canal to get to Pluto, a round trip of about 22km/13m.

9. Bristol - Bath
The River Avon Trail runs from Pill to the west of Bristol to Bath, a total distance of around 37km/23m. To the west you will walk through the Avon Gorge under the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge. Further east you could use railway stations at Bristol, Keynsham and Bath to make a one way walk or make a circular walk using the Bristol and Bath Railway Path.

Central England

1. Milton Keynes
The Grand Union Canal provides a green corridor to the north and east of the city of Milton Keynes. A full walk from Old Wolverton to Fenny Stratford is about 16km/10m but you could choose a shorter distance to retrace your steps, start somewhere along the route or use local bus services to get back to your start point.

2. Market Harborough - Foxton locks
You can walk 8.8km/5.5m from the edge of Market Harborough along the canal towpath to Foxton Locks and the site of the Foxton inclined Plane. The Foxton Inclined Plane trust website has full details of this walk and other shorter walks from Foxton Locks as well as a wealth of information about the plans to restore the inclined plane. You can use a local bus service on Saturday for a one way walk from Market Harborough.

3. Hatton locks circular walks
An ideal range of short family walks here, from 2.5km (1.5m) to 8.5km (5.5m) taking in the Grand Union lock flight at Hatton and Hatton Country World with its farm and shops. Easy to get to by public transport as well using Hatton and Warwick Parkway stations.

4. Birmingham Gas Street - Cadbury World
A wonderful walk for families. Start from Broad Street in the centre of Birmingham, next to the International Convention Centre and head south west past the Mailbox shopping centre and through Edgbaston and Selly Oak to Cadbury World, a walk of about 6.4km/4m. You will be amazed at how peaceful and green the walk is from the centre of such a big city. Return either by the same route, take a bus back from the main road or walk back to Selly Oak to the train station.

5. Elan Valley Way
A slight twist on the theme of a waterways walk, the Elan Valley Way is a 205km (128m) footpath loosely following the route of the aqueduct that brings Birmingham’s water form the Elan Valley in mid Wales to the West Midlands.

6. River Trent - Nottingham
A 12.8km (8m) walk from Attenborough Nature Reserve to the south-west of Nottingham, along the river Trent and close by the centre of Nottingham to Colwick Country Park.

7. Rugeley - Great Haywood (Shugborough Hall)
A walk of about 8km/5m along the Trent and Mersey Canal towpath, next to the river Trent, ending up at the entrance to Shugborough Hall, a magnificent 17th century stately home and park run by Staffordshire County Council on behalf of the National Trust. A shorter option would be to walk from the Wolseley Arms on the A51 to the north west of Rugeley – 4km/2.5m.

8. Riverside walks in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire County Council has developed a series of walks along waterways in the county and has an excellent set of leaflets with detailed route descriptions. In particular the Water Rail Way follows almost all of the River Witham Navigation from Lincoln to Boston. There are also some circular walks  such as one of 10.5km/6.5m from Southrey using part of the Water Rail Way alongside the River Witham  and part of the Viking Way. Or how about a circular walk of 14km/8.75m from Crowland partly alongside the River Welland? Copies of the leaflets are downloadable form the website above.

Wales

1. Wye Valley Way
An attractive route following the course of the river Wye via Monmouth, Hereford, Builth Wells and Rhayader to the source deep in rugged and remote Hafren Forest. The walk crisscrosses the border of England and Wales, running along dramatic limestone gorges, through the rolling countryside of Herefordshire and into the uplands of mid Wales. You could walk any stretch of the walk or take one of the short circular walks of between 3km and 6.5km in Herefordshire, as outlined on the Ramblers’ Association website.

2. The Taff Trail
A 109km route along the Taff valley using old railway lines, canals and forest paths to link the Brecon Beacons National Park and Cardiff Bay along the Taff valley via Merthyr Tydfil and Pontypridd.

3. Llangollen - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Perhaps the most famous site on all of the UK’s canal system, the 200 year old Pontcysyllte Aqueduct strides across the Dee valley to the east of Llangollen. You could walk from either Llangollen (6.8km/4.25m) or from the railway station at Chirk (4.8km/3m). Chirk also has the National Trust property Chirk Castle and Llangollen has many tourist attractons including steam trains and horse drawn boat rides to the Horseshoe Falls at Llantysilio.

Northern England

Visit Yorkshire Water's website to find out about their resevoir walks in the north of England (opens in a new window)

1. Preston Brook - Anderton
The Anderton Boat Lift is another famous canal site, easily accessible with a canalside walk. In addition this section of the Trent andMersey canal is one of the most beautiful in the country, providing panoramic views across the weaver valley. The walk starts close to junction 11 on the M56 and is about 11.2km/7m. The Boat Lift is am amazing Victorian structure, built in 1875 to life boats between the canal and the River Weaver 50’ below. It has been recently restored and passenger trips are available up and down the lift. A shorter option would be from Acton Bridge on A49 (5.6km/3.5m).

2. Piccadilly - Castlefield Manchester (WaterAid walks)
A choice of two lovely canal walks in central Manchester - the 'Rochdale Nine' walk takes you past nine lock gates in less than two miles! Our second walk takes you on a historical tour of the city, through the site of the cholera outbreak in the 1830s. To view a leaflet with more details please click here.

3. Ribble Way
A 112km (70m) footpath follows the River Ribble from the Dolphin Inn at Longton on the estuary to the west of Preston to close to the source on Camp Fell in the centre of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. A magnificent walk up one of England’s most beautiful valleys, it can be easily split into more manageable sections.

4. Lancaster Canal - Lancaster to Carnforth
A fine walk from the centre of Lancaster, across Rennie’s magnificent aqueduct over the River Lune, close to the shore of Morecambe Bay at Hest Bank to Carnforth (12.8km/8m). At Carnforth, you will have the opportunity to visit the restored station café where Brief Encounter was famously filmed. There is a canal boat service which you can use for the return service. Or take the train if the times don’t suit you.

5. Leeds and Liverpool Canal Skipton to Gargrave
A splendid walk from Skipton, the Gateway to the Dales, to Gargrave on the Pennine Way and on the very edge of the National Park. About 8km/5m, it can be done one way walk in either direction using the train but make sure you check times as the service is infrequent, especially on Sundays.

6. Saltaire - Bingley Five rise locks
There is so much of interest here, just to the north-west of Bradford. Start from Sir Titus Salt’s Vicorian model community of Saltaire, with the restored Salt’s Mill, with a splendid David Hockney art gallery alongside the Leeds and Liverpool canal and walk through the Darley Gap to the huge Bingley 5-rise locks (about 8km/5m).

7. York - a short walk
This excellent urban route takes you past plenty of attractions and riverside pubs, perfect for when you want to stop for a break. The walk begins at esplanade car park on Leeman Road on the south side of the River Ouse, next to York station. You will walk east along the River Ouse which will bring you to a mix of regenerated buildings forming plenty of pubs and places to eat. Further on from here you will reach slightly unpleasant looking section of the River Foss.

8. South Tyne Trail
More of a challenge than other suggestions, the South Tyne Trail (36.5km/23m) follows the South Tyne river from its source high in the Pennines, through Alston, the highest market town in England, to Haltwhistle. It would be a challenging one day walk, but would also make an excellent two day weekend walk with an overnight stop in Alston.

9. From river to wall - Hadrian's wall and the River Tyne
This 9km/5.6m circular walk takes in the banks of the River Tyne to the west of Newcastle up to Hadrian’s Wall at Heddon-on-The-Wall. Follow the web link above for a detailed leaflet on the route.

Scotland

1. Union canal Edinburgh
The Union Canal provides a 50km (31.5m) path from the Falkirk Wheel to the edge of Edinburgh city centre. The particular walk described on the website is 8km (5m) from the Scott Russell Aqueduct to Edinburgh Quay, from where you can walk into the heart of the City.

2. Speyside Way
A 135km route following the river Spey south from the Grampian coast through forests, past whisky distilleries and along an old railway track to the famous Highland resort of Aviemore.

3. Caledonian canal - Corpach to Loch Lochy
This is a 12.8km (8 mile) walk along the southern end of the Great Glen Walk from Corpach at the edge of Fort William, up past Neptune’s Staircase of eight locks to Gairlochy at the edge of Loch Lochy.

4. Great Glen Way
From Fort William to Inverness along the Great Glen via Loch Lochy and Loch Ness, this is another challenging walk, too long at 117km/73m to manage in its entirety in one weekend, but it can be easily broken down into day walks. The Great Glen Way website (above) is a good starting point to plan your walk.

Northern Ireland

1. Strangford Lough Northern Ireland
A selection of walks in the area around Strangford Lough from less than a mile to five miles, suitable for all ages and abilities.

2. Lough Erne Northern Ireland Lower Lough Erne and Upper Lough Erne
A wide range of walks in and around both Lower and Upper Lough Erne, from 2km to 20km. Walks are available for all ages and abilities.

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