It’s still a bit nippy, but the bitter chill of winter has lifted – flowers are blooming, birds are singing and the days feel longer. Spring has arrived and everyone’s starting to emerge from their hibernation. Thankfully, The Telegraph has put together Britain’s 15 greatest walks for stretching those legs and getting moving about.
You likely know a few already. Legendary hikes across Britain’s varied landscape include the history-packed Hadrian’s Wall Path, the seaside exploring South West Coast Path and the culturally-minded Thames Path. But one of Britain’s greatest walks caught our eye in particular for cutting through Bristol – the Monarch’s Way.
What is the Monarch’s Way?
Back in 1651, a Civil War had swept the country. At the Battle of Worcester – its final and most decisive battle – King Charles II was defeated by Oliver Cromwell and fled to Shoreham in West Sussex (and from there sailed to France). The Monarch’s Way is a 625-mile footpath that approximately follows this escape route that winds through Bristol.
If you know your geography well, you’ll know it’s not a straight line. The Telegraph best describes it: “Monarch’s Way staggers drunkenly across the Midlands, the Cotswolds, the south-west and into Sussex, even doubling back on itself.” But what sounds like an awful journey for King Charles II, is ideal for English countryside ramblers.
A varied landscape takes in two World Heritage Sites, a National Park and six National Landscapes. Tackling it in one go is not something many will want to try. The 625 miles could take anywhere between 30 to 60 days. But is best enjoyed broken into bite-sized hikes/walks/strolls/however you fancy. (We found this handy site that breaks the walk into small chunks.)
So why not start in the Bristol area? You could start in Bitton and follow the riverside walk to the SS Great Britain. Or if you’d rather start in Bristol, head out to Leigh Court – where King Charles II spent the night – and then down past the Stanton Drew stone circles, Dundry Down, and many more local sights.
But the Telegraph recommends the Boscobel loop, “a two-day excursion from Cosford station taking in the Royal Oak” in which Charles famously hid. Wherever you want to go, look out for the yellow badges, with a ship, a crown and a Royal Oak tree. To start planning head here.