Today I want to share my guide to the best circular walks in England with you. I love the UK and walking in equal measure, and I’ve had fun sharing my country walks with you over the years. Given it’s more fun to hike without retracting one’s steps, I thought I’d share my top picks for circular routes. I’ve included a map, too.
Best Circular Walks in England
From coast to countryside, there are a lot of fun circular walks in England. Whether you’re looking for scenic routes through the Cotswolds, circular pub walks in Sussex, or short walks in the Yorkshire Dales, there’s a path (or three) for you.
I’ve personally done all the walks on my list, and I can recommend them from firsthand experience. Whether they’re coastal walks in Kent or walks near London by train, they’re all easy and enjoyable to do.
I hope to share many more walks with you in the future (in fact, I’m in the Cotswolds right now doing two more). I’ll add all the new ones to this blog post as I write about them.
If you want to bookmark this blog post or pin it on Pinterest, you can use it as a quick reference to find all my past, present, and future circular walks in England.
You can also read about more great walks and get additional ideas in the book Time Out Country Walks: 52 Walks Near London. You can get it here.
In the meantime, you can find details and links to each one of my country walks below. From coastal walks near London to epic hikes in the north, they’re some of the best short walks in England.
1. Burford Circular Walk in the Cotswolds
First on my list of the best circular walks in England is one that starts and ends in the market town of Burford in the Cotswolds. It’s a flat 5-mile (8-kilometer) route that will take you across pastoral fields and alongside the River Windrush.
As you go, you’ll take in classic thatched-roof cottages, historic churches, and bucolic waterfront scenery. You’ll also go through pretty Cotswolds villages.
This country walk is ideal if you want to explore the Cotswolds on foot and take in some of the less-visited places in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty along the way. You can find the route, map, photos, and video on my Burford circular walk blog post.
2. Robin Hood’s Bay Walk
Next on my list of the best circular walks in England is one in Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire. This 10-mile (16-kilometer) coastal ramble is a great way to see the North York Moors National Park and take in the seaside scenery as you hike.
Along the route you’ll walk along country lanes, through fields, and over narrow paths. When you reach the village of Ravenscar, you can stop for lunch or a drink before heading back to Robin Hood’s Bay along the water.
This country walk is for you if you love the seaside and you want to explore the Yorkshire coast. You can find the details on my blog post about Robin Hood’s Bay.
3. Knepp Red Walk in West Sussex
Third on my list of the best circular walks in England is the Knepp Red Walk. It takes place on the Knepp Castle Estate, a 3,500-acre (1,416-hectare) parcel of land just south of Horsham. It’s one of my favorite West Sussex walks.
The 5.8-mile (9.3-kilometer) Red Walk will lead you past everything from cows, piglets, and deer to ponds, storks’ nests, and castle ruins. You’ll even see a windmill along the way.
This circular walk takes around two-and-a-half hours to complete. It features flat terrain and it’s an easy route to ramble.
There are lots of unusual details along the way, too, so it’s a great hike if you like the unexpected. The details of this one are on my West Sussex circular walks blog post.
4. Overton Circular Walk in Hampshire
Next on my list of the best circular walks in England is one that begins and ends in the pretty village of Overton in Hampshire. This route goes past quiet rivers, through barley and wheat fields, and alongside adorable sheep.
It will also take you through the village where Jane Austen was born. It’s a great excuse to pay homage to one of Britain’s most celebrated writers.
This ramble is for you if you’re looking for a combination of countryside and villages, and you like a fairly quick train ride from London.
The route is pretty flat, too, so it’s ideal if you like even ground. It’s one of my favorite country walks near London. You can find the details on my blog post about an Overton walk.
5. Moreton-in-Marsh Walk
Fifth on my list of the best circular walks in England is a Moreton-in-Marsh walk in the Cotswolds. This relatively flat 7-mile (11-kilometer) route is an ideal way to get out into the countryside in one of the most scenic parts of the UK.
As you walk you’ll pass everything from picture-pretty Cotswolds villages to classic country pubs, eclectic stately homes, and an arboretum. Oh, and lots of sheep.
This ramble is for you if you want to explore the Cotswolds without a car, as it starts and ends at the local train station. You can find the full route, map, photos, and video on my Moreton-in-Marsh walk and Cotswolds walks blog posts.
6. Goring Circular Walk in England
Next on my list of the best circular walks in England is one that starts and ends in the village of Goring on the border of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. This picturesque route goes through villages, fields full of purple flowers, and shaded woodlands.
The hike features varied terrain, so it’s an ideal one if you like a few hills and bit of a challenge. There are fun riverside pubs at the end, so it’s a great one to do on a sunny day.
Best of all, you can get to and from this hike by train from London. If that sounds good, you can get the details on my Berkshire walk blog post.
7. West Chiltington Walk in West Sussex
Seventh on my list of the best circular walks in England is one from the village of West Chiltington. A 5.7-mile (9.2-kilometer) ramble, it’s the perfect introduction to the vineyards and villages of West Sussex.
After leaving West Chiltington, the route will lead you through fields of cows and up gentle hills covered in vines. You’ll walk by thatched-roof cottages and country houses, past ponds, and through enchanted woods adorned with flowers.
This country walk takes around 3 hours to complete. It features a range of terrain, a handful of gentle hills, and loads of pretty scenery. It’s one of my top picks for the best circular walks in southeast England.
This hike is ideal if you want to soak up the beauty of the English countryside. You can get the details on my blog post about the top circular walks in West Sussex.
8. Tring Circular Walk in Hertfordshire
Next on my list of the best circular walks in England is one that starts and ends in the Hertfordshire town of Tring in The Chilterns.
This 8.5-mile (14-kilometer) route is perfect for getting a taste of the area’s unique chalk grassland scenery and enjoying panoramic views over the countryside.
Along the way you’ll hike through nature reserves, up and over rolling hills, and out to the famous Ivinghoe Beacon. There are fun pubs for lunch in the town of Tring, too. They make this one of the best pub walks in England.
This country ramble is for you if you want something relatively close to London, you’d like to travel by train, and you enjoy a few hills. You can find the full route, photos, and video on my Tring circular walk blog post.
9. Marlow Circular Walk in Buckinghamshire
Ninth on my list of the best circular walks in England is one that takes place in and around Marlow in Buckinghamshire. A 6.3-mile (10.1-kilometer) hike, it’s a good choice if you want a flat route that’s easily accessible by rail from the UK capital.
The route of this walk starts in Marlow and follows the River Thames. It then veers off into woodland areas. There are Tudor houses, picturesque footbridges, and historic churches to take in en route.
This is the ideal country walk if you want to discover the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and see some of Marlow at the same time. You can find the full route, map, and photos on my Marlow walk blog post.
10. Cissbury Ring Walk in West Sussex
Next on my list of the best circular walks in England is one that goes around Cissbury Ring. The second largest hill fort in England, it’s known for its Iron Age history and ancient Neolithic flint mine. It’s also a great place to spot butterflies.
Situated on the South Downs near Arundel Castle, Cissbury Ring is an ideal location for a hike in the countryside. The 2.1-mile (3.4-kilometer) circular walk around the hill is replete with ancient history and panoramic views.
From the top of Cissbury Ring you can spot places in East Sussex like the chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters, the beaches of Brighton, and the waters of the English Channel.
This ramble takes around 1 hour to complete. It’s perfect if you enjoy a short walk with a combination of ancient history, horses, hills, and vista points. The route and map are on my blog post about circular walks in West Sussex.
11. Oak Trail in Epping Forest Walk
Eleventh on my list of the best circular walks in England is one in Epping Forest. The Oak Trail is one of nine official waymarked trails in this ancient woodland on the border of Greater London. Best of all, you can take the tube to get here.
This ramble starts at the Theydon Bois Underground station. When you arrive you’ll walk through the local village and out into the English countryside.
The trail will take you to pastures and forest land, and there are cafes and pubs along the route if you want a break. You’ll walk by the Epping Forest Deer Sanctuary, too.
This one is for you if you want to do a country walk that’s close London. It’s less than 30 minutes from some tube stations in the UK capital, and it’s one of the easiest walks to get to from the city.
The route is mostly flat, so it’s one of the best circular walks near London if you want a gentle ramble. You can find the details, map, photos, and video on my blog post about the Oak Trail in Epping Forest.
12. Circular Walk Near Cambridge
Next on my list of the best circular walks in England is near Cambridge. It starts and ends in Wendens Ambo, which you can get to by train from London.
This walk goes through some of the prettiest villages in England. There are picture-pretty cottages and idyllic streams galore, not to mention a thatched-roof country pub for lunch.
This hike is ideal if you like starting and ending in the same place and taking in storybook scenery as you go. You can get the details here.
13. Ely Circular Walk
My next circular walk in England is also near Cambridge. This one leaves from Ely, a beautiful cathedral city. Like many of the others on my list, it’s an easy day trip from London by train.
There’s pretty countryside to walk through here, including lots of fields that flower in the spring and summer. There’s also a treat at the end, with Ely Cathedral being a rewarding place to visit after a long hike.
This walk is perfect if you like history and bucolic country fields in equal measure. The area around Ely is also completely flat, so it’s ideal if you don’t like hills.
There’s a lot of information about circular walks from Ely online, so you can take your pick of routes if this area sounds good to you.
Best Circular Walks in England Map
As promised, I’ve created an interactive map of all the circular walks in England on my list. You can see it here. If you click on the pins, you can find my blog posts about each one.
Circular Walks in England
I hope you enjoy these country walks as much as I do, and that you get a chance to explore all the UK’s amazing spots. The countryside is one of my favorite things about Britain, and these walks are a great way to get out and enjoy it. Happy hiking!
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