5 of the UK's best Boxing Day walks

5 of the UK's best Boxing Day walks

We've raided the Countryfile magazine archives for some of the best Boxing Day walks, so put your boots on for a wintry hike after a day of Christmas indulgence

Published: December 19, 2017 at 4:40 pm

SCOTLAND

Steall Falls and the Nevis Gorge, Highland

Hikers walking on a path up Glen Nevis
Hikers walking up Glen Nevis, Highland, Scotland ©Jake Graham - -

Tapering south from the Highland town of Fort William, gorgeous Glen Nevis is bounded by several high, rugged mountains, including the huge bulk of Ben Nevis, which, at 1,344m (4,409ft) above sea level, is the highest point in the British Isles. This low level walk through the Glen Nevis gorge is the perfect antidote to Christmas Day's indulgence.

NORTH AND CENTRAL ENGLAND

Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire

A photo of Robin Hood's bay
The tide ebbs at Robin Hood’s Bay in the North York Moors National Park to reveal a series of wave-cut platforms – Landing Scar, High Scar, Billet Scar – beyond which lies the snow-dusted headland of Old Peak ©Alamy - -

Tiny, pantiled cottages, honeycombed with narrow courtyards, tumble down a narrow gully to the sea. Front doors look over neighbours’ roofs and vertiginous stone steps link the different levels. Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire is magical in the winter months. While you're there, escape the bustle of the village with a walk along the coast.

SOUTH ENGLAND

Goring-on-Thames to Pangbourne, Oxfordshire

Goring-on-Thames
Goring-on-Thames is the meeting point of two national trails: the Ridgeway and the Thames Path ©Alamy - -

Take a walk from the torchlit streets of an Oxfordshire village through the Goring Gap – a winter-worn valley of naked trees and frozen paths, carved by the River Thames.

WALES

Sugar Loaf Mountain, Monmouthshire

The peak of Sugar loaf Mountain
Pinched at its crest, the iconic Sugar Loaf peak is visible from miles around ©Getty - -

In its relatively modest 596m, the summit of Sugar Loaf in the Brecon Beacons National Park encompasses much that is magical about mountains, hills and woodland – explore this wonderful Welsh peak with a five-mile circular walk.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Slieve Bearnagh, County Down

An image of Mourne Wall
Hiking along Mourne Wall, County Down ©Getty - -

The Mountains of Mourne loom large behind the resort town of Newcastle. The beaches and dunes here are superb for walking, but Newcastle’s jewel in the crown sits inland; a fulfilling circuit of two of the Mournes’ most notable summits, Slieve Bearnagh (739m) and Slieve Meelmore (682m). It's a tough walk but, whether permitting, makes for a great Boxing Day adventure.

To discover more great places to walk in the UK this Boxing Day visit countryfile.com

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