4 great heritage walks

With spring here (hopefully that means better weather!) and with the next edition of the Hudson’s Guide full of the latest Tarr on the Road routes to enjoy coming soon, we thought we would share some of the UK’s best loved heritage walks.

The Ridgeway
(Wiltshire-Buckinghamshire)

We can’t not start with Britain’s oldest road! The Ridgeway forms part of a prehistoric track which once stretched from the Dorset coast to the Norfolk coast. It’s been used for over 5000 years, with ramblers and casual walkers like us picking up where soldiers, travellers, shepherds and more have been walking for generations.

It is relatively easy to walk, starting at the beginning of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Avebury in Wiltshire and taking you through to the Chiltern Hills. Along the way, you’ll get to see several Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age sites, including the stone circles at Avebury. You’ll also get a chance to visit the Uffington White Horse.

Offa’s Dyke Path
(Chepstow-Prestatyn)

This one is a bit more challenging but as one of Britain’s most legendary walking routes, we can’t leave it off the list. This one is a whopping 177 miles and starts near Chepstow before making its way over to the coast of North Wales. The route will take you across the border between England and Wales around 20 times, so you really do get to experience the best of both worlds!

Unlike The Ridgeway, which is Britain’s oldest road, this one is thought to have dated back to the 8^th century, when King Offa ordered the building of a dyke to mark the western edge of his kingdom with Wales. In some places, this can still be seen, with the bank reaching 25 feet high! Highlights along the route include Chepstow Castle, which was the first fortress of its kind to be built in Wales, Tintern abbey and Powis Castle. 

Hadrian’s Wall
(Newcastle – Solway Coast)

We’ve all heard of Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Roman Emperor way back when. Parts of the wall remain standing today (we could probably learn a few things from the Romans!) and by walking this route, you’ll get to explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site and see several Roman forts.

Hadrian’s Wall is the largest ancient monument in Northern Europe and the walk stretches around 84 miles, allowing you to walk coast to coast – as well as being incredibly picturesque, it is a fascinating route, especially as you get to mix countryside rambling with city meandering.

St Oswald’s Way
(Northumbria)

While we’re in the vicinity of Hadrian’s Wall, let’s talk about St Oswald’s Way. This route follows some of the same terrain as Hadrian’s Wall and allows you to visit some of the places that are associated with St Oswald, an Anglo-Saxon King who once ruled what is now modern day Northumbria. He is said to have popularised Christianity in the region and the route will take you to some incredibly pretty places, including Bamburgh Castle, Dunstanburgh Castle and Warkworth Castle. You’ll also get to see a battlefield!

The start of this route is in Lindisfarne, which is considered one of England’s holiest places. It stretches around 97 miles and takes in a diverse landscape, including towns, villages, beaches, moors and of course, parts of Hadrian’s Wall.

Interested in exploring more of Britain’s heritage via its many walking routes? You can find previous suggestions from Tarr on the Road from last year’s Hudson’s here. The latest Hudson’s Guide will be available to purchase from here in the next few weeks and will feature a new set of walks from David Tarr.