Rural Britain Walking Tour

Odyssey offers easy, convenient, and relaxed escorted small group walking tours across Britain and across  Europe.  We explore  Britain's fairy-tale natural beauty, its ancient Roman, and Imperial heritage, its World Heritage Sites, all with some truly spectacular scenery along the way. This and more is all waiting to be explored on one of Odyssey’s small group walking tours of Britain, designed for the senior traveller, and led by experienced, and enthusiastic like minded people.

Odyssey's walking tour of rural Britain is designed to introduce groups of like-minded people to the incredible variety of walks across Britain, taking you through some of the most stunning scenery in England, Wales, and Scotland.

Rural Britain Walking Tour Itinerary

On this 22 day fully escorted small group program we enjoy walks in Kent, Cornwall and on the Welsh/English borders. You also spend four days in the Lake District and then head up to the Scottish border. In Scotland, we have included a walking day tour on the Isle of Arran. During your time on this stunning island you can take in the dramatic, mountainous landscape and enjoy discovering the history of the Machrie Moor Standing Stones, a rich archaeological site that dates from between 3500 and 1500 B.C. From Arran, the walking tour moves to the east coast towards Durham and then continues south back across the border for walks around Norfolk from our base in Norwich.

During this tour the routine is two nights in the one hotel, allowing for two days of walking in each location. This is followed by a day travelling to the next location. Odyssey makes your "travel days" interesting by stopping at cultural and historic sites along the way to our next destination. Experienced professional guides lead most of the walks and these tour operators will allow you to learn about the local landscapes and regional history as you walk.

On this tour the walks chosen for you are in national parks or places designated as areas of outstanding beauty. Included in this list are Arran, in Scotland, the Brecon-Monmouth Canal in Wales and a section of Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland. This small group walking tour will introduce you to some of the best scenery that Britain has to offer. A moderate level of fitness is required as each walk takes around 3-4 hours. Occasionally, as with Pen y Fan, the highest peak in south Wales and the Loughrigg Terrace in the Lakes District, the walks can be slightly more physically demanding. However, keep in mind that the Odyssey Tour Leader is there to ensure the activities are both manageable and enjoyable for participants.

There are several highlights along the tour with the opportunity to explore some of the most iconic and historic British sites. Some of the many natural wonders you will get to witness include the striking White Cliffs of Dover, the Brecon Beacons, and the Monmouthshire Brecon Canal. You will also explore one of the oldest and most significant Christian structures in England, the Canterbury Cathedral, and visit the Whitby Abbey in Yorkshire, the Romantic ruins of which inspired Bram Stoker to write his classic Gothic novel, Dracula. 

Some of the regions which our walks pass through include:

Kent:

Known as the 'Garden of England', Kent is the iconic southern England of rolling hills and quaint villages. Home to some of England's most fertile agricultural land, the county is known for producing fruits (particularly apples and cherries), vegetables, hops, barley, wheat, and potatoes. In the southeastern corner of England, Kent has seen first contact with many continental invaders, including the Celts and the Romans. In the Middle Ages, the stunning Canterbury Cathedral was a draw for pilgrims from around England, described in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. Kent is also home to the beautiful White Cliffs of Dover, a white chalk formation within the North Downs, an area of grassy land ideal for cattle and sheep farming.

Cornwall:

A remote peninsula in south-west England, the county of Cornwall (Cornish: Kernow) is a land unto itself. With a vibrant Celtic culture with close ties to Wales, Scotland, and Brittany, Cornwall is also home to some of England's most stunning scenery, sandy beaches and rugged cliff faces. Our walks in Cornwall take you to Bodmin Moor, associated with the legends of King Arthur and Daphne Du Maurier's Jamaica Inn, and along the Southwest Coastal Track, which traces the Atlantic ocean. We also visit a UNESCO World Heritage listed tin and copper mine.

Lake District:

In the county of Cumbria, Northwest England, the Lake District's beautiful scenery of mountains and lakes has long inspired England's poets and writers, from William Wordsworth to John Ruskin. On our tour through the Lake District, we visit Wordsworth's home Dove Cottage and the Castlerigg Stone Circle, in addition to our walks through the rugged landscape of the area.

For more information on the Lake District, take a look at our articles: Highlights of the Lake District, The Lake District Poets: Romanticism and Inspiration, and Discover England's Lake District.

North York Moors:

Immortalised by Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, the Yorkshire Moors are among Britain's most atmospheric landscapes: a high and rugged plateau of rocky land, covered in the late summer with purple heather. On our trip to the moors, we walk the coastal Cleveland Way, a modern walking trail that follows old driving routes between Scotland and London. Captain James Cook, the first European to chart Australia's east coast, grew up in the area and is commemorated at the Cook Monument. We also visit the eerie ruins of Whitby Abbey, which have inspired writers from Caedmon, the first English poet, to Bram Stoker.

For more information on the history of Yorkshire, we urge you to read our article: Yorkshire History, 17th-19th centuries.

Northumberland:

The county of Northumberland, right on the border with Scotland, is one of England's last great wildernesses. In the Middle Ages, Northumberland was a deserted no-mans land between England and Scotland protected by the militaristic and powerful Percy family. Today, Northumberland remains England's least populated county, home to the wilds of Northumberland National Park. Here we visit some of the best preserved parts of Hadrian's Wall, which guarded Roman civilisation from the Picts. We also head to Durham Castle, one of England's finest Norman buildings, now part of the University of Durham.

Isle of Arran:

One of Scotland's most beautiful islands, Arran is often referred to as 'Scotland in miniature', because all of the mainland's geographic features are represented on the island. On the Isle of Arran, we visit neolithic standing stones on Machrie Moor, and the Civil War ruins of Lochranza Castle. We also enjoy a guided tour and tasting at a whisky distillery.

For more information on the Isle of Arran, take a look at our articles on the Islands of Scotland and Scottish whiskey.

Norfolk:

They say that locals here have 'one foot on the land and one in the sea', and it's easy to see why: this low-lying land was only transformed from wetland to agricultural land in the 17th century, thanks to the Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden. On our tour we take a cruise through the Norfolk Broads, a warren of wide shallow lakes interconnected by rivers, and walk the nearby wetland coast, home to Britain's largest reserve for rare bird species. Norfolk also has a long and interesting history: its proximity to Europe means that the county has seen successive waves of invasion: Romans, Saxons and Angles, and Vikings. The region's history can be explored in the county capital, Norwich, which is home to one of medieval England's great cathedrals.

The Walking Rural Britain tour has been offered for a number of years to the active mature walker. The total number of participants in this tour will be 12 or fewer with the addition of an Odyssey program leader. Odyssey Traveller also offers a range of walking tours each year paced for senior travellers. The collection of walks are for active mature and senior travellers, particularly those who seek a holiday off the main circuit.

If you would like to learn more about Britain, England, Wales or Scotland, visit our profiles where all the other tour departures are listed as well. For more details about this tour, click the ‘Top 5’ or ‘Itinerary’ buttons above! If you’re keen to experience this tour, please call or send an email. Or, to book, simply fill in the form on the right hand side of this page.

• Active
• Hiking and Walking
• Level 3 - Moderate to Challenging