Freedom: walking south east

South Downs Way National Trail.

It’s a stunning statistic but according to the countryside agency you are never more than 50 miles from a National Trail!  Experience some of the South’s finest countryside in the area between Winchester (the first capital of England) and the white chalk cliffs of Eastborne on the South Downs Way Trail.  If you are interested in great views, attractive wildlife, visible prehistory, fine pubs and pretty villages, or if you just fancy a ramble on a Sunday afternoon, this trail is for you.  The path follows the old routes and ‘droveways’ along the chalk escarpment and ridges of the South Downs, allowing you the opportunity to truly ‘get away from it all’ without having to travel too far away from urban England.  The gently undulating scenery rewards walkers with such delights as the superb Iron Age hill fort of Old Winchester Hill and in the east ends with the spectacular chalk cliffs of Seven Sisters and Beachy Head.

The Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path National Trail.

The Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path National Trail runs northwards through the Norfolk countryside to near Hunstanton, following a Roman road that appears to have been built along the line of an even older track.  The route was thought to be too short for the National Trail in its own right and so was combined with the Norfolk Coast Path section that heads eastwards via Sheringham.

Starting in the unique Brecks area of heath and forest, The Peddars Way heads across the valley to the rolling farm land once inhabited by the ancient Iceni (Queen Boudicca’s tribe).  The beauty of the sea, the openness of the marshes, vast skies and teeming bird life combine to make walking the Norfolk Coast Path section an unforgettable experience.  Walking this part of the path could not be easier but if you need some help getting to the start of your walk (or back) then enlist the help of the ‘coast hopper’ bus service.  This hourly hail and ride service runs between Hunstanton and Sheringham so there is no excuse for taking the car!

The North Downs Way National Trail.

Runs over 150 miles from Farnham on the Surrey/Hampshire border, through the Surrey Hills and Kent Downs Areas of Outstanding Beauty.  The chalk landscape of the Surrey Hills is capped with beech woods and interspersed by stretches of grassland and pretty villages to break off and wander through.  Across to Kent, the Downs continue to be topped by pocket woodlands opening into lower rich grasslands.  Criss-crossed by sunken, one track lanes and scattered villages, the Downs plummet to the sea at the magnificent cliffs of Dover.  Much of the trail follows the legendary ‘Pilgrims Way’ said to have been used by pilgrims on their way from Winchester to Canterbury to pray at the shrine of St Thomas Beckett and takes you through a rich tapestry of heritage and history.