Are you looking for easy walking trips in England suitable for children? Do you love days out and family travel?

If yes, I’m excited to share my local ‘Brit’ knowledge with you. 

In fact, travelling is not only a passion of mine. It’s a necessity. I can’t live without it! I’m a true Saggitarius in that sense.

This post is about adventures exploring different parts of England with the family. I hope it offers you healthy inspiration for your next travels or day out. 

In addition, I’ll share why these are great walking trips to do in England with your kids with a focus on safety and facilities.

Walking Trips in England

Great Britain is full of beauty; it’s no wonder so many people want to visit.

It’s also no surprise that many people want to explore it on foot. In my opinion, walking is the best way to take in the sights.

You don’t have to rush when you walk. You have time to stop and admire the views.

There are some excellent city walking tours, exciting art-based walks, and some of the most beautiful countryside in the world to explore.

The Lake District National Park, England

One of my top walks is the walk around Tarn Howes in the Lake District.

I distinctly remember the sun beating down and the sparkles on the tarn water in the height of summer as our parents took us around, licking ice creams on the way. 

The first time I saw it, I was about eight years old, and I couldn’t handle the beauty! Coming from the flat lands of Cambridgeshire, the Lake District blew me away.

Tarn Howes is a tarn (a small lake) in the Lake District National Park, kind of between Coniston and Hawkshead (in a roundabout way) full of beautiful landscapes and natural beauty galore.

It’s a popular walk for families. And hands down one of the prettiest walks I’ve ever been on.

There are several routes nearby the tarn, but following the main one as described will be the simplest and flattest for children.

Baby change facilities and toilets are available at the Tarn Howes car park before starting the walk.

One of the main reasons why this walk is so popular is because it’s flat and relatively easy.

There’s also a small section of rocky path where the kids can run and play, which adds a bit for the adventurous types. 

The walk takes about 1-2 hours with little ones (2 miles distance to walk) and there’s lots to see along the way.

There’s plenty of mind-blowing scenery with the mountains in the distance, and being a circular route means so long as you stick to the path, you won’t get lost.

The path around the tarn claims to be suitable for those with pushchairs and wheelchairs, though use your own discretion with this. Take the sling if you’ve got real littles!

St. Ives, Cornwall

Another of my favourites in England is walking along the St. Ives Coastal Path, including the beautiful historic harbour and cobbled streets by the water. 

This is a fantastic walk that starts from the town of St Ives. You could park in any of the car parks and do it.

I love this walk as it runs in a circular motion and involves seeing the beautiful town of St Ives, walking past the well known Tate Gallery, and plenty of opportunities for sandy beach time and dipping toes in the turquoise sea.

I must say that St Ives itself is a gem. It’s so beautiful, and time must be spent simply sitting and admiring at the views from all angles. It’s also great for people watching!

Everywhere you look, it’s breathtaking; I can’t describe it. Just look at the photo above!

Care must be taken with small children on this walk, as sections are exposed to open cliffs. 

It’s just over 4 miles in distance to complete this walk. You can read more about it here. 

It’s worth mentioning that St Ives has seasonal dog rules on the beaches, so consider this if you have a dog (the beaches are popular because they’re gorgeous, so can get crowded in the summer). 

English Countryside – The Malverns

Often the best walks with kids can be right on your doorstep, and this is certainly the case with us (we live in Warwickshire).

I love walking in the Malvern Hills, and as a bonus, there are plenty of places to stay and eat nearby.

The Malverns are home to some of the most beautiful countryside in England. Think green hills, rolling fields and a warm welcomes in the pubs.

There are lots of hills and fields to explore, full of rolling mounds, green grass, wildflowers in summer and pretty far reaching views.

The kids love to scramble up and gaze from the top at the little farms and houses below. It’s not too strenuous, and the close by town of Malvern is also beautiful. 

With that being said, the Malverns are a little out of the way depending on where you’re coming from, so you may need to make a few stops on the way.

If so, stop by some of the Cotswolds towns for their quaint English streets, sandstone brickwork and delightful gift shops. (Read further on for more on the Cotswolds.)

The Malverns are home to world-famous Malvern Water, which is a natural mineral spring. You can bring empty containers from home and fill them with fresh Malvern spring water, it’s such a fun thing!

I honestly can’t remember all the walks we’ve done in the Malverns as we’ve done so many.

We tend to park at the bottom of any hill we find and scramble as quickly as possible up to the top to see the breathtaking views.

To give you more constrictive advice, this site has some nice circular walks you could do for an active Sunday afternoon. 

North Devon, Mortehoe to Woolacombe

My all-time favourite walk ever.

In fact, my hubby proposed to me on this walk almost 6 years ago. So it has a lot of sentimental value!

It’s also fun to do with kids – just make sure you hold their little hands tightly. 

The best bit?

Spotting seals in the sea!

On a hot summer’s day, this walk takes some beating. The views are breathtaking, with the sea shimmering in her gloriousness.

We start this walk from the Mortehoe end and finish in Woolacombe, but it can be done either way.

You’re looking for signs to the South West Coast Path which is what you’ll be following.

There are several ways to get to it – we usually camp in North Morte Farm Camp Site, which has easy access. 

You’ll be walking on rocky ground with loose stones and gravel, so take care at all times. 

There are areas where it’s a steep drop to the sea, so be very careful with the kids. We always wear our hiking boots on this one and go slowly, it’s not a race!

I believe it’s around 2-3 miles to walk from Mortehoe to Woolacombe via Morte Point (named so because of the infamous amount of ships wrecked on the rocks there).

Just enjoy the views on this one. Take it slow and stop regularly to take it all in. North Devon truly is a spectacular part of England. 

Once you’re in Woolacombe, enjoy your afternoon on the beach, have a swim or surf, grab some fish and chips and eat ice cream. 

You can then take a gentle stroll back along the road which leads to Mortehoe. It’s hilly, and there’s traffic, but there’s several pubs once you reach Mortehoe to enjoy a cool down refreshment.

Plus, the roads are kinda narrow, so the cars shouldn’t (fingers crossed) be going too fast. 

English Countryside – The Cotswolds

If quaint villages and ancient stone circles appeal, then the Cotswolds is for you!

Picture postcard market towns and excellent accommodations are what I like to think the Cotswolds does best.

You’ve also got wonderful farm parks for the kids and pubs galore for thatmuch-neededd pint after a long stroll.

For a gentle walk, try Broadway.

You can walk up and down the quant high street there, easily ambling away an afternoon browsing gift shops and buying cute teddies.

Or, just outside the town is Broadway Tower, a blustery hilltop with incredible views on surrounding long distance countryside.

There is also a circular walk around Broadway which takes in the tower if you’re up for something adventurous, about 4 miles in distance.

It did cross a field of cows the last time we did it, which bothers the hell out of me (I’m terrified of cows), but may not be a problem for you.

South Of England

Another favourite of mine is the very easy walk/ bike ride from Boscombe to Sandbanks in the Bournemouth area.

It’s flat pretty much the whole way bar a slope to get down to the promenade itself.

You follow the promenade, from one end of the beach to the other, stopping for ice cream and beach dips, enjoying amusement arcades and souvenir shops.

The best months to do this walk are low season, else you’ll be battling the crowds. May is lovely – there are wildflowers on the coastal trails, which the kids love to see.

Southwest england on the whole is a treasure, full of beautiful places to visit.

I also love Milcombe on Sea for the walk to Hurst Castle (read about that one here) It’s a great place to swim and for little ones to paddle.

Let me know whether you love any of these places as much as I do? Or whether you do any of these walks?

I’d love to hear how they were for you and your family!

Comment below.

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