Isle of Wight walk in UK’s top heritage trails list

With warmer weather starting to creep in, lettings company, holidaycottages.co.uk wanted to discover the UK’s favourite heritage trails, as well as Brit’s attitudes towards walking.

The UK is home to many heritage trails, which are essentially walking trails with historical and cultural interests.

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Walking a favourite British pastime

The research revealed more than half (55%) of the nation go for a walk at least once a week and when asked what the most important factor is when going for a walk, respondents said:

1. Scenery/views (67%)

2. Distance (59%)

3. Location (56%)

4. If it’s dog-friendly (23%)

5. Difficulty (23%)

So it’s safe to say, Brits enjoy getting outdoors for some fresh air and attractive scenery with seven in 10 looking for scenery and views when choosing a route.

Top 5 UK heritage trails

Dover Castle to Deal Castle in Kent has topped the UK's favourite heritage trails list. Picture: PA

Heritage trails of course offer exceptional views so it’s no surprise they are a popular choice when travelling on foot.

According to the holidaycottages.co.uk survey, the top five favourite UK heritage trails are:

1. Dover Castle to Deal Castle, Kent (25%)

This 10-mile linear walk has been voted the nation’s favourite heritage trail and, with the amount to see along the way, it’s no surprise it's taken the top spot.

This coastal cliff walk begins at the medieval fort of Dover Castle and takes you along to the famous White Cliffs of Dover, St Margaret’s Bay and Kingsdown seafront, before ending at historic Deal Castle.

The walk is pretty easy, albeit with some uneven terrain in places, and will take around three to four hours to complete. 

2. Giant’s Causeway Red Trail, Northern Ireland (21%)

Giant’s Causeway is one of Northern Ireland’s most remarkable landmarks, and the Red Trail has been voted one of the nation’s favourite heritage trails too.

This two-mile coastal cliff walk offers spectacular views of the famous Causeway coast and will take around an hour or two to complete.

Start at the visitor centre and make sure you follow signs for the Red Trail, which will take you along the cliffs, the Weir Snout viewpoint and the Shepherd’s Steps.

3. Victorian Heritage Trail, Aberdeenshire (20%)

Royal Deeside has been the ultimate royal holiday destination for hundreds of years, and the Victorian Heritage Trail stretches for 76 miles across the area.

Due to the distance of the walk, it’s best explored over four days. Highlights on this walk include Drum Castle, Crathes Castle, Glen Tanar Estate, Braemar and the Balmoral Estate.

4. The Needles to Yarmouth Castle, Isle of Wight (19%)

The Needles is a row of three stacks of chalk stood in the English Channel, and the heritage trail that takes you from the Needles to the Tudor-built Yarmouth Castle has been voted one of the UK’s favourite trails.

This six-mile walk should take you around two to three hours and offers stunning coastal scenery and rich history along the way.

5. The Angidy Trail, Monmouthshire (17%)

The Angidy Trail highlights the industrial past of Tintern, Monmouthshire, and is a hit with the nation, with 23% voting it their favourite heritage trail.

Along the Angidy Trail, you’ll take in the Wireworks, the old metal workers’ cottages, the furnaces and forges where they worked, and St Mary’s Church, where generations of metal workers were baptised, married and buried.

This interesting walk will take you around three hours to complete.

Shannon Keary, digital PR manager at holidaycottages.co.uk, said: “Britain is steeped in history, and our extensive collection of heritage trails showcases our history in the very best light.

“From our industrial past to the best coastal sights, we hope this list of heritage trails inspires the nation to explore the beautiful history on our doorstep.”

To discover more stunning views across the nation, visit the Holiday Cottages website.