I will be in England with a friend in October, and I have six days. I would like to do a lot of walking and touring small villages in the countryside. Any suggestions for a homebase in a village or possibly three days in one place in three and another? With great hikes and beautiful scenery all around? Any help would be much appreciated!
Posted by
Cornwall
278 posts
With great hikes and beautiful scenery all around?
That’s a huge proportion of England, before you consider Wales and Scotland. Do you want coast? Hills? Moors? Dales? Will you have a car? Where will you fly into?
Posted by
Land of La
9079 posts
The RS England and Cotswold guide books would help you decipher a good itinerary.
One Christmas I went to see Sudley Castle I stayed in an Airbnb in Winchcombe and throughly enjoyed hiking to the Broadway Tower and back. Next day drove up to an area and parked on the roadside to hike to the Belas Knap Longbarow archeological site. Nary a soul but me. Few sheep. Great solitary sojourn.
Loved Broadway, Stanton and Ford. Burton the Water too crowded for me.
The Cotswold Way is a great trail/path to research.
Posted by
Lake Oswego, Oregon
1326 posts
I would head north to the Lake District and Yorkshire. I've stayed in Grasmere in the Lake District and in Hawes and Whitby in Yorkshire. I am lukewarm about hiking in the Cotswolds. The villages are pretty but the hiking was very muddy and the countryside not as attractive as many other areas of England. The Lake District and Yorkshire shouldn't be too crowded in October.
Posted by
Yorkshire
1328 posts
I will fight the namby pamby Cotswolds with a shout for my glorious homeland Yorkshire.
Dales specifically
Posted by
Lake District, England
7326 posts
In early October the Lake District is certainly quiet. The snowbirds of September have gone. Later in the month, with the Autumn school holidays then if the weather is good it can get busier (emphasis on the 'ier') with a late flourish of visitors. It is hard to predict as many won't book until the last minute when they can see the weather forecast.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2204 posts
Another vote for the Yorkshire Dales!
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
7566 posts
And one more vote for the Yorkshire Dales. The hiking is superb, the small villages there are lovely and quaint and so much fun to visit, and the countryside is extremely beautiful. It's also easy to get around in. As far as bases go, Grassington or Skipton might be good options.
Take a look at this website: https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/things-to-do/get-outdoors/walking/ and see if it doesn't get your outdoor juices flowing.
Posted by
8074 posts
Six days, do the Lake District and perhaps some of Yorkshire Dales.