Traveling alone in UK countryside

For day trips out of London, look at London Walks website - www.walks.com. They do Explorer Days every Saturday to different destinations (even in Winter), some might be of interest - eg, Winchester, Cambridge, Bath, the Cotswolds, St Albans. There are a lot of destinations you can get to for a weekend - my top pick would be York.

There are lots of books and online resources for walks/hikes in Southern England. Time Out has a couple of books on walks accessible by public transport from London
http://www.walkingclub.org.uk/book_1/ gives an idea of the coverage of the Time Out Book of Country Walks.

As far as National Parks near London are concerned two newish parks the New Forest and the South Downs are both very popular with walkers. As far as safety issues I don't know your age or gender but there obviously aren't the dangers from wild animals you might encounter in some other countries. Local walking groups such as the Ramblers would give a possibility to walk with other people which has the advantage of not losing one's way and also safety in numbers.

The Cotswolds are very popular on this forum but many English people might consider the area too "chocolate boxy" .

Any of the three B's (Bath, Bristol, Brighton) would work for an overnight with opportunities to get out and do a little walking, weather permitting, if bad weather there's lots to see indoors. These websites are good and there's one for any place you decide to go. I'm sure safety is not an issue as long as you take normal precautions just as you would anywhere. If the weather is somewhat nice I would prefer Brighton so you can walk along the waterfront - I love the seashore in winter.

http://www.walkinginsomerset.co.uk/bath.php
http://www.walkinginsussex.co.uk/brighton.php
http://www.walkinginsomerset.co.uk/bristol.php

Ashley,
I lived in a small town in East Anglia about 80 miles outside of London. There are many pretty sites to see in that part of the UK. It is often not on the American tourist radar. You might consider a daytrip or an overnight to either Ely or Bury St. Edmunds, both quite picturesque and easily walkable, connected to London by train. Outside of Bury St. Edmunds is the town of Lavenham, with its crooked timbered houses, where the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was written. Look up the National Trust properties throughout the UK. They are absolutely wonderful, historically significant, educational and very very picturesque. The properties include historic homes, farms, parks, fens, gardens, etc. Many of the preserved historic homes have tours and beautiful gardens to explore. You might combine a visit to Cambridge and Ely and stay a night or two. Right outside of Cambridge there is a lovely National Trust property called Anglesey Abbey Gardens and Lode Mill. You could spend hours touring the house and mill and wandering through the gardens. Use your usual precautions and you will not need to be overly worried about your safety. I would feel comfortable traveling alone. If you have not been to York, take a couple of days to explore that lovely city. The choices are too many but again I suggest you look at the National Trust website and see what appeals to you.

If you are going alone you should consider your safety when climbing Snowdon and especially Ben Nevis, especially in winter, or fell walking anytime. The weather can change on a moments notice and many people each year are lost or injured in bad weather there. Always hike with a buddy in any tricky territory.

Ashley, as Nigel suggested, don't hike without a partner (and good gear) in dicey weather. Other than that you are probably safer there than in most U.S. cities. The Cotswolds are really neat and Bath is a good close getaway even though it is an "urban" area. In you go to York be sure to go to Betty's Tea Room if it is open. During WWII there was an airbase nearby. Downstairs by the loo are mirrors on the walls that the airmen etched their names and such into . One has to wonder how many didn't make it back. Very moving real "monument".TC

Ashley,

I agree with a previous post that Bath would be a good place to consider. It's easily reachable by train or Coach in a few hours. The Cotswolds are certainly an option, but rail access isn't as easy as only one of the towns has a rail station. You may find it helpful to have a look at THIS website.

Another beautiful city that's worth a visit is York, which is easily accessed by train (there's an excellent railway museum there, as well as the incredible York Minster). There are LOTS of other possibilities.

Short day/weekend trips out of London abound - Canterbury, Rochester, Cinque Ports (Rye/Winchelsea, Hythe, Hastings, Dover, Sandwich) are all in Kent and Sussex. The Cinque Ports are particularly interesting as they are on the edges of Romney Marsh and are very ancient towns. In Surrey (south of London) Guildford and its new cathedral is worth a visit or go to Epsom and enjoy walking across the Derby racecourse - Epsom Downs. Near Dorking there is Box Hill and an interesting vineyard producing some quite drinkable wines (sorry can't remember its name). On the south coast there is Chicester with a lovely cathedral and Fishborne Roman Villa, or across the border in Hampshire Winchester cathedral.

Look at the National Trust website for options near London. They have more than just castles and big houses, also parklands and gardens. Look at English Heritage for historic sites. Some sites in London might be of interest to you - Hampstead Heath for example. A lot of the suburbs around London have large parks owned by the Local Councils. Google Earth is a good tool for finding these. Think of Bushy Park near Hampton Court, Richmond Park is nearby and has good transportation from London, oh, and Windsor Great Park. These are all nice easy day trips from London.

Speaking as an ex-south Londoner, there really is more to southern England than Oxford and the Cotswolds!

Further north, you can get both history and hiking at Hadrian's wall. A train connection departing London at 8:00 gets you to Haltwhistle at 12:15. From there, you need a taxi or to start walking, since the local tourist bus doesn't run in winter.

Hi all- thank you very much for all the input.

Katy- Today I went on one of the London Walks to St. Albans and really enjoyed it, so thank you for the suggestion. I do believe that I will go on some more tours with them.

I am still sorting through all the suggestions, thanks again for all the input.

Ashley, While I agree that climbing Mount Snowden alone might not be a good idea there are many, many walks that you can do on your own. Many of these walks are along rivers and go through towns and pastures. I would recommend that you have a cell phone with you and that you have a basic first aid kit, good walking boots, rain gear, and I like a walking stick. I've done this and know others who have as well. Just be smart and tell you B&B host or someone where you plan to go if you think it's off the beaten path a bit. But, my experience has been that the paths in England are pretty well beaten!

I am much more familiar with walks in Scotland, but this might be a site to explore. Here are a couple of more: Walking Englishman and Ramblers. You might be able to find a group you could meet up with if you are uneasy on your own. I've traveled a lot in Scotland alone and fairly often in the UK and I cannot think of a time when I felt unsafe.

Pam

Hi Ashley, glad to hear the London Walks day to St Albans was enjoyable - I've not done that one yet. I'm sure with all the excellent suggestions you've received for travel outside of London you'll find many options to take you to next February. Its just a shame that at this time of year it starts getting dark so early, but I guess you'll just have to work with it.

In London concur with Leslie about wandering and appreciating the Hampstead Heath. One of my favorite spots in London. You can tube to Hampstead, grab a coffee at the nearby Starbucks then take Flask Walk to Well Walk and into the Heath. Could visit Kenwood House or merely meander. Maybe combine it with a visit to Highgate Cemetery. http://highgatecemetery.org/visit/cemetery/east.
Depending on the weather and your stamina you could enjoy the Heath and then walk to the Camden Lock Market and then along the Regent Canal. Bit of a jaunt but I've done it more than once, solo. For me a great way to absorb the various neighborhoods and enjoy a day outside in the elements. Regent's Park is also another lovely park to enjoy. Don't miss having a nosh at the Cow and Coffee Bean if weather allows you to sit outside and watch the Londoner's jogging, walking dogs, pushing prams, etc. This fellow is still in business but as I don't Facebook uncertain what hikes he's doing these days. http://englishcountrywalks.com/blog/category/announcements/
Lastly, if you have interest and the tides work out you might try mudlarking.
https://sites.google.com/site/thamesandfield6/try-mudlarking
As far as weekend trips and overnights, you might take a train to Hampshire.
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/walking.htm

Bath Christmas Market is on at the moment. Train from Paddington - buy tickets in Advance for cheapest fares from First Great Western. www.nationalrail.co.uk
http://www.splityourticket.co.uk
www.visitbath.co.uk
http://www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk

Lots of good advice here, Ashley.

I'm wondering if the Youth Hostels might be another resource? I once spent a few days at Tanners Hatch and I've never forgotten the experience.

Ta. Ta.

I can second what Pat says about Ely, Cambs and Bury. The area is lovely, easily reachable from Kings Cross Station in London, with fairly frequent and direct service. Ely is ~1 hour 6 minutes to approximately 1 hour 25 minutes out, depending on which service you catch. The cathedral is gorgeous, and the town is easily walkable. If you go and the weather is reasonable, have a meal at the Cutter down on the riverfront. You could very easily spend a weekend based in Cambridge, and take the train to Ely or Bury St. Edmunds for the day. If you end up going to Bury from London, you will likely need to change at Cambridge anyway. If you make it to Cambridge, in addition to all your sightseeing, check out the Eagle pub, with its RAF bar and World War II graffiti on the ceiling. Bury St. Edmunds has the Nutshell, in the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest pub in Britain (15 ft by 7 ft!). Very walkable, easy to see the ruined abbey and cathedral.

I will have to agree with several other posters. Do check out walks.com for London Walks, amazing organization. I went on 3 of their walks in July 2013 and enjoyed each one. Also the East Anglia area has been mentioned and I agree Ely and Bury St Edmunds would be worth the effort to visit them. Lots to see and do in the immediate area too but the cities/towns themselves are jewel boxes. Enjoy your stay. Happy travels.