Coast & countryside highlights

Bath and Bristol

A rural retreat for Bath, the skyline offers 6 miles of way-marked trails with stunning elevated views of the city. The skyline is famed for its wild flowers, hidden valleys and tranquil woodlands.

Leigh Woods

A National Nature Reserve on the edge of Bristol, this ancient woodland is criss-crossed with way-marked trails. There is a rich variety of flora and fauna to see, including peregrine falcons.

Dorset

Brownsea Island

A glorious haven of peace in Poole Harbour with no traffic, Brownsea has spectacular views, nature in abundance, and if you are lucky, a glimpse of a rare red squirrel.

Cerne Giant

View of the Cerne Giant on Giant Hill
© NTPL / Fay Godwin

Set on a rolling hillside in Dorset, the Cerne Giant is the largest chalk hill figure in Britain and one of our most iconic landmarks.

Fontmell & Melbury Down

The Fontmell Down Estate, south of Shaftesbury, includes Melbury Beacon and botanically rich chalk grassland at Melbury Down. From here there are magniﬁcent views across the Blackmore Vale.
OS grid reference - ST885187

Golden Cap

Golden Cap gets its name from the beautiful rusty-golden hue the cliffs take on in the autumn sunlight. The area provides some great walks and is home to varied wildlife that includes roe deer and foxes.
OS grid reference - SY400922

Purbeck Estate & Studland

This coastal estate offers wonderful walks taking in National Nature Reserve heathland and one of Britain's finest beaches. This is the perfect place to see a wide range of flora and fauna.

Gloucestershire

Minchinhampton & Rodborough Commons

These hilltop commons near Stroud are two of the most important areas of limestone grassland in the country, with many species of wild flowers and rare butterflies.

Sherborne Estate

This rolling countryside estate with views down to the River Windrush offers walks for all ages and perfect picnic spots. Discover varied wildlife and the restored water meadows.

Woodchester Park

Escape to this secluded valley with its 'lost garden': the remains of an 18th- and 19th-century landscape park with a chain of five lakes, fringed by woodland pasture.

Somerset

Brean Down

With breathtaking views and rich in wildlife and history, this is one of the most striking landmarks of the Somerset coastline. Take a walk through time from a Roman temple to a Napoleonic fort and a Second World War gun battery.

Holnicote Estate

Open moorland and steep wooded valleys make this a great place for walking. You can explore the ancient Horner Woods, rich in flora and home to red deer, or scramble along the beach at Bossington.

Mendip Hills

A fantastic place to escape the hustle and bustle of every day living, with dramatic gorges, distinctive peaks and ancient woodland to explore. There's plenty of open spaces too for activities like walking, cycling and horse riding.

Wiltshire

Avebury

One of the most important megalithic monuments in Europe, Avebury is a dramatic and spiritual place. It is surrounded by ancient downlands and provides great scope for walking.

Calstone & Cherhill Downs

With its famous white horse, hilltop monument and the Oldbury Castle Iron Age hill-fort, this large area of downland is ripe for exploration. It provides a habitat for rare crickets and juniper.
OS grid reference - SU046694

Stonehenge Landscape

A prehistoric landscape full of mystery and intrigue, offering fantastic views of the famous Stonehenge Circle. It is also a haven for wildlife, from brown hares and butterflies, to birds such as the skylark.

A view over the heather covered cliff top of the coastline on the Golden Cap Estate, Dorset

The National Trust

Coast & countryside highlights