The Lake District and Peak District are some of the places for more serious walks – see also the itinerary Hikes in the Lake District. The Pennine Way (463km) and Coast To Coast Walk (309km) are the best-known long-distance walks. There are public footpaths and public bridleways all over the country, and most areas of open land are now generally designated for unlimited access (more noticeably in upland areas).
People have the right to walk along these and local councils are obliged to maintain records of the routes and keep access open, but do not maintain the paths. Paths are usually signposted where they meet a road, but may not be marked across fields. The paths are shown on the Ordnance Survey Explorer (1:25000) and Landranger (1:50000) maps. Enquire locally for details of the best walks, and what kit (boots, waterproofs, etc.) you will need.
Beaches Cornwall and Devon have some spectacular natural beaches that would rival those of Australia and California, although they are often much colder.
