Best Woodland Walks in England
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best woodland walks in England are Birkenhead Park, Lud's Church, Raven Crag, Kielder Forest, Cheslyn House & Gardens, Castle Ashby Gardens, The Arboretum and Stepping Stones Walk.
England's woodlands come in every shape, from tucked-away Victorian parks in the heart of its cities to vast conifer plantations spread across the northern hills. This roundup gathers a good spread of them, each with trees to walk among and something a little unexpected to find.
On Merseyside you can wander the rolling landscape of Birkenhead Park, while in the Staffordshire Moorlands a mossy chasm hides deep in the woods. Cumbria offers a steep climb to a crag above Thirlmere, and Northumberland holds the largest forest in the country beside a huge reservoir.
Further south there are gentler pleasures: ornamental gardens in Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire, a listed Victorian park in the middle of Nottingham, and a line of stepping stones across a Surrey river at the foot of a chalk hill. Some are quiet town retreats, others a proper day out in wild country, but all reward a slow walk beneath the trees.
Here are eight woodland walks to seek out across England.
Birkenhead Park
Photo: Stephen Richards via Geograph.org.uk
Explore Birkenhead Park Over on Merseyside, Birkenhead Park is a large Victorian public park laid out in the 1840s and often held up as the first of its kind, a green space paid for with public money for ordinary people to enjoy. It opened in 1847 to a design by Joseph Paxton, who shaped it not as formal gardens but as a rolling landscape of meadows, winding paths, woodland and two ornamental lakes.
Look out for the covered wooden Swiss bridge, a lakeside boathouse and the grand columned entrance. Its ideas travelled far: it helped inspire New York's Central Park after Frederick Law Olmsted visited in 1850.
Lud's Church
Photo: Graham Hogg via Geograph.org.uk
Discover Lud's Church Hidden in the woods near Gradbach, on the edge of the Roaches in the Staffordshire Moorlands, Lud's Church is a deep, narrow chasm formed where a great mass of gritstone slipped toward the valley. The cleft runs over a hundred metres long and around eighteen deep, its walls green with moss and fern and noticeably cooler and damper than the moor above.
Steps and a walkway lead down into it, and the footing is muddy. By tradition it has been linked with the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as the Green Chapel, and with the Lollards, said to have worshipped here out of sight, though both are legend, not fact.
Raven Crag
Photo: Michael Graham via Geograph.org.uk
Climb Raven Crag In the Lake District, Raven Crag is a craggy fell on the western shore of Thirlmere reservoir, its steep face rising above the water near the dam. A stiff path climbs through forestry to the wooded top, finishing on made paths and a boardwalk that lead to a viewpoint on the very brink of the crag.
From there you get a classic view straight down the length of Thirlmere and over the dam. Tucked just behind the summit is Castle Crag, a smaller top that holds the earth ramparts of an Iron Age hillfort.
The fell rises to around 461 metres.
Kielder Forest
Photo: Chris via Geograph.org.uk
Wander Kielder Forest Up in Northumberland, close to the Scottish border, Kielder Forest is the largest forest in England, a vast plantation of conifers spread across the hills. At its heart lies Kielder Water, a huge reservoir and the largest man-made lake in the country, ringed by a long lakeside path and threaded with mountain-bike trails.
The dark, empty skies here are among the best in England for stargazing, and the Kielder Observatory makes the most of them. Along the way, art and sculpture are dotted through the forest beside the trails, giving plenty to pause over on a longer walk.
Cheslyn House & Gardens
Photo: David Marsden via Geograph.org.uk
Visit Cheslyn House & Gardens In Watford, Hertfordshire, Cheslyn House and Gardens is a small ornamental garden of about three and a half acres, free to wander around. Within it you will find an aviary of small birds, a patch of semi-natural woodland, a wildlife pond and a rock garden, along with borders of unusual and exotic plants.
The planting reflects the travels of the original owners, mixing wisteria, palms and dahlias in an unexpected way for a suburban plot. The borough council looks after it today, and there are changing art displays indoors to catch as well.
Castle Ashby Gardens
Photo: Robin Stott via Geograph.org.uk
See Castle Ashby Gardens Over in Northamptonshire, Castle Ashby Gardens surround a grand house that is still home to the Marquess of Northampton. The Italian Gardens, laid out in the 1860s, hold clipped topiary, terracotta urns and a large formal pond, while an arboretum from the same years grows a broad collection of trees.
Further out, Capability Brown reshaped the wider parkland from 1761, turning old fishponds into lakes and setting out sweeping avenues. An orangery of 1872 and a small menagerie sit within the grounds, so there is plenty to link together on a wander through the estate.
The Arboretum
Photo: Alan Murray-Rust via Geograph.org.uk
The Arboretum A Chinese bell tower, built to hold a bell brought back from China, stands among the winding paths here, along with an ornate bandstand, aviaries and a rose garden. This was Nottingham's first public park, opened in 1852 and laid out in Victorian style with lawns, a lake, flower beds and a wide collection of trees.
Now a listed historic park, it is free and open, a green retreat set close to both the city centre and the university. Locals put it to steady use for walks and unhurried afternoons, a leafy pause a step from the streets.
Stepping Stones Walk
Photo: Kurseong Carl via Geograph.org.uk
Try the Stepping Stones Walk In the Surrey Hills, the Stepping Stones are a line of hexagonal stones crossing the River Mole at the foot of Box Hill, the chalk hill cared for by the National Trust. A well-loved circular walk drops from the hilltop visitor centre down through woodland to cross the river on the stones, with a footbridge alongside for when the water runs high, before climbing back up to the viewpoints over the Weald.
The stones were lifted out during the Second World War to hinder any invasion, then put back in 1946 and reopened by the prime minister of the day. They can vanish underwater after heavy rain.
FAQs
Where in England will I find these woodland walks?
They are spread right across England. Birkenhead Park sits on Merseyside and Kielder Forest lies in Northumberland near the Scottish border, while Lud's Church is in the Staffordshire Moorlands and Raven Crag rises above Thirlmere in the Lake District. Further south you will find gardens in Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire, a Victorian park in Nottingham and the Stepping Stones in the Surrey Hills.
Which of these walks is best for a family?
For an easy family outing, the Stepping Stones walk at Box Hill in Surrey is hard to beat, crossing the River Mole on hexagonal stones. The Arboretum in Nottingham and Cheslyn House and Gardens in Watford, Hertfordshire, are also gentle and level, with plenty to look at along the way.
Are any of these woodland walks free to visit?
Yes, several are. The Arboretum in Nottingham and Cheslyn House and Gardens in Hertfordshire are both free and open, as is Birkenhead Park on Merseyside. Kielder Forest in Northumberland is free to walk, though there may be a parking charge at the busier spots.
Conclusion
England's woods are far more varied than you might expect, and this handful shows just how much they can hold. You could spend a gentle afternoon among the trees of a city park in Nottingham or Watford, or set off on a steadier climb to the crag above Thirlmere in Cumbria.
There are grand landscaped grounds in Northamptonshire, a vast forest and its dark skies in Northumberland, an ancient mossy chasm in Staffordshire, and a river crossing on stones in Surrey. Whether you fancy an easy stroll or a proper day in the hills, there is something here to suit.
Pack sturdy boots, keep an eye on the weather, and take your time: from tucked-away chasms to sweeping estates, these are the woodland walks to seek out across England.
