Country Walking

Country Walking Magazine shows you the best of British walks: the biggest views, the hidden gems, the sea cliffs and the mountain summits. All our features come complete with superb writing, inspiring photography and step-by-step instructions so you can follow every footpath yourself. In every issue, you’ll find: - In-depth stories of amazing walks - A booklet of 25 pull-out walks every issue - with OS maps! - Information about hotels, pubs, cafes, tearooms. - Clear, jargon-free tests of walking kit And... every issue our readers tell their walking stories, help us devise new walks and shape the places we go to. If you love walking, this is the magazine for you.

Welcome

IN THIS ISSUE…

Find a great walk near you! • Highlights from the 27 fantastic walks in this issue…

The View • SIGHTS | SOUNDS | WONDERS | IDEAS | COOL STUFF

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS MONTH

‘In ancient history, pretty much everyone was a walker.’ • A walk down the ages to the Seven Wonders of the World, with historian, quthor and TV presenter Bettany Hughes.

PADSTOW • This thriving harbour town, full of history and known for its seafood, makes the perfect base for exploring some of Cornwall's finest coastline.

Millions of miles, millions of memories

Record breakers* of #walk1000miles • In a community of scores of thousands we couldn't hope to exhaustively survey its extremes – and everyone's a winner who takes part. So instead we're celebrating some random records, and the fact it takes all sorts to make a Walk 1000 Miles challenge and a world!

Next month's issue comes with your new progress chart, FREE.

Meeting the gold standard! • Spice up your miles with a fiendish, foolish or fascinating side-quest, courtesy of our monthly mini-challenges, and you could win money-can't-buy golden badge…

Do more and win treasure!

Your View

Views in brief

Stuart Maconie • From Children of the Stones to Julian Cope, our desire to connect with the deeper and stranger mysteries of the landscape may be unquenchable…

FIRE IN ITS BELLY • Don't let shorter days force you to settle for so–so walks – climb a spectacular volcano instead.

The perfect partner

Plan your trip

MORE AMAZING LITTLE HILLS • If you liked Dumgoyne, you'll love this collection of mighty mini-mountains that deserve some love…

THE CLASSICS

A Christmas Carol • You may not realise just how much we have walking to thank for the second most famous Christmas story.

The walk home • How a bid to walk home for Christmas became a very personal journey for one Country Walking writer and his family.

Walking Home for Christmas

In the bleak midwinter • The poem most evocative of wintry countryside has put down musical roots in several different locations.

The barefoot PILGRIM'S PROGRESS • Why the story of a teenage girl who walked 26 miles to buy a book should inspire us all to re-focus on our walking goals.

Plan your trip

Walking in the air • The Snowman embodies a magical and contented frame of thinking that comes naturally to children, and to walkers.

Pining for the forest • They may not be as beautiful as native woodland, but planted conifer forests have a valuable and sometimes magical place on our walking calendar.

VIKING BRITAIN A WALKER'S GUIDE • The country would never be the same once the Vikings took the whale road to our lovely, vulnerable islands.

WALK VIKING BRITAIN

Tea break PRIZE CROSSWORD

MID-LAYER JACKETS • Expert advice on the kit that makes a difference

Country Walking

Rare beauty • Europe's most beautiful street in the Cotswolds The Lake District's wildest valley | Eagles and owls...