With New Year’s Eve looking a little quieter this year, New Year’s Day is the perfect time to take that long walk that you’re usually too hungover to enjoy. Here at DL, we love a good ramble (Izumi Leggings, essential) and with our team spread out across the UK, we thought that we’d share our favourite places to stroll, from each corner of the country. So, stretch your legs, breathe the fresh air and start 2021 on a high with these brilliant walking routes…
Rosie, Marketing Director
WHERE: Shutlingsloe, Peak District
WHY WE LOVE IT: “I love taking a sunrise walk at Shutlingsloe. You can see for miles at the peak, across farmland and Macclesfield Forests. Plus, by the street parking, the lake is beautiful!”
ROUTE: https://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walk-1461-description
Gabby, Head of Merchandising and Product
WHERE: Rufford Country Park & Mam Tor, Nottingham
WHY WE LOVE IT: “My favourite place to walk locally is Rufford Country Park in Nottingham. It looks majestic when it’s covered in snow and we usually visit between Christmas and New Year. A little further out, I also love Mam Tor in Castleton in the Peaks. It has breathtaking views and I used to go there as a child so it’s very nostalgic for me.”
ROUTE: https://www.parkwoodoutdoors.co.uk/centre/rufford-abbey
Claire, Wholesale Manager
WHERE: Penarth Esplanade, Cardiff
WHY WE LOVE IT: “The esplanade runs alongside the beach, starting off at the yacht club before reaching the prettiest of piers. On a clear day you can see the coast of England across the Bristol channel. It's best visited at dusk so you can take in the candy floss skies. My absolute fave thing to do with my boyfriend is to get salt and vinegar takeaway chips from the fish and chip kiosk at the front of the pier. Then find a bench to take in the beautiful colours of the sky and sea. Made even better when drinking white wine out of a plastic cup. It’s nostalgic and very romantic, I think!”
ROUTE: https://www.visitthevale.com/towns/penarth
Becca, Senior Copywriter
WHERE: Richmond Park, London
WHY WE LOVE IT: “Richmond Park is huge so you can easily spend the whole day walking around, exploring. Herds of wild deer live in the park which is lovely to see, plus there are lots of little secret gardens and good views of London in certain spots.”
ROUTE: https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park
Sallie, Marketing Executive
WHERE: Jesmond Dene, Newcastle
WHY WE LOVE IT:“My favourite place to take a walk is Jesmond Dene. It’s based just outside of Newcastle’s city centre, it’s around a 15 minute walk from the centre and just a 5 minute metro journey, meaning it’s so easily accessible and everyone can enjoy it! I love spending time in Jesmond, it has a great balance of shops, cafes and bars, plus its leafy street makes for a lovely place for a stroll. Jesmond is populated with lots of cool local stores, restaurants and cafes, all based around Jesmond Dene. Inside the dene, there’s a pets corner, which is a great place to visit for families. You can find alpacas, pigs, goats and sheep in there! It’s really fun to spend an afternoon exploring the waterfalls and green spaces. After a long walk around the dene, I always like to stop off at one of the surrounding cafes, my favourite being Arlo as they do the best breakfast in Newcastle!
ROUTE: https://www.jesmonddene.org.uk/maps/