England: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Surrey, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire
Wales: Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan
★ Historic sites ★ Landscapes
England
Berkshire | |
★★★★★ | Bucklebury Common - large area of heath and woodland |
★★★★★ | Crowthorne Wood - coniferous and broad-leaved woodland, part of Swinley Forest |
★★★★★ | Donnington Castle - twin-towered gatehouse and low curtain walls from a 13th century fortified manor house |
★★★★★ | Fence Wood - conifers on an ancient woodland site |
★★★★★ | Inkpen Common - heathland, woodland, a pond and a bog |
★★★★★ | Moor Copse - meadows, copses and moist woodland alongside the River Pang |
★★★★★ | Snelsmore Common - wet and dry heath, peat bogs, ponds, and ancient woodland |
★★★★★ | Sole Common Pond - secluded pond lined by bog, heath and wet woodland |
★★★★★ | Wokefield Common - coniferous and deciduous woodland, with patches of heath |
Bristol | |
★★★★★ | Avon Gorge - spectacular limestone gorge along the River Avon, harbouring many plant species |
★★★★★ | Bristol Cathedral - former abbey, partly 12th century, which became a cathedral in 1542 |
★★★★★ | Frome Valley Walkway - path along a secluded, wooded valley |
★★★★★ | Horseshoe Bend, Shirehampton - 270 degree bend along the River Avon |
★★★★★ | St Mary Redcliffe - large and beautiful parish church near the River Avon |
★★★★★ | Willsbridge Valley - secluded, wooded valley, with industrial relics |
Buckinghamshire | |
★★★★★ | Homefield Wood - beech woodland and chalk grassland in the Chilterns |
Cornwall | |
★★★★★ | Bedruthan Steps - sea stacks, pools and a wide sandy beach |
★★★★★ | Carn Euny Ancient Village - remains of an Iron Age village |
★★★★★ | Chysauster Ancient Village - well-preserved Iron Age settlement |
★★★★★ | Duloe Stone Circle - Bronze Age stone circle |
★★★★★ | Godrevy Beach - sandy beach and dark rocks |
★★★★★ | Golitha Falls - cascades and small waterfalls along the River Fowey |
★★★★★ | Hurlers and the Cheesewring - ancient monuments, rock formations and industrial relics |
★★★★★ | King Doniert's Stone - two sections of memorial stones from the 9th century |
★★★★★ | Lanyon Quoit - megalithic tomb |
★★★★★ | Mên-an-Tol - late Neolithic formation of three standing stones |
★★★★★ | Park Head - dramatic rocky headland |
★★★★★ | Pentargon Falls - 100 foot coastal waterfall |
★★★★★ | Porth Joke - cliff-lined sandy beach |
★★★★★ | Restormel Castle - rare and well-preserved example of a circular castle |
★★★★★ | Rocky Valley - wooded ravine giving way to a dramatic cliff-lined gorge |
★★★★★ | St Nectan's Glen - deep, shady valley containing a 60 foot waterfall |
★★★★★ | Trethevy Quoit - single-chambered Neolithic tomb |
★★★★★ | Trevelgue Head - cliff-lined promontory |
★★★★★ | Wheal Coates - ruined coastal tin mine |
Devon | |
★★★★★ | Axmouth to Lyme Regis - lengthy cliffs, remote beaches and extensive landslips along 7 miles of the Jurassic Coast |
★★★★★ | Baggy Point - cliff-lined headland with some rocky terraces |
★★★★★ | Beer Head - sheer cliffs, sea caves and scenic beaches along the Jurassic Coast |
★★★★★ | Bellever Tor - large tor with much exposed, weathered granite, at the centre of Dartmoor National Park |
★★★★★ | Berry Pomeroy Castle - ruins of a Tudor mansion within the walls of an older castle, in a secluded, wooded setting |
★★★★★ | Blackadon Nature Reserve - ancient woodland, riverbanks, moorland and a tor |
★★★★★ | Blackator Copse - ancient woodland, near a tor and a reservoir |
★★★★★ | Braunton Burrows - second largest dune system in the UK |
★★★★★ | Brownsham to Clovelly - cliffs, a valley, a double arch and a famous village |
★★★★★ | Buck's Mills to Peppercombe - beaches, cliffs, rock formations and waterfalls |
★★★★★ | Budleigh Salterton to Ladram Bay - red-rock coastline |
★★★★★ | Burgh Island - tidal, cliff-lined island opposite a popular beach |
★★★★★ | Bystock Pools - varied nature reserve with pools, heath, grassland and woodland |
★★★★★ | Canonsleigh Abbey - minor monastic remains |
★★★★★ | Combe Martin to Great Hangman - the highest seacliff in England |
★★★★★ | Cornworthy Priory - gatehouse from a medieval monastery |
★★★★★ | Dartmouth Castle - coastal artillery fort with a spectacular location, begun in the 14th century |
★★★★★ | Dawlish Warren - sandy promontory at the mouth of the River Exe |
★★★★★ | Exeter Cathedral - beautiful building with many medieval features, including stained glass and extensive vaulting |
★★★★★ | Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton - the westernmost four miles of the Jurassic Coast |
★★★★★ | Fernworthy Forest - conifer plantation enclosing ancient sites |
★★★★★ | Frithelstock Priory - picturesque 13th century ruin |
★★★★★ | Foreland Point to Lynmouth - 2.5 miles of north Devon coastline |
★★★★★ | Glenthorne Beach to Foreland Point - spectacular section of the north coast; dense woodand sloping steeply down to remote beaches and eroded rock formations |
★★★★★ | Foggintor Quarry and King's Tor - abandoned quarry and a photogenic tor |
★★★★★ | Haytor Rocks and Hound Tor - granite outcrops in Dartmoor National Park, plus old quarries and a ruined village |
★★★★★ | Hartland Quay to Marsland - spectacular section of the Hartland Peninsula |
★★★★★ | Heddon's Mouth - cliff-lined pebble and sand beach at the lower end of the River Heddon |
★★★★★ | Heddon Valley to Sherrycombe - high sea cliffs above hidden beaches |
★★★★★ | Lower East Lounston Nature Reserve - ancient woodland bordering a stream |
★★★★★ | Lydford Castle - square tower from the 13th century, mostly used as a prison, plus some lesser remains |
★★★★★ | Lydford Gorge - deep, wooded ravine with waterfalls and dark narrows |
★★★★★ | Lynmouth to Valley of Rocks - Coastal woodland and precipitous slopes |
★★★★★ | Mortehoe to Lee Bay - slate cliffs, eroded formations and secluded beaches |
★★★★★ | Noss Mayo to Stoke Down - narrow inlets, tiny beaches and grassy promontories |
★★★★★ | Okehampton Castle - substantial ruins of the largest castle in the county, in a wooded valley |
★★★★★ | Ottery St Mary - grand church from the 14th century |
★★★★★ | River Dart Gorge - deep, remote, thickly wooded river valley |
★★★★★ | The Rough Nature Reserve - sloping, sometimes boggy grassland with varied wildflowers |
★★★★★ | Shaldon to Watcombe - inaccessible beaches and high red cliffs, south of Teignmouth |
★★★★★ | Sidmouth to Ladram Bay - isolated red cliffs and sea stacks; along the Jurassic Coast |
★★★★★ | Teign Gorge - two mile section of the River Teign |
★★★★★ | Totnes Castle - small but well preserved motte and bailey castle, centred on a circular keep |
★★★★★ | Valley of Rocks to Woody Bay - rock formations, isolated beaches, steep cliffs and coastal woodland |
★★★★★ | Venn Ottery Nature Reserve - heath, grassland and a raised bog |
★★★★★ | Watersmeet - deep, wooded gorges |
★★★★★ | Wistman's Wood - ancient, high elevation oak woodland |
★★★★★ | Wonwell Beach to Ayrmer Cove - rugged section of the south Devon coastline |
★★★★★ | Woody Bay to Heddon Valley - two miles of dramatic coastline |
Dorset | |
★★★★★ | Abbotsbury Abbey - relics from a once large monastery near the coast, including a picturesque chapel |
★★★★★ | Bracketts Coppice - ancient woodland, rough grassland and a stream |
★★★★★ | Cerne Abbey - limited remains of a Benedictine monastery |
★★★★★ | Christchurch Castle - small but photogenic ruins of a Norman keep and house |
★★★★★ | Christchurch Priory - the longest parish church in England, and one of the finest, built in the 12th century |
★★★★★ | Corfe Castle - large, ruined castle with a spectacular location on top of a steep-sided hill; construction started in the 11th century |
★★★★★ | Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove - a sea arch and a circular bay, separated by sandy beaches and chalk cliffs |
★★★★★ | Durlston Head to Seacombe - cliff-bound section of the Jurassic Coast |
★★★★★ | Fontmell Down - chalk downland nature reserve |
★★★★★ | Hendover Coppice - quiet, steeply-sloping woodland with extensive bluebells |
★★★★★ | Hengistbury Head - prominent headland, centred on a hill of colourful sedimentary rock |
★★★★★ | Hibbitts Woods - ancient woodland crossed by a few tiny streams |
★★★★★ | Holway Woods - ancient woodland on a steep slope |
★★★★★ | Knowlton Church and Earthworks - ruined, Norman church within a Neolithic henge |
★★★★★ | Lulworth Cove to Mupe Bay - geologically varied section of the Jurassic Coast |
★★★★★ | Lyme Regis to Seatown - five miles of the Jurassic coast, including Charmouth, Stonebarrow Hill and Golden Cap |
★★★★★ | Maiden Castle - the largest hillfort in the country |
★★★★★ | The Nine Stones - late Neolithic circle of nine sarsen stones |
★★★★★ | Old Harry Rocks - dramatic chalk cliffs and inaccessible sea stacks |
★★★★★ | Portland Bill - southern tip of the Isle of Portland |
★★★★★ | Portland Castle - well preserved coastal fort overlooking Portland Harbour |
★★★★★ | Ringstead Bay to Bat's Head - three-mile section of the coast |
★★★★★ | Rufus Castle - minor ruins on a cliff edge, overlooking the coast |
★★★★★ | Sandsfoot Castle - attractive ruins of a shoreline fort, built by Henry VIII |
★★★★★ | Shaftesbury Abbey - foundations of the church of an ancient monastery |
★★★★★ | Sherborne Abbey - ancient parish church with spectacular medieval architecture |
★★★★★ | Sherborne Old Castle - atmospheric ruins of a 12th century fortification |
★★★★★ | Townsend Nature Reserve - limestone grassland with sea views |
★★★★★ | Valley of Stones National Nature Reserve - chalk downland and sarsen stones |
★★★★★ | Wimborne Minster - fine Norman church, formerly part of a monastery |
Gloucestershire | |
★★★★★ | Aust to Littleton Pill - partly cliff-lined section of the Severn Estuary |
★★★★★ | Ban-y-Gor Woods - ancient woodland beside the River Wye |
★★★★★ | Barrow Wake - steep-sided hill along the west edge of the Cotswolds |
★★★★★ | Beachley Point and Chapel Rock - peninsula and tidal island |
★★★★★ | Beechenhurst Trail - 9 mile loop in the Forest of Dean |
★★★★★ | Berkeley Castle - intact Norman castle surrounded by fine gardens, occupied by the Berkeley family since 1154 |
★★★★★ | Betty Daw's Wood - semi-natural woodland filled with thousands of wild daffodils |
★★★★★ | Box Wood - beech woodland and a stream with cascades |
★★★★★ | Cannop Bridge Marsh - pools, streams and marshy woodland |
★★★★★ | Charfield Meadow - undisturbed grassland and woodland |
★★★★★ | Church of St John Baptist, Cirencester - one of the largest parish churches in the country |
★★★★★ | Church of St Peter and St Paul, Northleach - cathedral-like parish church in a Cotswolds wool town |
★★★★★ | Clarke's Pool Meadows - semi-natural pasture filled with abundant wildflowers |
★★★★★ | Cleeve Common - large expanse of calcareous grassland |
★★★★★ | Coaley Peak - high point along the west edge of the Cotswolds, with views across the Severn valley |
★★★★★ | Collin Park Wood - semi-natural, ancient woodland on acidic, clayish ground |
★★★★★ | Coopers Hill - ancient beech woodland at the edge of the Cotswolds |
★★★★★ | Crickley Hill - prominent limestone hill at the edge of the Cotswolds; good for wildflowers |
★★★★★ | Daneway Banks - nature reserve with a particularly varied plant selection |
★★★★★ | Deerhurst Priory - small Saxon church with many original features; some parts are from the early 9th century |
★★★★★ | Edgehills Bog - boggy enclosure in the Forest of Dean |
★★★★★ | Foxes Bridge Bog Nature Reserve - acid bog in the Forest of Dean |
★★★★★ | Frith Wood Nature Reserve - ancient beech woodland |
★★★★★ | Gloucester Cathedral - imposing, city centre Norman cathedral |
★★★★★ | Grandmother's Rock - enclosed stream and an old quarry |
★★★★★ | Great Witcombe Roman Villa - excavated foundations of a substantial 2nd century villa |
★★★★★ | Greyfriars, Gloucester - walls, windows and arches from the church of a medieval friary |
★★★★★ | Gwen and Vera's Fields - two fields of wild daffodils |
★★★★★ | Hailes Abbey - limited but atmospheric and picturesque ruins of a Cistercian monastery |
★★★★★ | Hobbs Quarry Nature Reserve - overgrown quarry with interesting geology |
★★★★★ | Ketford Bank Nature Reserve - sloping field of wild daffodils and bluebells |
★★★★★ | Kilkenny Nature Reserve - calcareous grassland in the Cotswolds |
★★★★★ | Kingswood Abbey Gatehouse - the only remnant of a medieval monastery |
★★★★★ | Lady Park Wood National Nature Reserve - broad-leaved woodland across a northeast-facing slope in the Wye Valley |
★★★★★ | Lancaut Nature Reserve - steeply-sloping woodland in the Wye valley |
★★★★★ | Laurie Lee Wood Nature Reserve - small patch of ancient woodland, mainly beech |
★★★★★ | Laymoor Quag Nature Reserve - boggy heath in the Forest of Dean, crossed by old railway lines |
★★★★★ | Lippets Grove Nature Reserve - ancient woodland above the River Wye, beside Offa's Dyke |
★★★★★ | Littleton Pill to Oldbury Pill - flat land beside the Severn Estuary |
★★★★★ | Lower Woods - one of the largest ancient woodlands in south England |
★★★★★ | Michael Wood - mixed trees on an ancient woodland site |
★★★★★ | Midger Wood - dense woodland around a pretty stream |
★★★★★ | Old London Road Nature Reserve - small enclosure containing a rare species of wildflower |
★★★★★ | Painswick Beacon - summit along the Cotswold escarpment |
★★★★★ | The Park and Poor's Allotment - acidic heathland near the River Wye; a nature reserve |
★★★★★ | Pasqueflower SSSI - rare wildflowers in a peaceful, grassy valley |
★★★★★ | Pilning to Aust - three miles of the Severn Estuary coastline |
★★★★★ | Plump Hill Dolomite Quarry - varied wildflowers in a disused quarry |
★★★★★ | Ridley Bottom - floral meadows and bluebell woodland |
★★★★★ | Rough Bank - flower-rich grassland in the Cotswolds |
★★★★★ | St Briavels Castle - partly ruined, 12th century castle overlooking the Wye valley, used as a youth hostel |
★★★★★ | St James' Church - ruins of a small church in the Wye Valley, the only remnant from the medieval village of Lancaut |
★★★★★ | St Oswald's Priory - fragmentary but evocative remains of an ancient priory |
★★★★★ | Saltridge Wood - mature beech woodland above Painswick Valley |
★★★★★ | Sapperton Valley - wooded valley, wet meadows and a disused canal |
★★★★★ | Selsley Common - limestone grassland at the edge of the Cotswolds |
★★★★★ | Severn Beach to Avonmouth - three miles of flat Severn Estuary coastline |
★★★★★ | Siccaridge Wood - ancient coppied woodland with several rare plant species |
★★★★★ | Stenders Quarry - abandoned limestone quarry, colonised by a good variety of plant species |
★★★★★ | Stinchcombe Hill - calcareous grassland and oak/ash/beech woods |
★★★★★ | Strawberry Banks SSSI - grassland above a small valley, sloping down to a stream |
★★★★★ | Stuart Fawkes - south-facing pasture on calcareous soils |
★★★★★ | Sudeley Castle - fortified mansion built in the 1440s |
★★★★★ | Swift's Hill - hillside nature reserve; a noted orchid location |
★★★★★ | Tewkesbury Abbey - large Norman church, famous for its well-preserved Gothic architecture |
★★★★★ | The Hudnalls - woodland national nature reserve |
★★★★★ | Uley Bury - flat-topped hill, and Iron Age fort |
★★★★★ | Westonbirt Arboretum - collection of 2,500 species of trees and shrubs from around the world |
★★★★★ | Wigpool Nature Reserve - ponds, marsh and acidic heath, in the middle of a conifer plantation |
★★★★★ | Woodchester Park - hidden, forested valley |
★★★★★ | Woorgreens Lake - shallow lake ringed by woodland and heath |
★★★★★ | Workmans Wood - mature beech woodland in the Cotswolds |
★★★★★ | Wye Valley, Passage Grove and Caswell Wood - ancient woodland in the Wye Valley, opposite Tintern |
★★★★★ | Wye Valley, Tidenham Chase - varied sites along a 3 mile loop walk |
Hampshire | |
★★★★★ | Ashford Hangers National Nature Reserve - ancient woodland on steep chalk slopes |
★★★★★ | Beacon Hill National Nature Reserve - long-distance views and varied wildflowers |
★★★★★ | Benyon's Inclosure - mature conifer plantation incorporating patches of ancient woodland |
★★★★★ | Bishop's Waltham Palace - medieval residence of the Bishops of Winchester |
★★★★★ | Bramshill Common Wood - conifer plantation containing ponds, mires and patches of heath |
★★★★★ | Butter Wood - atmospheric, oak and beech woodland |
★★★★★ | Greywell Moors - chalk streams, wet grassland, wet woodland and fen |
★★★★★ | Highclere Park - the grounds of Highclere Castle |
★★★★★ | Hook Common and Bartley Heath - woodland, heathland, wood pasture, marsh and a few ponds |
★★★★★ | Netley Abbey - large, well preserved, 13th century monastery, later converted to a Tudor mansion |
★★★★★ | Odiham Castle - minor but photogenic castle ruins in a rural, riverside location |
★★★★★ | Odiham Common - ancient wood pasture |
★★★★★ | Pamber Forest - ancient woodland, streams, meadows and heath |
★★★★★ | Portchester Castle - historic castle right on the coast, centred on a tall keep, within the walls of a Roman fort |
★★★★★ | Silchester - Roman townsite, enclosed by walls up to 15 feet tall |
★★★★★ | Southwick Priory - section of wall from an ancient priory |
★★★★★ | Titchfield Abbey - ancient monastery, converted to a mansion, now a ruin |
★★★★★ | Winchester Cathedral - spectacular, beautifully-decorated cathedral' |
★★★★★ | Wolvesey Castle - ruined medieval bishop's palace |
Herefordshire | |
★★★★★ | Arthur's Stone - Neolithic burial chamber |
★★★★★ | Black Hill and Olchon Valley - peak in the Black Mountains, above a secluded valley |
★★★★★ | Bodenham Lake - tree-lined lake alongside the River Lugg |
★★★★★ | Dore Abbey - atmospheric, cathedral-like church occupying part of an ancient monastery |
★★★★★ | Edvin Loach Old Church - small ruined church, on the site of a Norman castle |
★★★★★ | Goodrich Castle - secluded castle with a rural location overlooking the River Wye |
★★★★★ | Hereford Cathedral - beautiful building from the late 11th century, mostly in the decorated Gothic style |
★★★★★ | Kilpeck Castle - minor but picturesque ruin on a large motte |
★★★★★ | Kilpeck Church - Norman building with many fine stone carvings |
★★★★★ | King Arthur's Cave - ancient woodland below limestone cliffs |
★★★★★ | Longtown Castle - bailey walls and an elevated keep, in a countryside location near the Welsh border |
★★★★★ | Lugg Meadow - floodplain pasture beside the River Lugg |
★★★★★ | Madley Church - 13th century church with medieval stained glass and ancient wall paintings |
★★★★★ | Pentaloe Glen and Convallaria Area - moist woodland and a small fen |
★★★★★ | Quebb Corner Meadow - tree-lined field of neutral grassland |
★★★★★ | Queenswood Country Park & Arboretum - oak woodland surrounding an arboretum containing over 1,200 specimen trees |
★★★★★ | Rudge End Quarry Nature Reserve - small, long-abandoned limestone quarry with several rare plant species |
★★★★★ | Snodhill Castle - fragmantary ruins of an early Norman stone fortification |
★★★★★ | Stapleton Castle - remains of a 17th century manor house |
★★★★★ | The Sturts - three groups of fields in the floodplain of the River Wye |
★★★★★ | Symonds Yat - steep, wooded slopes above the River Wye |
★★★★★ | Upper Welson Marsh - hidden area of marsh and fen |
★★★★★ | White Rocks Nature Reserve - grassland and ancient woodland |
★★★★★ | Wigmore Castle - extensive, overgrown ruins, on several levels |
Oxfordshire | |
★★★★★ | Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve - chalk grassland along the west edge of the Chilterns |
★★★★★ | Aston Upthorpe Downs SSSI - chalk grassland and mixed woodland |
★★★★★ | Bix Brand Old Church - crumbling ruins of a small Norman church |
★★★★★ | Cholsey Marsh - marsh, pools, wet woodland and damp meadows beside the River Thames |
★★★★★ | Hartslock - calcareous grassland at the edge of the Chilterns, a noted orchid location |
★★★★★ | Letcombe Valley - chalk stream, ancient woodland and calcareous grassland |
★★★★★ | Minster Lovell Hall - photogenic ruins of a grand 15th century mansion |
★★★★★ | North Leigh Roman Villa - foundations of a Roman villa, abandoned in the 5th century |
★★★★★ | Oaken Wood - atmospheric woodland |
★★★★★ | Rollright Stones - three ancient stone monuments |
★★★★★ | Singe Wood- ancient woodland habitat, once part of Wychwood Forest |
★★★★★ | Tuckmill Meadow - small nature reserve; grassland, trees and marsh |
★★★★★ | Wayland's Smithy - well-preserved long barrow dating from around 3650 BC |
★★★★★ | Wallingford Castle - fragmentary remains of a major medieval fortress |
★★★★★ | Warburg - ancient beech woodland and 19th century plantations |
Somerset | |
★★★★★ | Aisholt Wood - broad-leaved woodland on the east side of the Quantock Hills, bordered by a small stream |
★★★★★ | Aller and Beer Woods - ancient woodland extending 2 miles along a steep, west-facing slope |
★★★★★ | Backwell Nature Reserves - Badgers Wood and Jubilee Stone Wood, mixed broad-leaved woodland in a dry valley |
★★★★★ | Bath Abbey - late medieval church at the centre of the city; beautiful perpendicular Gothic architecture |
★★★★★ | Browne's Folly - ancient woodland and calcareous grassland |
★★★★★ | Berrow Dunes - grassy and sandy dunes, with over 270 plant species |
★★★★★ | Bishop's Palace - moated, castle-like residence of the bishops of Bath and Wells |
★★★★★ | Black Down and Burrington Combe - the highest summit in the Mendips, and a cliff-lined valley |
★★★★★ | Blackmoor - limestone heath, open water and lead mine workings |
★★★★★ | Blagdon Lake - reservoir along the River Yeo |
★★★★★ | Brean Down - narrow limestone peninsula along the north Somerset coast, site of an old fort |
★★★★★ | Brimley Hill Mire - two fields in the Blackdown Hills, containing a spring-line mire |
★★★★★ | Bubwith Acres - nature reserve in Mendip Hills, mostly grassland |
★★★★★ | Burtle Moor - wet pasture on the Somerset Levels |
★★★★★ | Burrow Mump - isolated, conical hill topped by the ruins of an 18th century church |
★★★★★ | Cadbury Camp - Iron Age hillfort on high ground overlooking the Severn Estuary |
★★★★★ | Catcott Nature Reserve - wet habitats on the Somerset Levels |
★★★★★ | Cheddar Complex - three adjacent, contrasting nature reserves across the upper reaches of Cheddar Gorge |
★★★★★ | Cheddar Gorge - famous limestone ravine at the south edge of the Mendip Hills |
★★★★★ | Clapton Moor - wet meadows on low-lying ground in the Gordano Valley |
★★★★★ | Clarken Coombe - ancient woodland in a shallow valley |
★★★★★ | Cleeve Abbey - well preserved buildings from a 13th century monastery, plus foundations of the church |
★★★★★ | Clevedon to the River Yeo - cliffs, pebble beaches and saltmarsh |
★★★★★ | Cockercombe and Triscombe Stone - wooded valleys in the Quantocks |
★★★★★ | Crook Peak - rocky hill with excellent views; the most distinctive summit in the Mendips |
★★★★★ | Dolebury Warren - calcareous grassland and an Iron Age hillfort |
★★★★★ | Somerset: Dommett Wood - mature oak/beech woodland |
★★★★★ | Draycott Sleights - nature reserve at the edge of the Mendip Hills |
★★★★★ | Dunkery Beacon - the highest point on Exmoor |
★★★★★ | Ebbor Gorge - wooded limestone ravine in the Mendip Hills |
★★★★★ | Farleigh Hungerford Castle - intriguing castle remains that include an intact chapel |
★★★★★ | Fivehead Arable Fields - cultivated fields supporting an usually wide range of plant species |
★★★★★ | Glastonbury Abbey - imposing and evocative ruins of a famous monastery, established in the 7th century |
★★★★★ | Glastonbury Tor - famous limestone hill topped by the ruined tower of a 14th century church |
★★★★★ | GB Gruffy - wet neutral grassland and drier acidic grassland |
★★★★★ | Goblin Combe - shady, thickly wooded valley below patches of calcareous grassland |
★★★★★ | Great Breach Wood - mixed woodland in the Polden Hills |
★★★★★ | Green Down - south-facing limestone downland |
★★★★★ | Hellenge Hill - calcareous grassland nature reserve on a western outlier of the Mendip Hills |
★★★★★ | Hodder's Combe and Beacon Hill - wooded valley and a prominent summit; in the Quantock Hills |
★★★★★ | Holford Kelting - ancient deciduous woodland on the east side of the Quantock Hills |
★★★★★ | Hollow Marsh Meadow - isolated nature reserve; stream, woods and two fields |
★★★★★ | Horner Wood - the largest area of ancient oak woodland in Britain |
★★★★★ | Hurlstone Point to Porlock Weir - saltmarsh, fields and a long pebble beach |
★★★★★ | Leigh Woods - ancient woodland on the west side of the Avon Gorge |
★★★★★ | Lilstock to St Audrie's Bay - blue lias cliffs and wave-cut terraces |
★★★★★ | Lots Grassland - pasture, hay meadows and boggy heath |
★★★★★ | Mascall's Wood - ancient woodland on the south side of the Mendip Hills |
★★★★★ | Meare Fish House - intact fishery building from a medieval monastery, in a rural setting on the Somerset Levels |
★★★★★ | Minehead to Hurlstone Point - cliffs and pebble beaches along a little-visited, four mile section of the coast |
★★★★★ | Muchelney Abbey - relics from an ancient Benedictine monastery |
★★★★★ | Nunney Castle - small but well-built and picturesque 14th century castle, surrounded by a moat |
★★★★★ | Nutcombe Bottom - shady valley containing the tallest tree in England |
★★★★★ | Porlock Weir to Glenthorne Beach - remote coastline with rarely seen beaches below steep, wooded cliffs |
★★★★★ | Portishead Coast - low cliffs and pebble beaches along the coastline south of Portishead |
★★★★★ | Prior's Wood - ancient woodland, with many bluebells in the spring |
★★★★★ | Prospect Fields - three fields on steeply-sloping, calcareous ground |
★★★★★ | Purn Hill - small nature reserve, part of the western Mendip Hills |
★★★★★ | Puxton Moor - wet pasture fields lined by water-filled rhynes |
★★★★★ | Rodney Stoke National Nature Reserve - deciduous woodland and calcareous grassland |
★★★★★ | St Decuman's Church, Watchet - rural parish church, partly from the 13th century |
★★★★★ | Sand Point and Middle Hope - promontory and headland overlooking the Bristol Channel |
★★★★★ | Shapwick Heath - varied watery habitats on the Somerset Levels |
★★★★★ | Stanton Drew Stone Circles - four groups of ancient stones |
★★★★★ | Stephen's Vale - woodland nature reserve centred on a stream and waterfall |
★★★★★ | Stert Point - tip of a remote promontory at the mouth of the River Parrett |
★★★★★ | Tarr Steps - ancient stone footbridge |
★★★★★ | Tor Hole Fields - nature reserve of sloping grassland, in the Mendips |
★★★★★ | Tyntesfield - 19th century gothic revival mansion |
★★★★★ | Ubley Warren - small nature reserve on the Mendip Hills, a former lead mining site |
★★★★★ | Walborough and Uphill Hill - adjacent nature reserves near Weston-super-Mare |
★★★★★ | Walton Common - secluded nature reserve on a ridge overlooking Gordano Valley and the coast |
★★★★★ | Wells Cathedral - one of England's most beautiful cathedrals |
★★★★★ | Weston Big Wood - ancient woodland on a narrow ridge |
★★★★★ | Withial Combe - narrow, wooded, steep-sided gorge |
★★★★★ | Watchet to Minehead - 6.5 miles of coastline, including photogenic rock formations |
★★★★★ | Watchet to St Audrie's Bay - three mile section of the coast |
★★★★★ | Worlebury and Birnbeck Island - rocky, cliff-lined beach and a tidal island, near Weston-super-Mare |
★★★★★ | Yarley Fields - nature reserve on the Somerset Levels |
★★★★★ | Yarty Moor - wet grassland in the Blackdown Hills |
Surrey | |
★★★★★ | Bagshot Heath - heathland, bogs, streams, deciduous trees and conifer plantations |
★★★★★ | Chobham Common National Nature Reserve - large area of lowland heath |
★★★★★ | Puttenham Common - ponds, heath, woodland and alder carr |
★★★★★ | Waverley Abbey - fragmentary remains of a Cistercian abbey |
West Sussex | |
★★★★★ | Chichester Cathedral - Norman and Gothic cathedral |
★★★★★ | Vandalian Tower - remains of a brick-built folly |
Wiltshire | |
★★★★★ | Avebury World Heritage Site - collection of prehistoric monuments including a burial chamber, an artificial hill, a stone avenue, and the world's largest stone circle |
★★★★★ | Bradford-on-Avon Tithe Barn - perfectly preserved 14th century barn, with an intricately constructed timber roof |
★★★★★ | Calstone and Cherhill Downs - chalk downland at the edge of the North Wessex Downs |
★★★★★ | Chisbury Chapel - small 13th century church, later used as a barn but retaining some original features |
★★★★★ | Collingbourne Wood - ancient beech woodland |
★★★★★ | Coombe Bissett Down - chalk downland nature reserve |
★★★★★ | Dunscombe Bottom - small nature reserve, a strip of chalk grassland alongside a shallow valley |
★★★★★ | Fyfield Down National Nature Reserve - remote chalk grassland with varied plant life, and numerous sarsen stones |
★★★★★ | Green Lane Woodland Complex - nature park, wildflower meadow and two areas of woodland |
★★★★★ | Ham Hill - narrow strip of chalk grassland |
★★★★★ | High Clear Down - sloping, flower-rich chalk grassland |
★★★★★ | Landford Bog - wet heath and lowland bog, within the New Forest |
★★★★★ | Littlecote Roman Villa - foundations of an extravagant Roman settlement |
★★★★★ | Lower Moor Farm - gateway to four linked nature reserves, with lakes, woodland, pasture and wildflower meadows |
★★★★★ | Ludgershall Castle - tower remains and low wall remnants, from a 12th century castle |
★★★★★ | Malmesbury Abbey - parish church occupying part of an older, much larger building |
★★★★★ | Middleton Down - chalk downland nature reserve |
★★★★★ | Morgan's Hill - chalk grassland supporting an unusually wide range of wildflowers |
★★★★★ | Old Sarum - remains of a castle and abbey; the original settlement of Salisbury |
★★★★★ | Old Wardour Castle - spectacular ruins of a French-style fortified mansion from the 14th century |
★★★★★ | Oysters Coppice - deciduous woodland crossed by a few boggy streams |
★★★★★ | Parsonage Down - chalk grassland national nature reserve, also a working farm |
★★★★★ | Pewsey Downs - chalk hills and dry valleys, with many wildflowers |
★★★★★ | Prescombe Down - chalk downland, part of Cranborne Chase |
★★★★★ | Roundway Down - wildflower-rich chalk grassland |
★★★★★ | St Mary's Church, Wilton - small medieval church, partly ruined, partly converted to a chapel |
★★★★★ | Salisbury Cathedral - amongst the largest and most beautiful religious buildings in England |
★★★★★ | Savernake Forest - ancient woodland, with oaks up to 1,000 years old |
★★★★★ | Smallbrook Meadows - watery habitats beside the rivers Were and Wylye |
★★★★★ | Stonehenge - Britain's most famous prehistoric monument |
★★★★★ | Vincients Wood - semi-ancient woodland |
★★★★★ | West Woods - 12,000 acres of trees on an ancient woodland site |
★★★★★ | White Sheet Hill - chalk downland and ancient monuments |
★★★★★ | Wylye Down - chalk grassland across both sides of a shallow valley in Cranborne Chase |
Worcestershire | |
★★★★★ | Bredon Barn - agricultural building from the 14th century |
★★★★★ | Great Malvern Priory - ancient parish church, with collections of medieval stained glass and wall tiles |
★★★★★ | Leigh Court Barn - huge, 14th century cruck-framed barn, the largest building of this type in the country |
★★★★★ | Little Malvern Priory - picturesque church occupying part of a 12th century Benedictine monastery |
★★★★★ | Malvern Hills - tall, narrow uplands along the Herefordshire border |
★★★★★ | Middle Littleton Tithe Barn - substantial, wood and stone barn from the mid 13th century |
★★★★★ | Pershore Abbey - surviving section of a larger church from a medieval abbey |
★★★★★ | Witley Court - evocative ruins of an extravagant country house, destroyed by fire in 1937 |
★★★★★ | Worcester Cathedral - typically grand and ornate cathedral, built partly in the perpendicular Gothic style |
Wales
Blaenau Gwent | |
★★★★★ | Silent Valley Nature Reserve - wooded valley near Ebbw Vale |
Bridgend | |
★★★★★ | Candleston Castle - ivy-clad remains of a 14th century fortified mansion, on a wooded hill |
★★★★★ | Coity Castle - large, ruined Norman castle with later additions |
★★★★★ | Kenfig National Nature Reserve - varied coastal dune habitats, supporting a great range of plants and animals |
★★★★★ | Merthyr Mawr National Nature Reserve - extensive sand dunes, beside the coast near Porthcawl |
★★★★★ | Newcastle Castle - gatehouse, towers and curtain wall from a Norman castle |
★★★★★ | Sker Rocks - wave-carved, inter-tidal plateau |
Caerphilly | |
★★★★★ | Caerphilly Castle - extensive 13th century fortification surrounded by moats and lakes |
Cardiff | |
★★★★★ | Coed-y-Bedw Nature Reserve - atmospheric woodland on a north-facing slope, crossed by several streams |
Carmarthenshire | |
★★★★★ | Carreg Cennen Castle - imposing medieval castle on a cliff-lined limestone hill |
★★★★★ | Dinefwr Castle - ruined medieval castle with a commanding position on top of a wooded ridge |
★★★★★ | Dryslwyn Castle - 13th century castle of intricate design, atop a limestone hill beside the River Towy |
★★★★★ | Talley Abbey - ruined church from a medieval monastery |
★★★★★ | Talley Lakes - pair of lakes in a glacial hollow |
Ceredigion | |
★★★★★ | Afon Pysgotwr Gorge - deep, rocky, mile-long gorge in the Cambrian Mountains |
★★★★★ | Cors Caron National Nature Reserve - the largest surviving area of raised bog in the UK |
★★★★★ | Strata Florida Abbey - picturesque ruins of a major medieval monastery |
★★★★★ | Teifi Pools - remote lakes in the Cambrian Mountains |
Merthyr Tydfil | |
★★★★★ | Darren Fawr Nature Reserve - limestone plateau edged by sheer cliffs |
★★★★★ | Morlais Castle - 13th century castle on an exposed limestone hill at the edge of the Brecon Beacons; mostly just earthworks |
★★★★★ | Taf Fechan Gorge - pretty, tree-lined gorge north of Merthyr Tydfil, containing cascades and narrow sections |
Monmouthshire | |
★★★★★ | Abergavenny Castle - city centre ruin with a long and varied history |
★★★★★ | Blorenge - flat-topped summit, high point of the hills south of Abergavenny |
★★★★★ | Brockwells Meadows Nature Reserve - calcareous grassland with many wildflowers |
★★★★★ | Caerwent Roman Town - varied relics from a major Roman settlement, including extensive city walls |
★★★★★ | Caldicot Castle - substantial, partly restored fortification surrounded by lawns and woods |
★★★★★ | Chepstow Castle - large Norman castle on the banks of the River Wye |
★★★★★ | Chepstow Park Wood - conifer plantation on an ancient woodland site |
★★★★★ | Clydach Gorge - wooded valley containing several waterfalls, plus old railways and industrial relics |
★★★★★ | Dixton Embankment Nature Reserve - calcareous grassland and woodland bordering the River Wye |
★★★★★ | Grosmont Castle - compact, peaceful and picturesque castle near the River Monnow |
★★★★★ | Llanthony Priory - ruined Augustinian priory in a remote valley within the Black Mountains |
★★★★★ | Magor Marsh Nature Reserve - fen, damp grassland, reens and a pond |
★★★★★ | Margaret's Wood - steep slope with ancient trees and wild daffodils |
★★★★★ | Monmouth Castle - small castle in the city centre, birthplace of Henry V |
★★★★★ | New Grove Meadows - four fields of species-rich grassland |
★★★★★ | Piercefield Woods - ancient woodland in the Wye Valley |
★★★★★ | Priory Wood - mixed woodland on a steep slope above the River Usk |
★★★★★ | Prisk Wood - ancient trees in the Wye valley |
★★★★★ | Priory Church of St Mary, Chepstow - parish church incorprating parts of a 12th century priory |
★★★★★ | Raglan Castle - spectacular medieval castle in southeast Wales, complete with moat |
★★★★★ | Runston Chapel - roofless ruin of a small chapel near Chepstow, built in the late 11th century |
★★★★★ | Skenfrith Castle - remains of a 13th century castle, in rural surroundings overlooking the River Monnow |
★★★★★ | Skirrid Fawr - eastern outlier of the Black Mountains, circled by a 3.5 mile loop trail |
★★★★★ | Springdale Farm Nature Reserve - meadows, pasture, streams and ancient woodland |
★★★★★ | St Mary's Priory, Abergavenny - parish church originally built for a Benedictine priory |
★★★★★ | Strawberry Cottage Wood - ancient oak woodland |
★★★★★ | The Wern Nature Reserve - rough grassland, heath and scattered trees |
★★★★★ | Tintern Abbey - beautiful ruined abbey on the floor of the Wye Valley, beneath steep, forested slopes |
★★★★★ | Usk Castle - small, privately-owned castle ruins, some parts from the 12th century |
★★★★★ | White Castle - a moated castle with outer court, on a hill in a peaceful, rural location |
Neath Port Talbot | |
★★★★★ | Llyn Fach - remote montane lake below steep, north-facing sandstone cliffs |
★★★★★ | Margam Abbey - church occupying the nave of an ancient abbey, beside monastic remains including a chapter house |
★★★★★ | Melincourt Falls - sheltered, wooded valley leading to an 80 foot waterfall |
★★★★★ | Neath Abbey - substantial remains of a major Cistercian monastery, and a 16th century mansion |
★★★★★ | Neath Castle - twin-towered gatehouse, curtain walls and inner foundations |
Newport | |
★★★★★★ | Caerleon Roman Fortress - remains of a first century Roman settlement, including barracks, bath house and amphitheatre |
★★★★★ | Great Traston Meadows Nature Reserve - marshy grassland on the Gwent Levels |
★★★★★ | Newport Cathedral - cathedral of the Diocese of Monmouth, dedicated in 1949 |
★★★★★ | Newport Wetlands - varied watery habitats |
Powys | |
★★★★★ | Afon Gwesyn - 4.5 mile-long river in the Cambrian Mountains |
★★★★★ | Afon Hepste - pools, waterfalls, cascades and cliffs |
★★★★★ | Afon Nedd Fechan - river with three large waterfalls, flowing through a deep, forested valley |
★★★★★ | Afon Pyrddin - cascades and two major waterfalls along a tributary of the Afon Nedd Fechan |
★★★★★ | Black Mountain Fans - summits along a dramatic ridge above two isolated lakes, on the west side of Brecon Beacons National Park |
★★★★★ | Brecon Cathedral - Gothic building, some sections dating from the 12th century |
★★★★★ | Bronllys Castle - three storey keep-tower on top of a high motte |
★★★★★ | Cae Pwll y Bo - small meadow, famous for its display of globeflowers |
★★★★★ | Caerfanell Waterfalls - 20 or more waterfalls along the Caerfanell River in the Brecon Beacons, and the tributary of Nant Bwrefwr |
★★★★★ | Castell Dinas - ditches, mounds and the base of a tower, ruins of the highest castle in Wales |
★★★★★ | Cors y Llyn National Nature Reserve - tree-lined patch of bog and fen with rich plant life |
★★★★★ | Crickhowell Castle - fragmented remains of a minor Norman castle, beside the River Usk |
★★★★★ | Craig Cerrig Gleisiad a Fan Frynych - sheltered cliffs in the Brecon Beacons |
★★★★★ | Cwm Llwch - valley with waterfalls and a secluded lake, below the highest peaks in the Brecon Beacons |
★★★★★ | Cwm Serre and Cribyn - steep-sided valley and a high summit, in the Brecon Beacons |
★★★★★ | Cwmhir Abbey - low walls from a once great monastic church |
★★★★★ | Dolforwyn Castle - excavated castle remains on top of a steep-sided hill, surrounded by woodland |
★★★★★ | Fan Fawr and Beacons Reservoir - summit in the Fforest Fawr region, and a scenic reservoir lined by trees |
★★★★★ | Four Waterfalls Walk - four large falls along the Mellte and Hepste rivers, near Ystradfellte in Brecon Beacons National Park |
★★★★★ | Gospel Pass - the highest paved road in Wales |
★★★★★ | Grwyne Fechan and Pen y Gadair-Fawr - loop hike to a summit in the Black Mountains |
★★★★★ | Hay Castle - relatively large ruins of a medieval castle, beside a later manor house; in Hay-on-Wye |
★★★★★ | Llangattock Escarpment - limestone cliffs below a plateau rim, site of 18th century quarries; also caves and a lake |
★★★★★ | Llangorse Lake - the second largest natural lake in Wales |
★★★★★ | Montgomery Castle - extensive, photogenic, hilltop ruins |
★★★★★ | Mynydd du Forest and Pen y Gadair Fawr - conifer plantation and isolated peak |
★★★★★ | Nant Cynafon and Waen Rydd - waterfalls, moorland and peaks |
★★★★★ | Nant Ddu - valley in the Brecon Beacons, containing several pretty waterfalls |
★★★★★ | Nant Gewyn and Esgair Gul - mountain stream with rocky narrows |
★★★★★ | Nant Irfon - remote valley in the Cambrian Mountains |
★★★★★ | Nant Llech and Henrhyd Falls - the highest waterfall in south Wales, and a deep valley containing several other cascades |
★★★★★ | Nant Menasgin - wooded stream, dividing to the valleys of Cwm Oergwm and Cwm Cwareli |
★★★★★ | Nant Pyrgad and Pistyll Crawnon - waterfalls at the head of a valley in the Brecon Beacons |
★★★★★ | Nant Tarthwyni and Waen Rydd - wooded valley leading to a flat-topped peak |
★★★★★ | Pen y Fan and Fan y Big Horseshoe Walk - spectacular loop hike in the Brecon Beacons, visiting four high peaks |
★★★★★ | Porth yr Ogof - large cave containing an underground river |
★★★★★ | Stanner Rocks - isolated hill of igneous rock |
★★★★★ | Table Mountain, Pen Cerrig-calch and Pen Allt-mawr - summits in the Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons National Park |
★★★★★ | Tretower Castle and Court - ruined castle next to a complete, unrestored, 14th century manor house |
★★★★★ | Vicarage Meadows - two wildflower-rich fields of acidic grassland |
★★★★★ | Waun Fach, Grwyne Fawr and Nant Bwch - peaks, ridges and valleys on the north side of the Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons National Park |
Rhondda Cynon Taf | |
★★★★★ | Cwm Cadlan National Nature Reserve - varied watery habitats in a shallow, upland valley |
★★★★★ | Llantrisant Castle - ivy-covered tower and overgrown foundations from an ancient fortification |
★★★★★ | Sychryd Gorge - short gorge along the River Sychryd near Pontneddfechan, containing several impressive waterfalls and some old mine relics |
Swansea | |
★★★★★ | Caswell Bay to Langland Bay - two sandy beaches and a stretch of eroded cliffs |
★★★★★ | Loughor Castle - small but interesting castle remains; a tower and earthwork, on the site of a Roman fort |
★★★★★ | Oxwich Castle - impressive ruins of a Tudor mansion, on the foundations of a medieval castle |
★★★★★ | Oxwich to Horton - wave-cut terraces, grassy bluffs and limestone cliffs |
★★★★★ | Oxwich National Nature Reserve - varied habitats beside Oxwich Bay |
★★★★★ | Oystermouth Castle - 12th century castle on a ridge above Mumbles Head |
★★★★★ | Pennard Castle - evocative remains of a 12th century fortification above Three Cliffs Bay |
★★★★★ | Penrice Castle - large, little-known ruins, on private land |
★★★★★ | Port Eynon to Common Cliff - spectacular, remote, rocky coastline on the south side of the Gower Peninsula |
★★★★★ | Rhossili Bay, Burry Holms and Broughton Bay - beaches, dunes and limestone cliffs |
★★★★★ | Swansea Castle - large sections of a mostly demolished castle, in the city centre |
★★★★★ | Tears Point to Common Cliff - wild, rugged section of the Gower coastline |
★★★★★ | Three Cliffs Bay - large, sandy inlet on the Gower Peninsula, bordered by dramatic cliffs |
★★★★★ | Weobley Castle - substantial remains of a fortified mansion from the 14th century |
★★★★★ | Whiteford National Nature Reserve - sands, dunes and woodland, on the northwestern tip of the Gower Peninsula |
★★★★★ | Worm's Head - narrow tidal island south of Rhossili Bay, surrounded by eroded limestone formations |
Torfaen | |
★★★★★ | Henllys Bog Nature Reserve - small, remote site containing several rare plant species |
Vale of Glamorgan | |
★★★★★ | Aberthaw to Stout Bay - cliffs and terraces along the easternmost portion of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast |
★★★★★ | Barry - golden sand, grey limestone terraces and red mudstone cliffs |
★★★★★ | Barry Castle - gatehouse and walls, the limited remains of a fortified mansion in a residential suburb of Barry |
★★★★★ | Barry to Aberthaw - long cliffs of thin-layered limestone above terraces and pebble beaches |
★★★★★ | Dunraven Bay - cliffs, beaches and eroded rock formations along the Glamorgan Heritage Coast near Southerndown |
★★★★★★ | East Orchard Castle - overgrown remains of a sizeable mansion, including various outbuildings |
★★★★★ | Ewenny Priory - parish church within part of a Norman abbey, protected by fortified walls |
★★★★★ | Lavernock Point - calcareous grassland by the coast |
★★★★★ | Nash Point to Cwm Mawr - cliffs, terraces, beaches and rock pools |
★★★★★ | Nash Point to Stout Bay - varied, little-visited section of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast |
★★★★★ | Ogmore Castle - small but pretty castle remains in a peaceful location beside the River Ewenny |
★★★★★ | Ogmore-by-Sea - wide, sandy beach leading to eroded limestone cliffs with caves, terraces and other formations |
★★★★★ | Old Beaupre Castle - ruins of a fortified manor house, partly from the early 14th century |
★★★★★ | Penmark Castle - overgrown ruins of a 13th century castle, including walls and a tower |
★★★★★ | St Quintin's Castle - a large gatehouse, curtain walls and tower foundations |
★★★★★ | Sully Bay to Barry - photogenic red cliffs and eroded formations |
★★★★★ | Sully Island to Lavernock Point - cliffs, terraces, beaches and a tidal island, accessible at low tide |