BBC Countryfile names 'secret' South Gloucestershire Valley as the best spring walk

BBC Countryfile has named a 'secret' valley in South Gloucestershire as the top spot for a spring walk. Spring is often considered one of the most picturesque seasons, with blooming meadows and wildflower woodlands coming to life.

With the warmer weather and stunning scenery, it's the ideal time to lace up your walking boots and explore Britain's natural beauty. The popular TV programme has compiled a list of the 23 best spring walks across the UK, featuring three locations in the South West.

These include Cornwall's 'spectacular' Rame Head, North Devon's 'enigmatic' Valley of Rocks, and South Gloucestershire's 'secret' Marshfield valley.

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Marshfield, located in the Cotswolds, may be a small medieval town, but just north of this 'charming' tourist hotspot lies a vast expanse of flat fields bordered by dry-stone walls. To the south, breathtaking views into the wooded valleys and hedge-lined fields of Bath and North East Somerset can be enjoyed.

BBC Countryfile explained why Marshfield is the top choice for walkers, stating: "Most people think of the Cotswolds as being north of the M4 those exquisitely charming honey-stoned towns and villages often clogged with visitors. But between the motorway and Bath, it's just as beautiful yet few people visit and it feels more authentic.", reports Gloucestershire Live.

"Explore this secret of the British countryside with a seven-mile walk alongside rivers and through fields, a beguiling hamlet and a perfect lost valley. The perfect walk for a sunny spring day."

The nature publication has also offered the perfect seven-mile river and woodland walk to take around Marshfield where you will find the "secret" taste of the Cotswold. The walk will allow you to see the liveliness of the town, whilst meeting the beautiful peaceful greenland.

You will head to hidden villages with beautiful houses and gorgeous gardens until you end up in Shire Valley, a lovely hidden sheep-grazed vale of wildflowers, buzzards and ravens, with the brook on your left. Grassland and woodland butterflies bloom here this season which makes it the perfect spring walk.

The walk will end in Shire Lane where you can find your way back to Marshfield following a simple path. You can view the full map here.