Magical Peak District walk named among best in the UK

The stream running through the Padley Gorge
-Credit:Michael Bayley


A picturesque Peak District walk has been named among the best to explore in the UK. Padley Gorge, found on the eastern side of the National Park, beat off competition from all over the country to be ranked fourth in a list of the ten best woodland walks.

Padley Gorge is a deep but narrow valley with gently flowing streams and tumbling waterfalls near the Longshaw Estate and Grindleford. The peaceful setting is usually covered with visitors with cameras in hand as they try to snap that Instagram-perfect photo.

The list of woodland walks was compiled by experts from GO Outdoors, as reported by Manchester Evening News. The team analysed Google reviews and searches and Instagram posts to find the UK's best woodlands and forests.

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Padley Gorge, a two-hour drive from Liverpool, joint fourth on the list alongside Suffolk’s Thetford. The Peak District walk has a 4.8 Google rating out of five and has racked up 1,577 Google reviews, 26,574 Instagram posts, and 137,500 annual Google searches.

The woodland is made up of ancient oak and birch, with Burbage Brook flowing through it, which is crossed with wooden bridges and stepping stones. Another walk near Liverpool that made the top ten was Macclesfield Forest in Cheshire.

Padley Gorge has been named among the best walks in the UK
Padley Gorge has been named among the best walks in the UK

It has dozens of walking routes you can take through the towering trees, and looks particularly delightful on a crisp winter's day. Hampshire's New Forest ranked first on the list, followed by the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire.

The UK’s best woodland walks

  • New Forest, Hampshire

  • Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

  • Tollymore Forest, County Down

  • Padley Gorge and Thetford Forest

  • Epping Forest, Essex

  • Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire

  • Kielder Forest, Northumberland

  • Ashdown Forest, East Sussex

  • Macclesfield Forest, Cheshire