To help families with young children enjoy the great outdoors more this spring, iCandy has revealed the top 20 most beautiful walks in the UK that are ‘pushchair-friendly’.
Research from the National Trust shows 76% of UK children want to spend more time outdoors and there are countless health benefits of being outside, like improving sleep, encouraging independence, enhancing social skills and increasing their overall happiness. But, for many families with small children, it can often be difficult to find amazing places to explore that are also accessible for pushchairs.
Cameron Appel, Vice CEO at iCandy, commented, “As a new parent myself, I know first-hand how frustrating it can be to miss out on beautiful walks because paths aren’t suitable for prams. It almost feels like the world shrinks a bit. So, we hope this new guide will open up the UK to families who want to enjoy stunning walks in nature with a pushchair.”
The UK’s most picturesque pram-friendly walks
To reveal the UK’s prettiest country walks for families, the pushchair experts at iCandy analysed data for over 320 ‘stroller friendly’ walks on AllTrails that were noted for their accessibility. iCandy ranked each of the walks against four key criteria to create an index: walk difficulty, the average review score, the total number of reviews and the total number of photos posted to Instagram. For the 100 most reviewed walks, the results were then weighted to award each walk a total score out of 100.
With a chart-topping score of 90, Damflask Reservoir walk, near Sheffield in stunning South Yorkshire, is the UK’s best and most beautiful pram-friendly walk. The route offers up spectacular vistas across the reservoir as well as meandering pathways through fabulous woodland that are perfect for playing games, like hide and seek, as you make your way around. The South Yorkshire circular walk has a difficulty rating of ‘easy’ and is around 3.8 miles long, with flat paths that provide great access for prams and families.
Dovestone Reservoir Circular, on the edge of the Peak District National Park, near Manchester, takes second place. Along the route, walkers can admire the spectacular rolling hills surrounding the reservoir and pass through shaded woodland – perfect for inspecting some local wildlife with the little ones.
Following in third, is Turton and Entwistle Reservoir Circular, near Bolton. The walk is an easy 2.5-mile circular trail and is a favourite with runners and walkers. On a warm summer’s day, the lake provides a beautiful backdrop for capturing a family photo during a fun outing, and there are plenty of lovely spots along the route that are great for picnics – perfect for those who want to make a little more of their day out.
Fourth place goes to Hollingworth Lake in Greater Manchester – home to a variety of water sports, including sailing, canoeing and rowing. Virginia Water Circular, located on the southern edge of Windsor Great Park in Surrey takes fifth place – this walk serves up a wonderful array of nature to admire, including deer, badgers, moles, rabbits and hares.
Seven of the top 10 walks are in the North of England, with trails in South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cumbria and Tyne and Wear amongst the most popular and picture-worthy accessible walks.
Hampshire, and more specifically, the New Forest, is home to three of the top 20 walks, with Tall Trees Trail and Acres Down Woodland both ranking in 6th place, and Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary taking 14th place in the study.
Whilst London might be home to many beautiful parks and walks along the Thames, only one city central walk made this top 20 list – the circular route from Regent’s Park to Primrose Hill ranked in 20th place overall. The easy route takes walkers through the park and then up the Hill, where they can enjoy views of one of the most recognisable skylines in the world.
The Top 20 Most Popular Picturesque Pram-Friendly Walks In The UK
| Rank | Walk | County | Score out of 100 |
| 1 | Damflask Reservoir Circular | South Yorkshire | 90 |
| 2 | Dovestone Reservoir Circular | Greater Manchester | 89 |
| 3 | Turton and Entwistle Reservoir Circular | Lancashire | 86 |
| 4 | Hollingworth Lake | Greater Manchester | 83 |
| 5 | Virginia Water Circular | Surrey | 82 |
| 6 | Friar’s Crag | Cumbria | 79 |
| 6 | Roe Green Loop Line and Bridgewater Canal Circular | Greater Manchester | 79 |
| 6 | Tall Trees Trail Circular | Hampshire | 79 |
| 6 | Herrington Country Park Circular | Tyne and Wear | 79 |
| 6 | Acres Down Woodland | Hampshire | 79 |
| 11 | Newmillerdam Country Park Circular | West Yorkshire | 77 |
| 11 | Clent Hill Circular | Worcestershire | 77 |
| 11 | Tarn Hows and Rose Castle Plantation Circular | Cumbria | 77 |
| 14 | Orrest Head from Windermere | Cumbria | 75 |
| 14 | Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary and Bolderwood Grounds Circular | Hampshire | 75 |
| 16 | Rendlesham Forest UFO Site Circular | Suffolk | 74 |
| 17 | Walsall Arboretum | West Midlands | 73 |
| 17 | Colley Hill and Reigate Hill | Surrey | 73 |
| 17 | Bowers Lake and Astley Lake Circular | Greater Manchester | 73 |
| 20 | Fewston Reservoir Circular | North Yorkshire | 70 |
| 20 | Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill Circular | Greater London | 70 |
| 20 | Pitsford Water Circular | Northamptonshire | 70 |
Cameron adds: “Easy access walks help families to get outside, not only for those with pushchairs but for families with kids who want to ride along on scooters and bikes. Having walks where you know you can enjoy the route without having to struggle with your pram can make such a difference. We hope this research helps to inspire families to make the most of those summer days and get out and explore more.”
