According to the National Trust the internet is encouraging more people than ever to head outdoors and go for walks.
They have revealed that already this year more than 180,000 people have downloaded their walks online, compared to 250,000 in the whole of last year. On average around 800 walks a day are being downloaded from the site, roughly one every two minutes.
Alderley Edge was the second most popular walk out of the 170 currently featured on the National Trust website, beaten only by the Bath Skyline walk which has been downloaded by 9140 people so far this year.
Top ten internet walks
| Walk | County | Downloads | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bath Skyline | Somerset | 9,140 |
| 2. | Alderley Edge | Cheshire | 5,152 |
| 3. | Flatford Constable | Essex | 4,562 |
| 4. | Clumber Park | Nottinghamshire | 4,106 |
| 5. | Knoll | Kent | 3,766 |
| 6. | Ashridge Wildlife Walk | Hertfordshire | 3,304 |
| 7. | Brownsea Wildlife Walk | Dorset | 3,152 |
| 8. | Lansallos Coastal Walk | Cornwall | 3,071 |
| 9. | Stourhead, Park Hill Camp | Wiltshire | 2,823 |
| 10. | Hardcastle Crags | Yorkshire | 2,108 |
The National Trust walk is a 4.5 mile woodland walk which begins at Alderley Edge railway station and covers intriguing legends, the ancient history of copper mining which dates back 4,000 years to the Bronze Age and spectacular views from The Edge.
Mike Collins from the National Trust said "It's a beautiful part of Cheshire with stunning views for miles around. Walkers are looking for that little something extra and this is such a perfect place for a walk through a dramatic landscape where you can even see the hills of the Peak District."
The National Trust cares for some of Britain's most beautiful places to take a walk. Whether you're looking for a gentle stroll or an energetic hike, there are countless places to explore. Each leaflet offers simple route directions, a map and interesting things to discover along the way. More walks are being added all the time and the National Trust are aiming to have 1000 online by the spring of 2012.
If you enjoy walking and are interested in exploring the local area Roger Norton, a local footpaths inspector for East Cheshire Ramblers and a voluntary warden with the National Trust's Alderley Edge estate, has kindly provided us with a number of local walks during the past year which can be downloaded below:
- The Wizard Walk
- Historic Mines Circuit
- Waterfall & Clockhouse Woods Walk
- Autumn Glory Walk
- Hare Hill Circular Walk
Photo by NTPL/David Noton.
