Type of Walk: Famous Authors

'This walking guide pays homage to John Bunyan (1628-1688), the legendary Puritan Evangelist and world-famous author of The Pilgrim’s Progress. It identifies and illustrates many of the locations associated with him; and for the first time gives a full description of the 81-mile John Bunyan Trail, broken into ten segments to enable people to enjoy particular sections of it. As Bunyan himself prophesised with regard to “The Pilgrim’s Progress”, Bedfordshire Ramblers hope that “this book will make a traveller of thee”.

Leighton Buzzard Ramblers

'With his remarkable story as inspiration the John Clare Walk recreates, “in the spirit of John Clare", the poet’s trek northwards from High Beach in Essex to Helpston, the village of Clare’s much loved first home and the site of Clare Cottage.'

John Clare Cottage

'Follow the daily route Keats took during his stay in Winchester. Starting at Winchester Tourist Information Centre, enjoy a self-guided walk in the poet's footsteps from the city to St Cross, passing through the landscape which inspired his famous ode "To Autumn".'

Visit Winchester

'Until the mid 19th century this was a remote area. Then in 1855 Charles Kingsley set his novel Westward Ho! here and a small resort was developed on the coast and named after the book. It is now the only town in Britain with an exclamation mark as part of its spelling. This walk starts by circling inland behind the town before heading to the cliffs to the west. It then returns along the South West Coast Path.'

Devon County Council

'Philip Larkin is widely considered to be Britain's greatest post-war poet. Born in Coventry in 1922, he lived the greater part of his working life in Hull, having moved here in his early 30s to take up the post of University Librarian ...'

The Larkin Trail

'Back in 1985, a head-over-heels fan of Cider with Rosie, I spent a day exploring Slad with Laurie Lee as my guide. I've never forgotten the deep and amused affection that the author showed for the little South Gloucestershire village where he grew up ...'

Christopher Somerville Walks

'The tour will begin and end in a pub and there will be a coffee stop in the middle (drinks not included in the price). The places we visit will evoke writers who were born in or who lived in Belfast and who had their own particular take on the city.'

Walking Tours Belfast

Circular walk around Chappel including visiting Chalkney Wood  which holds 'a wide variety of wildlife including deer, badgers and over 30 species of breeding birds. The plant and and insect communities include a number of rare species'.

Chappel Parish Council

'Oxfordshire has featured in many blockbuster films and TV programmes over the years. Follow in the famous footsteps of Harry Potter, Inspector Morse, Lyra and others and explore some of those magical locations around the city and county. Download a trail ...'

Location Oxfordshire

'Links some of Britain's best-loved tourist destinations - London, the Chilterns, Oxford, Blenheim Palace, the Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon.'

The Shakespeare's Way Association

'The pathway (18 miles approx.), which runs between Cleobury Mortimer and north of Stottesdon, is laid out in roughly a figure eight pattern intersecting at Detton Hall. The walk is planned, as a one day outing for experienced walkers, to include most of the Rea Valley farms mentioned in Simon Evans' books. Casual walkers should allow 2 days to fully enjoy this footpath.'

Cleobury Mortimer Footpath Association

'Cross-country walk between Moffat in South Central Scotland to Cockburnspath on the South East Scottish Coastline. It runs through lowland valleys, by lochs and reservoirs, alongside the River Tweed and its tributaries, over several significant Borderland hills and through communities steeped in history and interest.'

'A Staffordshire Libraries walk - a series of three linked walks that cover over 30 miles of the Staffordshire Countryside on and around Cannock Chase. The walks focus on Staffordshire's J.R.R Tolkien connection.'

Staffordshire County Council

'A unique wilderness walk across the heart of Scotland ... Based on the book Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson ... Centred around real historical events ... A great way to explore Scotland.'

Ian Logan

'Before he died, the Poet Laureate Ted Hughes requested that a granite stone be engraved with his name and placed at his favourite spot on Dartmoor. Hughes, who moved to North Devon in 1961, died from cancer in 1998. In accordance with his wishes, a slab of Dartmoor granite was duly inscribed and sited near the rising of the Taw, Dart, East Okement and Teign rivers. The stone was airlifted into place in 2001, following special permission from the landowners, the Duchy of Cornwall. English Nature and the Dartmoor National Park Authority also gave permission. However, the exact location remained a secret - until 2003, when it was discovered.'

BBC

'A long and challenging walk which climbs up the downs and generally follows the crest through forests past ancient burial sites, the Tennyson Monument and The Needles to Alum Bay. Superb views in many directions.'

Isle of Wight Official Tourism Guide

Descriptions of twelve locations around and about Coventry associated with the poet Philip Larkin: 'This self-guided leaflet ... is aimed at residents and visitors alike, since many of today's Coventrians remain unaware of Larkin's literary heritage'.

Coventry City Council

'During the last great age of Irish Literature in the 18th Century, the Ring of Gullion was famed for its strong association with "fili agus filíocht" (poets and poetry), with all the major poets coming from this area. Their remains can be found in Creggan Church and graveyard in Slieve Gullion, which is known as the poet's graveyard. There are three waymarked trails, for walking or cycling, around Mullaghbane, Forkhill and Creggan, collectively titled The Poet's Trail, along which you can visit locations associated with these bards and find out more about them.'

Visit Mourne Mountains

'The landscape speaks to us, if we just take the time to understand its language. Increasingly, it is telling us that our cultural affiliation with nature is in crisis. The wildlife dimension is being dissipated at an unprecedented rate and there is an urgent need for action to halt the destruction and restore wilderness eco systems before it is too late.'

Dick Capel

Meg Peacocke | Pip Hall

Five walks have been surveyed and written by members of the Cymdeithas Thomas Pennant to commemorate the bicentenary of the publication of "The History of the Parishes of Whiteford and Holywell".

Thomas Pennant Society

'In the footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien ...'

Visit Lancashire

'Explore UK Literary Walks - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you.'

AllTrails

'Wainwright's Way is a journey on foot through Alfred Wainwright's life from Lancashire to the Lakes. This walking guide charts a 126 mile long-distance route linking the place where he was born – a Victorian terraced house in Audley Range, Blackburn – with his final resting place on Haystacks, his heavenly corner of Lakeland.'

The Long Distance Walkers Association

Wainwright's Way by Nick Burton (Frances Lincoln, 2013) | Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells (Frances Lincoln, 2011)

'In April 2007, inspired by the writings of Thomas Hardy, I travelled on foot from Win Green to Weymouth. The journey was one of great contrast, reaching to the very heart of Hardy country. Along the way I passed through landscapes associated with the novels, poems and short stories: Cranbourne Chase, the valley of the Stour, the chalk ridge south of the Blackmoor Vale, the Frome valley, the coastal uplands ... '

Southern Walks

'Links Horsham in West Sussex with Chichester Cathedral ... And as you follow the trail the Guidebook will bring the walk alive with stories of dozens of literary connections along the way ...'

Footprints of Sussex and Per-Rambulations

'The William Soutar Perth Walks were officially launched by Provost John Hulbert and Councillor Liz Grant at the Soutar House on 19 November 2007. The idea of a haik originated with Robert Alan Jamieson, who was the Soutar Writer in Residence from 1993-96. Alan's idea was to identify sites which Soutar had either written about or had referred to in his poetry, and link them together as a walk ...'

The Friends of William Soutar Society