4 Literature-Inspired Walks in the UK’s South

We’ve compiled four English and Welsh countryside walks in The Cotswolds, Bath, the Wye Valley, and Oxford inspired by four authors who spent time in the UK’s south.

The English and Welsh countryside has inspired some of the literary world’s most influential minds, including J.R.R. Tolkien, Beatrix Potter, and Jane Austen.

Many English authors from the 19th century and beyond used to hike the beautiful green hills and forests, and stroll the charming towns for peace and inspiration. I’ve compiled a few walks that allow you to connect with your creativity in nature, while walking in the footsteps of some of the world’s greatest authors.

As an Aussie spending time in The Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, and southern Wales, I was stunned by the delicate beauty of the English countryside in the springtime. The colour palette was so green, the flowers diverse and colourful, and the atmosphere utterly peaceful – it felt as if the landscape were a beautiful kind of controlled chaos.

The lush forests evoked memories of fairy books I used to read as a child, and tales of mystery and adventure like Peter Pan and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

Spending time in nature and simply meandering through the English countryside is a great way to get inspiration. And the best part? Many of these trails were once walked by great literary figures of history, so you can step in their footsteps too. (Without having to worry about stepping on snakes!)

Here are four walks in the South UK countryside that brought inspiration to influential British authors, and where you can find your creative spark too.

Read more: 9 Bonnie Hikes to Wander on Your Next Scottish Adventure

1. The Wye Valley (Which Inspired William Wordsworth)

Length: 5-285km
Duration: 1.5 hours – 10 days+
Location: Tintern Abbey, Tintern, UK

The Walks

There are many walks you can choose to take in the beautiful Wye Valley, with varying levels of strenuousness. The Wye Valley is one of the first historic locations for British tourism, and was the subject of William Gilpin’s book Observations on the River Wye (1782), which is considered one of the first tour guide books to be published in the UK.

The Wye Valley was one of the first tourist destinations in the UK

However, a great place to start is the Tintern Abbey, a location that inspired English poet William Wordsworth. The Abbey is a beautiful monastery ruins, which was abandoned during the 16th century. It sits by the Wye River, which (at this location) is the border between England and Wales. You can wander inside the ruins today and walk in the footsteps of the monks who once lived here.

One of the most famous walks to take is the Tintern Abbey to Devil’s Pulpit circular walk (8.7km, 2.5 hours). The walk takes you from the Abbey, across the Wye River, through the picturesque forest to the ‘Devil’s Pulpit’, a stone that looks out across the Abbey. There’s a legend surrounding the stone, that the devil preached from the stone to try to tempt monks of the Tintern Abbey away from their holy path.

The ruins of Tintern Abbey

Afterwards, walk the Monk’s Trail (5km, 1.5 hours), which takes you on a loop past the old Abbey Mill, along the river to the charming village of Brockweir, and back to the Abbey.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, there are two extended multi-day trails that are popular, the Wye Valley Walk (219km) and Offa’s Dyke Path (285km), which pass through dramatic landscapes, medieval castles, and views of the beautiful Wye River.

The Author

William Wordsworth was an English poet of the Romantic movement, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He’s most well known for his work The Prelude, a semi-autobiographical work about his early years of writing.

However, one of his most famous poems was called Lines Written a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey. While the building itself doesn’t feature in this work, the poem describes in detail the unique countryside of the Wye Valley, and his philosophy on life at that time.

2. The Bath Skyline Walk (Which Inspired Jane Austen)

Length: 12km
Duration: 3.5 hours
Location: Bath, Somerset, UK

The Walks

This circular trail starts from Bath train station and takes you past Jane Austen’s old house, showing off the city that inspired many of her novels, before demonstrating the beautiful views of the city skyline amongst the green hills and countryside. You can find Jane Austen’s old house at 4 Sydney Place in Bath

Fun fact! You can actually stay there, as it’s now an Airbnb!

Due to the ease of following signage, it’s best to start the walk in a clockwise direction, so you don’t get lost! Don’t forget to celebrate your walk at the end with a beer at one of Bath’s many great pubs.

The social life and culture in Bath inspired many of Jane Austen’s novels

The Author

Jane Austen is one of the most influential 19th-century novelists, best known for work Pride and Prejudice. Her family spent several years living together in Bath after her father’s retirement. Interestingly, for various reasons she didn’t write any novels while living in Bath, however the city’s lively social life, fashion, and ideas provided inspiration for her later works. Her novels Persuasion (1817) and Northanger Abbey (1817) are both partly set in Bath.

3. The Slad Valley (Which Inspired Laurie Lee)

Length: 8.5km
Duration: 3-5 hours
Location: The Slad Valley, Gloucestershire, UK

The Walk

The Laurie Lee Wildlife Way Trail was one of the most picturesque walks I did while staying in The Cotswolds. It’s also home to one of the best pubs, The Woolpack Inn. The walk takes you from a lush forest, where you might spot deer and squirrels, through the beautiful Slad Valley, where you’ll pass impressive country estates and farm animals, to the top of Swift’s Hill, which shows off a spectacular view of the Slad Valley region in all directions.

The Slad Valley offers stunning views and peaceful ambling

You’ll also walk past Down Farm Manor, the house that inspired Laurie Lee’s book Cider with Rosie, and the author’s place of rest at the Holy Trinity church.

It’s very easy to get on the wrong path with this trail, so keep an eye on the trail and signage.

Down Farm Manor

The Author

Laurie Lee is the author of Cider with Rosie (1959), an autobiographical account of his youth growing up in the Slad Valley, which was very popular on its release. The book was adapted into a TV movie in 2015. It also forms part of a trilogy detailing more of Lee’s life experiences, including As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning (1969), and A Moment of War (1991). The Laurie Lee Wildlife Way Trail allows you to experience what life was like in the Slad Valley and enjoy the peace and inspiration of the English countryside.

4. The Oxford Christ Church Meadow Walk (Which Inspired Lewis Carroll)

Length: 3-8km
Duration: 1-2 hours
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK

The Walk

The beautiful grounds of Oxford have inspired numerous authors, but notably Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland, who resided at Christ Church College during his studies. Christ Church has a beautiful meadow, which offers a stunning view of the college itself, the River Thames, the River Cherwell, and the greenery surrounding the college.

It’s a fabulous place to take a stroll, stop and read a book, or admire the beautiful architecture. It’s also said that the scenery from Christ Church meadow has inspired some of the famous children’s novel’s landscapes.

You can extend the walk to include more of the Oxford grounds or the University Parks to get greater nature fix, or even take a punt down the River Cherwell on a boat.

The beautiful meadow walk that inspired Lewis Carroll

The Author

Lewis Carroll (AKA Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) is most famous as the author of Alice in Wonderland (1865). He studied mathematics and classical studies at Oxford and resided at Christ Church, where he took part in his clerical training.

It’s commonly said that Alice Liddell, the daughter of Henry Liddell, Dean of Christ Church, was the inspiration for Alice in Alice in Wonderland. You can find other pieces of inspiration for the book in the Christ Church College itself, and ‘Alice’s door’ in the Christ Church Cathedral gardens.

The UK is host to numerous iconic and influential authors, and it can be thrilling to walk in their footsteps on literature inspired walks. The Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, Tintern, and Somerset are just some locations in the south to delve into the history of literature, however there’s plenty more to explore in Wales, the north of England, and Scotland.

For now, happy strolling!