There’s nothing quite like a bracing winter walk to blow away the cobwebs and soak up the wellbeing benefits of the great outdoors. Here’s where to soak up some of Wiltshire’s best views, and where to refuel along the way…

ALFRED’S TOWER AND STOURHEAD

Distance and difficulty: Moderate – 5.5 mile circular route, takes around 2 hours walking at an easy pace. View walk here.

Good for: Walkers who enjoy a bit of history, and don’t mind the odd hill!

Why we love it: This stunning circular walk takes in pretty woodland, an iron age hillfort and pretty St Peter’s Church. You also catch a good glimpse of Stourhead’s stunning lake and admire King Alfred’s Tower, a triangular folly built in 1772. Fun fac: it’s believed to mark the site where King Alfred the Great rallied his troops back in 878. The tower itself is closed in winter, but in spring and summer you can clamber all 205 steps and admire views over Wiltshire, Dorset and Somerset.

Pub pitstop: You’ll find The Spread Eagle I nn neatly poised in a former stables, a stone’s throw to the entrance to Stourhead gardens. The menu is packed with winter warmers, with loads of locally sourced ingredients. Free range eggs hail from St. Martins Farm just off the Estate, while Wiltshire game comes from Tisbury. Crowd pleasers include baked camembert, pulled pork and venison cassoulet. Alternatively, a short stomp uphill takes you to the large National Trust café, which has an epic selection of cakes.

MALMESBURY BRIDGES

Distance and difficulty: Easy, less than two miles. All flat, though do wear wellies! Find out more about the walk here.

Good for: Duck spotting and seeing Malmesbury’s impressive skyline. Yes, a small town can have a skyline, thank you!

Why we love it: This short but sweet walk takes you over every bridge over the River Avon in Malmesbury, creating quite the scenic walk around the town, that not in the least taxing. Our dog loved it too, taking every opportunity for a dip in the river.

Pub pitstop: Step into The Old Bell in Malmesbury for a drink by the fire, or even a full on, fancy meal. Thanks to the incredible vision of Texan owners Kim and Whit Hanks, the interior is fabulously quirky, oh-so cosy and also super stylish – no mean feat. Look out for the oversized giraffes, lavish wallpapers and the lofty ceiling, hand-painted with thousands of golden stars. The intimate Abbey Row restaurant serves incredible food, under the expertise of Executive chef Leigh Evans – think buttermilk venison loin, beetroot risottos and bar classics, such as a buttermilk chicken burger. If fine dining feels too much after a blustery stomp, you’ll find great Sunday roasts and fantastic afternoon teas too.

A STROLL AROUND LACOCK

Distance and difficulty: Easy – 2 miles long (with a little extra to walk to the pub). View walk here

Good for: Film fanatics. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was filmed here, as was companion series Fantastic Beasts.

Why we love it: Didn’t you hear? Harry Potter was filmed here! This medieval market town has also appeared in Downton Abbey, Cranford and Price and Prejudice, thanks to its quaint cottages, historic high street and impressive abbey. It’s also a Muddy rated best place to live. You’ll find indie shops galore in the village, plus you get to walk through a ford. That means this is definitely one for the wellies, although you can take a dry path over the top if you’re not a water baby.

Pub pitstop: Set among some of the most picturesque scenery our county has to offer, The Rising Sun just outside Lacock has crackling fires for keeping warm in the winter, plus some pretty epic views. Or, book a table at the Sign of the Angel, a 2AA Rosette awarded 15^th Century coaching inn. Think wood panelled walls and roaring fires, plus lunches, brunches and cream teas.

BEDWYN CIRCULAR

Distance and difficulty: Moderate – mostly flat. 4 mile route. View walk here.

Good for: Lovers of forests, fields and farmland.

Why we love it: It’s a fairly easy walk, and none of those pesky stiles! Gorgeous views of Great Bedwyn and the Kennet and Avon Canal, ending up back in the village itself.

Pub pitstop: The Three Tu ns is one of those rare beauties – it has a lovely, dog-friendly beer garden with a boules pitch for summer-drinking but come winter, roaring fires will toast your toes while you glug your way through the jug of freshly-made Bloody Mary propped on the bar, small batch spirits from around the Southwest and, last but not not least, their homemade mulled cider. This freehold village pub has won accolades for its Sunday roast so it’s no surprise that great food is a biggie here, from small bites of cauliflower cheese croquettes to rare Bavette steak. The bar is pretty lively too!

PEPPERBOX HILL

Distance and difficulty: Moderate. 6.8 mile route. View walk here.

Good for: Lovers of beautiful view and butterflies – the chalk downland here is a significant site in Wiltshire for rare butterfly species, including the duke of burgundy. We can’t promise they’ll be fluttering about in the winter (and we don’t blame them!) but make a note to come back in Spring if they are your thing.

Why we love it: This is a wonderful place for a walk, starting at the folly on Pepperbox Hill and taking you across to Dean Hill, with gorgeous views over the open countryside to the southeast of Salisbury. Carry on through Mean Wood, which in springtime is thickly carpeted with bluebells, and on down into the village of Whiteparish, before heading back across fields and a gentle climb back up to Pepperbox Hill.

Pub pitstop: A big Muddy thumbs up to The Kings Head, Whiteparish, a pub set in a 16th century old coaching house, lovingly restored without losing sight of the fact that this is a village pub, loved by locals. Truly exhausted after your walk? Or absolutely fed up of the in-laws in your home? Why not stay over? Their old barn houses eight lovely contemporary rooms with roll top baths, no less – this is very much a boutique high end B&B.

NETHERAVON DOVECOTE

Distance and difficulty: Easy – you can walk as far as you’d like. Everything from a few hundred yards to 20 miles! View walk here.

Good for: Lovers of flora and wildlife – there is an abundance of it on the plain.

Why we love it: There’s a chance to spot the famous but elusive Great Bustard, while you take in Netheravon Dovecote next to the historic Saxon church, walk alongside the crystal clear River Avon and pay a visit to the local Stonehenge Ales brewery.

Pub pitstop: The Dog and Gun Inn, Netheravon is a lovely 17^th century village inn located in the heart of stunning Salisbury Plain. Recently saved from development, it has been renovated into a quirky pub and dog-friendly boutique B&B. The “D&G” is the perfect place for curling up by the wood burner with your pooch to sip a Bloody Mary after a long walk. They also serve up amazing pizzas, if you’re all roast-ed out!

FONTHILL ESTATE

Distance and difficulty: Gentle. The length is up to you – choose less than three miles up to 10 miles. View walk here.

Good for: Film lovers – the stunning lake here featured in the film Chocolat.

Why we love it: Utterly gorgeous views of the Fonthill Estate, a full ten thousand acres of outstanding beauty in the heart of Wiltshire.

Pub pitstop: Set in the most gorgeous location in stunning parkland on the Fonthill Estate is The Beckford Arms, a traditional yet stylish country pub, and one that is right up our street. Think lovely garden, cosy bedrooms, #inlovewithlocal ales and gins, comfy sofas and a fab gastro restaurant. For foodies, the menu changes with the seasons to ensure the freshest produce. Whole suckling pig is spit-roasted on the bar’s open fire (yikes!), they make their own hams and piccalilli, serve game pies with homemade pastry as well as aged Wiltshire steaks.

HEAVENS GATE

Distance and difficulty: Easy – it’s less than 3km, so a good option for little legs. View walk here .

Good for: Everyone. Except those who’d rather be at the Safari Park down the road!

Why we love it: For brisk walk with stunning views of Longleat House and space for running out the dogs, this is the one for you.

Pub pitstop: The Bath Arms is tucked in the shadow of Longleat and makes for the the perfect place to relax and unwind. It’s a foodie pub as well as a lovely boutique retreat, with 17 characterful rooms with furniture imported from India making for a quirky twist on your typical country pub. The food is locally sourced and seasonal wherever possible – you can even hire their Shepherd Room for private dining for up to 50 guests.

BRADFORD ON AVON CIRCULAR

Distance and difficulty: Moderate – 6.3 mile circular route, takes around 2 hours walking at an easy pace. View walk here.

Good for: Moderate to experienced walkers who like scenic variety and don’t mind some uphill climbs.

Why we love it: For a start, this walk is circular, beginning and ending at Bradford on Avon Railway Station, which has a large carpark. It also takes in an abundance of pretty views, from canal paths to river banks, woods, an impressive aqueduct, a Georgian manor house (Iford Manor), bridges and a medieval tithe barn. You’ll definitely feel like you deserve those fish and chips at the end (there’s a chippie, Harle es, right next to the station). Best of all though, there are several places to stop and eat or drink on the way, so you’re never far from a hot chocolate/Pinot/beer.

Pub pitstop: The Cross Guns, Avoncliff. It’s well worth starting this walk hungry if you fancy stopping at this rustic riverbank pub, as you’ll reach it about 30 minutes after you head off from the station. It’s a must-visit and often makes it into top ten lists of national waterside pubs in the papers too. Inside, it’s all stone, wood and soft lighting, serving good old-fashioned pub grub like burgers and chips (vegans catered for) at decent prices. When the weather is mild, the terraced garden is a great place to sit and watch the world (and river Avon) go by. Other pitstops on the way include the Cafe at Iford Manor (open Thurday to Sunday in winter), The Inn at Freshford and No 10 Tea Garden (open Friday-Sunday in winter).

FOXHAM CIRCULAR

Distance and difficulty: Easy flat walk on roads which takes about an hour.

Good for: Relaxing weekend strolls, especially if you are staying at The Foxham Inn

Why we love it: Such an easy road walk taking in farmland, horseriders and two hamlets, each with a pub. Start at either The Foxham in Foxham or the Rising Sun in Christian Malford and turn left or right out of either and keep going left or right until you are back where you started. The pub staff will point you in the right direction as there is nothing much there apart from them, some houses, field and a church.

Pub pitstop: The Foxham Inn looks like it should be all beer and burgers, but it in fact serves the most delicious restaurant-quality food, specialising in fish and cocktails (not in the same glass). Of course it serves Sunday Roast too, so it’s a little oasis of Muddy surrounded by a patchwork of muddy fields, especially because it has two rooms that you can book to stay in too.

MAUD’S WALK, LANGLEY BURRELL

Distance and Difficulty: A four-mile route that takes in a series of pretty arches over the river Avon. View the walk h ere .

Good for: Filling your lungs with fresh air before or after filling your face with a delicious meal at the pub.

Why we love it: It’s heavy with history. Maud Heath’s Causeway is a pathway dating from the 15th century and the walk was named after Maud Heath, a childless Victorian widow and egg-seller, who made her living walking to Chippenham and back to sell eggs. When she died she left money to the upkeep of the path.

It’s quirky too: On both sides of its crossing of the River Avon, just west of Kellaway, the path rises above the floodplain on sixty-four brick arches (built 1812, largely reconstructed in the 20th century) alongside an undistinguished country road between Bremhill and Langley Burrell.

The Dumb Post Calne Wiltshire tart and ice cream — The Dumb Post Inn

Pub pitstop: The Langley Tap is a favourite with the locals, yet also welcoming to walkers and passers-by too, thanks to its stylish but homely interior and warm hospitality. Alternatively, head to The Dumb Post Inn, a honey-hued haunt with stunning views and a cosy interior. Alongside homemade pies and burgers, you’ll find excellent posher nosh, which recently garnered the pub a coveted spot in the AA Restaurant Guide. There’s a great kids’ menu too, with mini burgers, southern fried chicken goujons and pizza all for a generous £8.

Time for a stroll! Brilliant winter pub walks in Wiltshire

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