With summer in full swing and the school holidays here, it’s the perfect time to get outdoors. From lakeside strolls and woodland adventures to scenic park trails, the UK is packed with beautiful, family-friendly routes waiting to be discovered.

To celebrate the UK’s incredible scenery, we’ve uncovered the top 20 family-friendly walks across the country, including the top 10 for each nation. The walks were ranked using Google reviews, star ratings, number of reviews and family friendly-focused keywords to highlight a mix of hidden gems and well-known staples.

Ready to find your next adventure? Let’s dive into the details.

Which family walks make the UK top five?

Richmond Park is in first place with 1,929 family-related reviews. As one of London’s eight Royal Parks, this national nature reserve spans 2,500 acres of ancient woods, rolling hills and wide-open grasslands. It provides a stunning haven for wildlife, including its famous historic herds of deer.

Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham follows in second place with 1,678 family-focused reviews. One of the most popular parks in the city, it covers 250 acres of woodland and leafy open spaces that are perfect for picnics. Visitors can also enjoy beautiful lakes for a spot of fishing or a relaxing pedal boat ride.

Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire takes third place with 948 family-centric mentions. This gorgeous National Trust property features a vibrant walled kitchen garden and sweeping grounds that offer a delightful setting for a summer stroll. It’s also home to a working farm where children can see rare-breed animals, including Shire horses. This is a great location if you’re keen to have a go at a photo walk any time of the year.

Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire reaches fourth place with 943 family reviews. Home to national collections of rhubarb and apples, this 18th-century garden boasts the longest glasshouse in the National Trust. A majestic two-mile avenue of lime trees, the longest stretch of its kind in Europe, adds to its appeal.

Cragside in Northumberland finishes the top five with 915 family-focused reviews. A charming maze of paths weaves through the estate, leading to beautiful hillside views. Don’t forget to wander around the banks of the twin Nelly’s Moss Lakes, which were once the vital water stores for William Armstrong's hydroelectricity system.

Ready to discover your next family-friendly walk? Find the full list of the top 20 family walks below.

Wales’ top five family walks

From spectacular waterfalls to colourful gardens and golden beaches, Wales offers countless scenic spots for families to enjoy the sunshine.

Rhaeadr Fawr in Eryri National Park ranks in first place with 759 family reviews. Families can experience picturesque views from the foot of this magnificent waterfall, which is fed by the Afon Goch River. Found at the northern foot of the Carneddau mountain range, the soothing sound of the water creates the ideal setting for a peaceful family picnic.

Powis Castle and Garden in Welshpool secures second position with 599 family-related mentions. This medieval castle is surrounded by a world-famous, Grade I listed garden featuring 17th-century Italianate terraces. These are beautifully lined with dramatic clipped yews and scent-filled flowers.

Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Medieval Village takes the third-place spot with 466 reviews. Situated in the beautiful Vale of Glamorgan, this leafy parkland spans over 247 acres of lakes, woodland and wide-open spaces. It also features a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest to protect its rare plants and unique wildlife.

Pembrey Country Park in Carmarthenshire is in fourth place with 438 family reviews. Offering a unique blend of coast and countryside, visitors here are surrounded by 500 acres of Green Flag woodlands and eight miles of golden Blue Flag beaches. Families can also enjoy a massive range of activities, including a miniature train ride to admire the scenic views.

Pistyll Rhaeadr in Powys completes the top five with 366 family-centric reviews. Often celebrated as one of the Seven Wonders of Wales, this breathtaking waterfall cascades down a dramatic 240-foot cliff face, framed beautifully by the rolling landscapes of the Berwyn Mountains.

Scotland’s top five family walks

Scotland's diverse landscapes offer something for every family, from crystal-clear pools to historic castles to scenic city parklands.

Culzean Castle and Country Park takes the top spot with 692 family reviews. Perched dramatically on the Ayrshire cliffs, this castle is surrounded by a lavishly rich park, planted with soaring conifers and beech trees running alongside miles of golden coastline. To complete the adventure, families can discover a tranquil swan pond, fruit-filled glasshouses, and wild woodland play areas.

Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye reaches second place with 490 family-related reviews. Located near Glenbrittle at the foot of the Black Cuillin Mountains, these magical pools are a famous wild swimming spot, renowned for their crystal-clear blue waters and stunning mountain backdrop.

Dunnottar Castle in Kincardineshire wins the third spot with 446 family-focused reviews. Perched atop a sheer 160-foot cliff, this ruined cliff-edge fortress is home to some of Scotland’s oldest surviving structures dating back to the 13th-century. Beneath them lies ancient pudding stone formed over 440 million years ago, making it a compelling destination for history lovers and explorers alike.

Holyrood Park in the heart of Edinburgh takes fourth place with 444 family-focused reviews. Dominated by the iconic peaks of Arthur’s Seat, this ancient volcanic site offers breathtaking views of rolling hills, dramatic basalt cliffs, and tranquil lochs, all just a short stroll from the Royal Mile and UK’s number one golden hour spot - Arthur’s Seat.

Kelburn Castle and Estate in North Ayrshire rounds out the top five with 434 family reviews. Covering 3,500 acres, this stunning estate is renowned for its iconic graffiti-painted castle, majestic waterfalls, and peaceful glen walks that lead to spectacular views across the islands of the Firth of Clyde.

Northern Ireland’s top five family walks

Summer is the perfect time to uncover Northern Ireland's mix of natural beauty and historic attractions, from dramatic coastal scenery to peaceful woodland and luscious green gardens.

The Giant’s Causeway is the top family walk in Northern Ireland with 777 reviews. Formed by ancient volcanic activity, this iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site features over 40,000 perfectly interlocking basalt columns, set against a phenomenal, rugged northern coastline. It’s also sixth in our top 10 panoramic views in the UK.

Pickie Funpark in Bangor takes the second-place spot with 510 family reviews. Packed with attractions, it’s the ultimate coastal day out. Children can let off steam in the adventure playground, splash around in the water pads, and hop aboard the iconic Pickie Puffer steam train. The park sits at the gateway to the Marine Gardens coastal path, offering gorgeous panoramic views across Bangor Bay to the hills of Antrim beyond.

Tollymore Forest Park reaches third place with 463 family-related reviews. Sitting at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, this spectacular forest offers plenty of gentle, family-friendly trails alongside cascading rivers, historic stone bridges, and panoramic views of Newcastle’s coastline.

Wallace Park in Lisburn takes fourth place with 338 family reviews. A green oasis in an urban landscape, this leafy park retains much of its charming Victorian character, including a beautifully restored bandstand and a duck pond that was originally built in the 17th-century as the town’s reservoir.

Antrim Castle Gardens completes the top five with 325 family-centric reviews. This spectacular 400-year-old heritage site features historic 17th-century Anglo-Dutch canals, a dramatic 13th-century motte, and an interactive, accessible sensory garden filled with wind chimes, stepping logs, and balance beams. Take this walk during winter to see for yourself why it’s amongst the best winter walks in the UK!

If you’re looking to create lasting memories of your trails, explore our wide selection of photo books, photo prints, personalised gifts and photo calendars.

Methodology: The family walks were identified through desk research, focusing on routes described as suitable for families. Google reviews were analysed to extract routes that included family walk-related descriptive terms such as ‘family’, ‘kids’, ‘best’, ‘picnic’ and ‘easy’, which determined the final ranking.