There are many areas in the UK where one can enjoy a walk surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, with High Weald among the very best, it has been claimed.

Annabelle Thorpe, writing in the Guardian, stated that the area boasts luscious green countryside, quaint villages and “a lattice of routeways”, making it a wonderful place for people to walk.

She pointed out that thousands of years ago, High Weald was England’s biggest centre of pannage – the practice whereby pigs would be driven into woodland to where they could eat acorns and fatten up.

“The Domesday Book records more than 150,000 pigs in the Weald and the tracks used by ancient drovers still remain to be walked upon. There are more than 2,000 rights of way in the Weald, from gentle circular walks to long-distance trails,” Ms Thorpe added.

In recognition of its unique character, High Weald was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by the government in 1983.