Remember you'll have a good time if you're geared up for it. Take a rain coat and wear sturdy shoes, comfortable wellingtons or walking boots. On any country walk you may find mud, stiles, stinging nettles or farm animals. For the easiest walks, surfaced paths are available at many country parks and on multi-user trails like cycle routes.

Cows and dog walkers - advice from the Ramblers and National Farmers Union

Strolls on your Doorstep A series of booklets, each containing ten easy access walks, perfect for people new to walking.  Each walk is graded and contains information such as distance, time needed, gradients and surfaces of the paths used.

Parish Walks This popular seies of leaflets are suitable for a short afternoon stroll or a day long walk. The routes are all circular and range in distance from 1 - 9 miles. Each leaflet contains written directions and a map.

Longer Walks Themed walks and long-distance walk routes published or supported by the County Council including the 100-mile Leicestershire Round path route which circuits the County.

Jubilee Walks A network of 6 walks created by the County Council's 'Stepping Stones' project in co-operation with the parish councils of Leicester Forest East, Braunstone Town and Enderby and also covering Lubbesthorpe parish.

Two Steeples Walk A 10 mile circular route from Wigston Magna via Wistow and Kilby. Celebrating Wigston's twin steepled churches it was devised by the local Civic Society and published by the County Council's 'Stepping Stones' project.

Maps of Paths Search for all the footpaths, bridleways and byways within a radius from any village in the county. The mapping gets more detailed as you zoom in.

Report a Problem If you find a problem on a footpath, bridleway or byway use the online form to send in the details so it can be investigated and the appropriate action taken.

Country Parks The County Council manages a wide range of attractive places for walks, picnics, exploring nature and enjoying the countryside.

Other Country Parks Bradgate Park and other sites in Leicestershire provided by other Councils and a range of public and private bodies

Open Access areas Search for Open Access land in Leicestershire where people can walk freely  on upland areas, heaths, and registered common land as result of what is commonly known as the 'right to roam'.

Nature Reserves managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Members of the public are welcome to visit the reserves except for Charnwood Lodge (woodland areas), Cloud Wood, and Ulverscroft (National Trust owned area) where permits are required.

Walking Groups and other Country Walk Providers Details of friendly and welcoming and friendly groups you can join across Leicestershire.

Guided Walks providers Find shorter walks led by  experts on subjects like heritage, archaeology, architecture, woodlands or wildlife.

Active Together Programmes of activities in each District, including guided walks and rides, to encourage everyone to become more physically active.

Health Walks Short, sociable, regular and local walks that help improve your fitness and mood, organised by the NHS and local councils.

Big Charity and Challenge Walk Events A selection of walk events for good causes happening during the year in Leicester and Leicestershire.

Netwalking (commercial site) The latest concept in business development, combining networking for business people with walking in the great outdoors.

Family Walks around Charnwood Fourteen walks published by Charnwood Borough Council in 2004. The routes range in distance from 2-8 miles.

National Forest Walks A series of walks which pass through new and existing woodlands or sites of interest in The National Forest. The routes mainly follow Public Rights of Way but some use permissive paths.

Defra Walks and Rides Search for walks, rides and areas of open access in Leicestershire and Rutland provided under the Countryside Stewardship, Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Environmental Stewardship Schemes.

Country Walking's website includes downloadable walks previously published in the magazine; some of which are free and others are available to purchase.

Other Published and Online Walks (forthcoming) Country walks in Leicestershire from a wide range of external sources including details of books of walks covering the County.

Orienteering The Leicestershire Orienteering Club arranges events and has organised a series of Permanent Orienteering Courses around the County.

Climbing A website listing climbs based on the book Leicestershire Climbs by Geoff Mason and Ken Vickers and including links to some local climbing clubs.