With Valentine’s Day on the near horizon we suggest eight wonderfully romantic places to walk or cycle. The great outdoors is the perfect way to enjoy quality time with your loved one. And after all your exercise, you’ll have the perfect excuse for cosying up together at a country pub or hotel. Many romances have also flourished in the outdoors. I recently wrote about four couples that had found love thanks to their passions for walking, cycling and triathlon. The article even includes the founder of Macs Adventure, Neil Lapping and his wife Ali. Read more here: You are the Sunshine of my Life.

Eight of the best places to walk and cycle with love

1) The Lake District’s picturesque landscape has long been associated with love and romance. If you’re looking for quieter location for a few days of loved-up-ness then head to Buttermere. Why not make a walking holiday of it and book the Inn Way with us? 2) Great English writer William Shakespeare is credited with penning a wealth of romantic plays. You can pay homage to Shakespeare at the delightful town of Stratford-on-Avon and visit his wife, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Have a drink in The Dirty Duck, the pub on the riverside near the famous Swan Theatre where many of Shakespeare’s plays are performed. Make a week of it and walk the nearby Cotswold Way as a holiday or set off from Stratford on the Shakespeare’s Way. 3) The John Muir Trust revealed the most romantic landscape in Scotland as Glencoe. The stunning Highlands area, boasting numerous majestic mountains, was voted by the public and was the clear winner. To enjoy the West Highland scenery with your loved one you could take the West Highland Line Train. Alternatively, why not walk through Glencoe by foot on a West Highland Way walking holiday? The 96-mile long-distance walking trail starts just north of Glasgow and finishes in Fort William, passing through Glencoe en route. 4) Another highly rated romantic location is Sandwood Bay in the far north west of Scotland. The stunning expanse of beach is only accessible on foot or by boat. Walk for a couple of hours on the scenic path to the bay and take all you need for an overnight wild camp. Don’t forget to pack the Champagne and a packet of heart-shaped sweets. See a route suggestion. 5) The South West Coast Path offers a wealth of fabulous views, especially if you are a couple drawn to golden sands of windswept beaches. Two of the most romantic hotspots on this long-distance walking trail include Burgh Island. A short walk on the island takes you past an Art Deco hotel, which was made famous by Agatha Christie and voted the “most romantic hotel in Britain”. A four-mile Porlock Woodland Walk also heads to Porlock Beach, a favourite among the Romantic Poets and modern-day romantics alike. 6) Rabbie Burns, the legendary Scottish poet, wrote some of the world’s most noted love songs, including Ae Fond Kiss, a Red, Red Rose and A Rose-bud By my Early Walk. Rabbie was inspired by people and places, especially his home region of Ayrshire. These days the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, in Alloway, charts the life and works of the great bard. Why not also take a walk in the steps of this brilliant romantic writer? The Burns Walk follows a circular route of 4.5 miles in the beautiful Borders town of Dumfries. Meanwhile, the Burns’ Trail follows a route for 3.75 miles from Alloway. 7) Whisk your true love away on a romantic trip to Europe. Italy’s cities of Venice and Florence are acclaimed hotspots of love and romance, so why not combine with a wonderful Venice to Florence cycling holiday? 8) Celebrate your love with a Champagne Cycling tour. Oh, you know you want to! Did you know that every two seconds, a bottle of Champagne is opened somewhere in the world and three billion glasses are enjoyed each year? France’s most celebrated export and arguably the world’s most famous wine-producing region can be enjoyed on over five days of wonderful cycling – and fizz drinking. Tell us your favourite romantic spots to walk or cycle.