The National Trust, together with the over 50s insurer RIAS, have joined together to promote a range of walks that open up the great outdoors to young and old alike.

Walking is a perfect way to work off the bulge of winter indulgence while spending more time with the family. It's a great way to take moderate exercise, although it’s low impact, it raises the heartbeat for a good workout.

Walking is a hobby which is often grossly overlooked by many, but the UK has a host of beautiful locations with acres of natural beauty waiting to be explored.

The walks can be downloaded free from the National Trust's website, providing an invaluable guide with easy to follow directions, maps and points of interest along the route. They cover some of the most beautiful parts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland including coastal, woodland, upland and riverside routes, making exercise a pleasure that can be had by all the family.

Janet Connor, managing director of RIAS, says: "Walking is a great way to exercise for all ages. It is a fun - and a sociable activity for family and friends to take part in.

"Through our sponsorship of the National Trust walks, we hope to encourage more people to take pleasure in our beautiful countryside by going for walks on a crisp winter’s day to watch the wonders of our wildlife."

The National Trust has some great downloadable walks perfect for this winter, including:

• Harting Down in West Sussex, one of the largest areas of ancient chalk downland owned by the trust.
• Ashridge in the Chilterns, with its rich variety of wildlife including the renowned red kite.
• Dedham Vale in Suffolk, the famous location for John Constable's idyllic pastoral paintings.

The National Trust has 3.5 million members and 49,000 volunteers throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The article Take a hike this winter originally appeared on 999 Today