10,000 steps to new and exciting places

From long-distance waterside routes to idyllic strolls through lush, verdant countryside, Oxfordshire offers some of the prettiest and most varied walking in England.

You can tackle the Thames Path as it snakes through Oxford itself and winds west through picturesque meadows and pastures. Staying near the water, you might want to enjoy a stroll along the Oxford canal, with its many pleasure boats and plentiful tow path pubs.

The 16 mile Glyph Valley trail passes through parkland and historic deserted villages, follows ancient Roman roads and traverses pretty waterfalls on its way to the picture postcard town of Woodstock.

Further afield, the countryside surrounding Henley on Thames offers a wonderful choice of walks, from gentle strolls along the river banks to slightly more demanding walks in the rolling Chiltern Hills.

Be warned; this is a part of country where it’s easy to walk a lot further than you planned, simply by exploring  ‘just around the next corner.’

Still, when you return, footsore and stiff limbed, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you can soothe away the rigours of the day with a leisurely aromatherapy massage or any one of dozens of other treatments designed to bring a smile to your face and contentment to your soul.