WITH the autumn colours at their most spectacular, now is the time to put on those walking boots and see the local countryside and enjoy some fresh air and exercise.

And to help people find some great places for a local ramble, the National Trust has teamed up with outdoor gear retailer Cotswold Outdoor to produce a free guide, called Little Book of Great Walks Near You. It includes their favourite walks at National Trust properties in the Midlands.

This handy guide features walks across the region and is broken down into six categories - walks for Wildlife and Nature; Peaks and Views; Woodlands; Water’s Edge; History and Season’s Best.

It will be distributed through all of the National Trust properties included in the book – three of which are in Herefordshire – and through regional Cotswold Outdoor stores.

Brockhampton Manor House, near Bromyard, is set amidst a medieval estate and appears in the History section. Croft Castle, near Leominster, has ancient trees and spectacular woodlands which means it has earned its place in the Woodland section and in Water’s Edge there is The Weir, a river-side garden nestling next to the banks of the River Wye near Hereford.

There are lots more walks at National Trust prpoerties in the area and the great thing is that they usually cater for all abilities, starting with gentle strolls around the houses and immediate gardens through to longer walks that reach to the edges of some of the vast estates.

Another highlight of a National Trust walk is there’s bound to be a café or restaurant offering hot drinks and a tasty slice of cake not too far away.

National Trust staff have helped to compile the walking guide, with many of the walks being personal favourites.

Iain Carter, Herefordshire countryside manager, said this about his favourite walk. “The trees and woodland at Croft are really special, so the ancient tree walk has to be my favourite.

It’s a walk back through history, with links to the Spanish Armada. I love the story that the sweet chestnut avenue was planted from chestnuts seized from captured Spanish galleons, in the formation of the Spanish fleet, and that oaks were planted to represent the British fleet.”

Also included is the Park Seat Walk at Croome near Pershore and Hanbury Hall Historic Walk near Droitwich.

Look out for copies of the guide at Cotswold store in Droitwich or visit nationaltrust.org.uk/localwalks for print-friendly copies of all the suggested walks.