East Midlands, a region in central England, features a diverse landscape that provides a varied setting for outdoor activities. The area encompasses parts of the dramatic Peak District National Park with its gritstone edges and moorlands, the ancient woodlands of Sherwood Forest, and the expansive waters of Rutland Water. Rolling hills, river valleys, and canal networks also contribute to the region's varied terrain, making it suitable for several sports like hiking, touring cycling, mountain biking, jogging, and more.
239
Routes
4.7
(14860)
Average rating
98458
People visited

4.8
(1000)
4,740
hikers
14.4km
04:24
510m
510m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.8
(657)
2,721
hikers
13.3km
03:57
410m
410m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.8
(589)
2,632
hikers
13.3km
03:58
410m
410m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.8
(464)
2,648
hikers
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.8
(190)
2,862
riders
26.4km
01:51
390m
390m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.7
(174)
1,957
riders
40.3km
02:41
180m
180m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.9
(79)
1,227
riders
27.0km
02:01
360m
360m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.9
(71)
1,059
riders
43.9km
03:01
380m
380m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.7
(311)
2,591
riders
23.8km
02:02
190m
190m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.6
(192)
1,370
riders
28.0km
02:35
640m
640m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

4.6
(130)
917
riders
26.0km
02:26
590m
580m
Hard mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the route may require you to push your bike.

4.7
(112)
709
riders
22.9km
02:28
750m
740m
Hard mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the route may require you to push your bike.
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4.3
(4)
1,242
runners
12.3km
01:26
90m
90m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.8
(4)
801
runners
4.88km
00:33
10m
10m
Easy run. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(5)
682
runners
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.8
(5)
659
runners
32.8km
03:29
420m
420m
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.8
(52)
470
riders
42.3km
03:25
480m
480m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.9
(31)
328
riders
68.3km
05:40
670m
670m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.7
(36)
330
riders
55.2km
04:50
780m
780m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
22
riders
40.1km
03:25
820m
820m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.5
(6)
256
riders
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

4.0
(2)
180
riders
94.4km
05:05
1,750m
1,750m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

3.0
(1)
137
riders
90.0km
04:57
1,700m
1,700m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

4.9
(9)
102
riders
38.8km
02:14
600m
600m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
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5
hikers
7.30km
02:23
280m
280m
Hard mountaineering route. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.

3
hikers
13.2km
04:04
450m
450m
Moderate mountaineering route. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
4
hikers
10.8km
03:05
240m
240m
Moderate mountaineering route. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
3
hikers
17.9km
05:27
560m
560m
Hard mountaineering route. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
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Exploring dramatic Peak District waterfalls on foot
Hiking Collection by
Jo | The Wandering Wildflower
Walk Britain – 90 car-free adventures in England, Wales and Scotland
Hiking Collection by
elisedowning
The East Midlands offers a diverse range of outdoor activities including Hiking, Touring cycling, Mountain biking, Jogging, Road cycling, and Gravel biking. The region features over 53,000 routes across various terrains, from the Peak District to Sherwood Forest.
The Peak District National Park offers challenging hikes like the Kinder Scout Circular Walk and the Mam Tor and Great Ridge Circular. Sherwood Forest provides activity trails, and Rutland Water has paths around the reservoir. More information can be found in the guide Hiking in the East Midlands.
Yes, the East Midlands offers many easy and family-friendly walks. The Tissington Trail and Monsal Trail are traffic-free former railway lines suitable for beginners and families. Rutland Water also provides a gentle loop around England's largest reservoir. For more options, consult the guide Easy hikes in the East Midlands.
The East Midlands features excellent cycling routes, including the traffic-free Tissington Trail and Monsal Trail in the Peak District. The Ladybower, Derwent, and Howden Reservoirs loop offers scenic touring cycling. Rutland Water also has a dedicated loop route for touring cyclists. Explore more options in the Cycling in the East Midlands guide.
Mountain biking trails are available in the Peak District, with challenging routes like the Jacob's Ladder and Lord's Seat loop. Sherwood Pines Forest Park in Nottinghamshire offers dedicated red and blue loops for mountain bikers. The National Forest also provides an extensive network of trails. Refer to MTB Trails in the East Midlands for more details.
The East Midlands provides numerous jogging and running trails. The River Trent, particularly around Nottingham, offers many miles of paths through areas like Colwick Country Park and Attenborough Nature Reserve. Carsington Water features a popular circular run with waterside views. The Running Trails in the East Midlands guide lists more options.
Key natural features include the dramatic gritstone edges and moorlands of the Peak District, the ancient woodlands of Sherwood Forest, and the expansive Rutland Water, England's largest reservoir. The region also features the rolling hills of the Lincolnshire Wolds and various river and canal networks.
Many trails across the East Midlands are dog-friendly, particularly in areas like the Peak District, Sherwood Forest, and along canal towpaths. It is advisable to check specific route details for any restrictions or requirements, such as keeping dogs on leads in certain nature reserves or livestock areas.
The East Midlands is a popular destination on komoot, with more than 1,014,000 visitors sharing their experiences. Routes in the region have an average rating of 4.54 out of 5 stars, indicating high user satisfaction with the available outdoor activities.
Komoot offers several guides for the East Midlands, including Hiking in the East Midlands, Easy hikes in the East Midlands, Cycling in the East Midlands, and MTB Trails in the East Midlands. Guides for running, road cycling, gravel biking, and mountain hikes are also available.
The East Midlands Combined County Authority can be contacted for general information. Their official website is www.eastmidlands-cca.gov.uk. They can also be reached by phone at 01246 903504.

