Autumn might be the UK's most underrated walking season, and a new roundup of the country's best trails makes a strong case for getting out before winter closes in. With 46 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a famously well-marked footpath network, there's a route here for every ability — from a half-day leg-stretch to a week-long expedition.

If you want drama, start in Dorset. The nine-mile stretch from Ringstead Bay to Durdle Door runs along the Jurassic Coast, where limestone cliffs hold 185 million years of fossils, from tiny ammonites to dinosaur remains. It's steep in places, but the sea views and the chance to spot a fossil at your feet make the effort worthwhile.

For something gentler and wildlife-heavy, Elmley Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent offers a six-mile loop along the seawall from Kingshill Farm to Spitend Hide. Expect marshland, thousands of wading birds, and — if you time it for dusk — otters, hares and hunting barn owls. Shepherd's huts at the farm mean you can turn it into an overnight stay.

Scotland's big draw is the West Highland Way: 96 miles from Milngavie near Glasgow to Fort William, taking about a week. Despite the length, the trail follows old drovers' and military routes and stays surprisingly gentle, passing Loch Lomond and the boggy expanse of Rannoch Moor before finishing at the foot of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain.

Cornwall's contribution is the seven-mile coastal walk linking Porthleven and Helford on the Lizard Peninsula, Britain's most southerly point. Go in spring for rare wildflower meadows, and build in a stop at Kynance Cove, a white-sand beach that's been pulling visitors since Victorian times.

Birders should head for Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire, an RSPB reserve on chalk cliffs above the North Sea. Between March and October roughly half a million seabirds gather here — guillemots wedged onto narrow ledges, Atlantic puffins returning with eels, and large gannet colonies. Short self-guided trails include a puffin route and a kids' bug hunt, and Discovery Backpacks with binoculars and spotter sheets can be hired on site.

Finally, the Cotswold Way runs 102 miles from Chipping Campden to Bath, taking seven to ten days end to end. Not up for the full thing? It's conveniently broken into circular walks — the Winchcombe and Belas Knap loop and a route through Cranham Woods are highlights — so you can sample honey-stone villages and rolling hills without committing to a week.

The appeal is flexibility. These walks span coastal drama, wetland birdlife and pastoral countryside, and several work as day trips from major cities like Glasgow, London or Bristol. Casual walkers can stick to short loops; the ambitious can link segments into proper multi-day holidays with B&Bs or, in Elmley's case, a shepherd's hut at the finish line.